Child Casting in the North East

Debbie Audition

Within a University lecture today we got into conversation about role casting and appropriate casting. It came into conversation when I was 11 I auditioned for the role of Debbie in Billy Elliot the Musical. The show is in the North East and always toured around the North East for auditions. When discussing in class I explained that Debbie is from a working class background, as in an a North East town in the 80's.

Turning up to my second audition for the role, I recall the majority of the girls there being well spoken and some of the girls there were also privately educated. There mothers, well dressed and some with nice cars. I attended by myself, standing out from everyone because I was by myself but this is due to my mother not being available at the time and I lived not that far from where the audition was taking place.

Going through to the audition, the panel consisted of middle aged men and on women, all with London accents. I felt out of my depth at this point because I was confused because no one spoke like the character of Debbie. Although scary, this gave me great confidence due to the fact I knew i had the accent down to the tea and I had the dance and acting ability the character needed.

We were made one by one to say a few lines that Debbie says in the show in a line of 5, I remember listening to the other girls in front of me thinking they sound like they're from London. A lot of my friends from drama school also spoke like this so it wasn't unheard of to me but I knew this wasn't who Debbie was.

Thinking back a few later, I notice the amount of girls that were recalled to that audition from the previous open class and noticed. I wasn't invited back due to my height, however one of the only true northern spoken children there meaning the majority of the girls taken through to the next round didn't require to have the accent. I question myself and think was I not chosen because I wasn't good enough or did the panel relate and identity more with the upper class children because they could see themselves or there own children through the auditions. One girl I know was cast as Debbie from the North East, however she attended a full time theatre school in London, which maybe the reason to her opportunity.

Looking back and doing my research I've noticed that majority of the children and cast in the show did not originate from Newcastle, rather down South. According to Shenton (2014) only 3 of the 27 of the boys playing the role of Billy Elliot from 2015 to 2014 where from the North East Area where the show originated. This breaks opportunities for working class people to be cast in shows that relate to them. Too add, with there not being a lot of exposure of the arts in our community in Newcastle this would be a perfect solution of someone up in the North who are wanting to make a name for themselves. But this opportunity is therefore taken away from someone is more fortunate financially or because of the location they live in which I believe to be unfair.

The Dumping Ground

Following on through the lesson, June, another student on my course talked about how her son was apart of the show Tracy Beaker Returns and The Dumping Ground. The shows focus on life in a foster home and the struggles faced between the children and employee's in the hopes the children will be fosters.

Fostering and care homes is considered something that is working class and lower class which is not glamorous at all. With children being put into care because of abuse, neglect or other families issues. The TV show lightens this situation, with his program being for kids it shows issues children may face such as clashing emotions, feelings of loneliness and not being wanted which kids may identify with which can be seen as helpful.

However, the show was set in Newcastle and most of the kids that were cast were from middle class backgrounds and had professional actors with agents. 'The sets, theme music and titles have all been refreshed for the new series, which is shot in various locations across the North East, including Jesmond in Newcastle, plus Meldon Park and Wallington Hall in Northumberland' (BBC, 2012.) As well as the creative team who were all London based and middle class who couldn't fully identify with the issues faced with being in a care home. Junes son, Phil who originated the role of Harry was one of the only who came from a working class background where a majority of children in care originate from. As well as being the only Newcastle born in the cast where the piece was set. Opportunities for Newcastle actors are slim due to the location, sou it could've been more sensible to give Newcastle based actors.

Should working class actors be cast in working class roles or should middle class artists who can identify and relate to the role as there job as an actor be given a chance? It is all up for discussion, as middle class actors may have the talent to fully emerge themselves in the role but there are more of middle class people in working class roles rather than working class people themselves. Working class children should be given a chance in opportunities like the Dumping ground and Billy Elliot as they are in there cast ability range, but they are therefore been given to roles to children who have easier gateways into TV and Theatre by living in bigger locations that involved this type of media such as Manchester and London.

Mark Shenton (2014) "27 Actors Past and Present to Play Billy Elliot in London Finale; Performance will Broadcast WorldWide." Playbill Available at: https://www.playbill.com/article/27-actors-past-and-present-to-play-billy-elliot-in-london-finale-performance-will-be-broadcast-worldwide-com-328748 [Assessed: 05/07/21]

BBC (2021) CBBC'S The Dumping Ground in production in Newcastl. BBC.co.uk Available at:https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2012/the-dumping-ground-in-production [Assessed: 05/07/21]