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Places featuresYou are in: Bradford and West Yorkshire > Places > Places features > Wilsden hits the big screen! Wilsden hits the big screen!The West Yorkshire village of Wilsden may be a long way from Hollywood but it's about to take the starring role in a new film, O.U.C.H., and we've been talking to the film's director Ken Kitson.  Even if you don't know the name, the chances are you will recognise him when you see him. For 25 years Ken Kitson has played the part of PC Cooper in Last of the Summer Wine, he was one of Inspector Wexford's regular sidekicks in the Ruth Rendell Mysteries and he's the only actor to have played FOUR different roles in Coronation Street. But now he's gone behind the camera to direct O.U.C.H, a comedy film based around a fictional village hall and the people who use it.  Ken at the National Media Museum What O.U.C.H sounds like goes without saying but it stands for Onley Unity Community Hall. And if you are wondering whether there is anywhere quite like Onley and its hall in the real world, then all we can say is that Ken's been teaching drama at Wilsden Village Hall for the last 12 years. Ken says the idea for the film came from his class: "It's been a team effort and it's everybody's baby. We came up with the idea to do something about the community hall. We use the line dancers. We use the pensioners at the tea dance. We use the Library. We film the Wilsden Gala, [and] everything we could film and were allowed to film...We put our own actors in and we made a story of it." And, without giving too much away, Ken gives us a taste of the story: "Basically it's about this guy called the Major that comes to take over the village hall. At the beginning people think he's a bit of a fool which he is because he's feeling his way. The kids make fun of him and the rest of the staff do really but he comes through. They find out there's a councillor trying to sell the land off. There's a bombshell at the end. The Major gets a big donation from a quite high-up person, maybe royalty, to sponsor the hall - I won't spoil it. That's the story in a nutshell but we've got in all the things that actually happen in the community hall."  Light. camera. action! Ken says: "At first I was going to be in it but then I thought, 'No, I'd just rather direct it'. I really enjoyed it." Open auditions were held - the age range was from two to 72 - but in the end everyone got a part. Ken approached Heckmondwike cameraman Mike Walker to work with him and everything was ready to roll. However, Ken discovered the production wasn't entirely without its problems: "It's the first time I've ever worked without a script in 30 odd years and I'd never do it again...If you've got a script it is a hell of a lot easier because you've a lot of people who have never done anything like this before. One lady might come in with a white shirt one week and she'd come in the next week with a blue blouse and I'd say, 'Where's the white blouse?' and she'd say, 'I didn't know we were doing the same scene'. You got a lot of that." But, Ken reassures us, it all came out very well in the end even though quite a few blue blouses ended up on the cutting room floor!  Vince O'Neill plays the Major Now based back in Bradford after spending quite a few years working in London - where, among many other things, he taught stage fighting to many well-known actors including Albert Finney, Brian Cox and Pete Postlethwaite - he believes there is a lot of talent in the city: "I think it needs pulling out a bit. I started as an amateur in Wilsden in a group called The Barnstormers with people like John Duttine and that's why I went back to Wilsden to teach drama. I thought it would be nice after 30 years as a professional to take back what I had learned. At first about 40 people came to the class...but now I've got a group of about 10 to 15 people which is a good solid group. I never advertise to get more because I don't want a load of people coming in. if we need any more we just interview people or confront them." While not having a script for O.U.C.H. may have caused Ken some problems in recent months, he has one script he would very much like to see going into production: "It's a romantic comedy western set in Yorkshire. There's not many of those for a start." Ken wrote the script for a Fistful of Dreams ten years ago but the problem has been to find the £2million necessary to make the film. Cast members already lined up include George (Inspector Wexford) Baker, Jean (Hilda Ogden) Alexander and John Duttine. Ken is hopeful: "If the story is right I think you can sell it. I don't think it has to have fantastic film stars in it as well."  Fact or fiction? Wilsden or Oundle? And, if you want to find out if Ken is right, then why not take a look at O.U.C.H? The world premiere takes place at the National Media Museum in Bradford on Sunday, November 30th, 2008 or you can take a trip to Wilsden and experience its village hall for yourself. There's a special preview there on Wednesday November 19th and it even includes a pie and peas supper! [Photo credit: Thanks to Mike Cook of Action Stills for all images except Ken Kitson outside the National Media Museum] last updated: 13/11/2008 at 17:17 SEE ALSOYou are in: Bradford and West Yorkshire > Places > Places features > Wilsden hits the big screen! [an error occurred while processing this directive] |
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