The Man To Make A Scene With No Fuss

Summer show goers at a seaside theatre will be seeing the artwork of the venue’s very own Dutch master.

As Sheringham Little Theatre gets ready to raise the curtain on its four-play summer season, scenery creator Kees van Woerkom is brushing up his skills to provide the backdrops. The retired illustrator has been involved with the charity-run community arts centre for 40 years, as an amateur actor and set builder. This year he will make the settings for some madcap musketeers, a ghostly thriller, Westminster farce and 1960s suburban comedy. “I have always loved creating and making things out of nothing,” said Kees. “I read the script to learn about the sets, draw a floor plan, liaise with the director then build as I go. “Preparation can take a week in the workshop, and we have to build it in a day with some volunteer help. “I have done am dram sets, and three previous summer seasons, which are the hardest because there are multiple plays in a short time,” he explained.

Kees also supplies the furniture from his long standing business as an antiques dealer who also does restoration and ran a furniture factory for a while. It is a career he switched to 40 years ago after earlier working as an illustrator for the automotive industry and a Second World War “part work” magazine. He and his family moved to the Sheringham 42 years ago because of his work, and he immediately got involved with the Sheringham Players to help him make friends in his new home area. “I did a lot of acting, and occasionally do roles now, but also did scenery from the start. I love the challenges the sets throw up.” In the past that has included a double bed that can fold into the wall with two people still on it. This year’s include making a cupboard strong enough to hang a real person on the wall, a three tiered tree house, and a sash window that can fall without decapitating the actor looking through it! Theatre director Debbie Thompson said: “Ever since I started at Sheringham Little Theatre 22 years ago Kees’ talent and kindness has been a big influence on what we can achieve on stage. “It has enabled us to tackle some ambitious projects through his skill, set design and scenic artistry. He always takes thing in his stride and is always on the end of the phone if needed. “One season we needed him in an emergency when a designer dropped out at the last moment. He had just 24 hours to create a set and he did it. We faced cancelling the production, but thanks to Kees the show could go on.” To see Kees’ creations visit the summer season plays which are:

· Three Musketeers (July 30-August 7) – madcap mayhem with D’Artagnan and his gang

· Turn of the Screw (August 9-14) chilling ghost story in a country house

· It’s Her Turn Now (August 16-24) – a new twist on a Cooney farce involving a junior Government Minister

· Relatively Speaking (August 27-31) – classic Ayckbourn comedy revolving around two couples

More information and tickets here or the box office 01263 822347.