Coventry performer Kees de Grout is a man with a passion about theatre.
Kees challenges conventions with his work which takes him quite literally outside of the theatre to exciting places like Korea and, more recently, India.
Calcutta, December 2002 for the
International Festival of Non Verbal Art
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| Ìý |  | Ashok Chaterjee with wife
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In December 2002, Kees went out to Calcutta for the Internation Festival of Non Verbal Art.
Organised by Ashok Chaterjee, (pictured right with his wife), the festival is a truly international affair, attracting performers from all over the world, from countries including Korea, Sweden and Japan. The British contigent was represented by Kees from Foleshill in Coventry!
ÌýSouth Korea, June 2002 for the
International Mime Festival
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| Ìý |  | Performer Kees de Grout
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We followed Kees' trip to Korea back in June last year, when he went to the International Mime Festival that coincided with the England football squad playing in Korea for the World Cup.
Bizarrely, Kees met Irish musicians Paul and Glen Elliot from Warwick at Incheon airport, Korea. The pair were performing at the festival and had read about Kees' trip through this website!
Follow the link on the left to read about the Korea trip and to see photographs of Mr Choi Kwou Ho and the other mime artists.
ÌýKees de Grout 'king for a day!'
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| Ìý |  | Kees makes friends!
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Before he went, Kees told the Â鶹ԼÅÄ Coventry and Warwickshire website he was developing a new costume, which would make him 'a king for the day.'
He got this made (see the picture on right) and took it to the streets of Calcutta.
His character was a cheaky mischeivous clown who used body language and mime techniques to poke fun and create entertainment with passers-by in the street.
The response from the locals was of suprise and amusement. The whole festival was a great sucess.
ÌýClick the iamges button below to see the photograph gallery of pictures of Kees' street performance, the performers and people involved in organising the International Festival of non-verbal Art.
Kees now works at Solihull College as a lecturer on the Performing Arts course.
As a performer in character he individually challenges conventional forms of expression by taking his work out of context.
Follow the link on the left to read our interview with Kees in 2002 and find out how he got into theatre.
ÌýOutdoor theatre in Coventry
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| Ìý |  | Dressing up outdoors for Coventry Carnival 2002
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In Coventry and Warwickshire during the summer months there is a lot of free street perfomance, some of which uses local community arts groups to create costumes.
Throughout the summer there are carnivals, processions and festivals and live theatre. Read some of our festival reviews from 2002 via the links on left.
This summer there will be the Millennium Mystery Plays set in the ruins of Coventry Cathedral and also watch out for live theatre in ruins of Kenilworth Castle and maybe even the Whitefriars Monastery again.
Bookmark the stage section of the website to keep up with the latest theatre and outdoor productions.
ÌýThe Irish Festival and Godiva Festival 2003
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Don't miss the Coventry Carnival Procession and Godiva procession of 2,033 people to mark the Godiva Festival 2003.
If you go to the parades, you might see Kees ready to entertain you as the Green Man from English folklore.
See photographs of last year's Coventry Carnival and the Godiva Procession 2002 via the links on the left.
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