Kes Reimagined online

The story of the very special bond between Billy and his kestrel, set in a Yorkshire mining community, first came to life in Barry Hines’ novel A Kestrel for a Knave, but it acquired cult status with Ken Loach’s gritty and deeply moving 1969 film, Kes.

Now the story takes flight again, this time as a dance film, Kes Reimagined.

Originally created for Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre six years ago, and choreographed by Jonathan Watkins, the award-winning choreographer of Northern Ballet’s1984, the production involves dance, puppetry and projective imagery and is set to a transporting original score by Alex Baranowski.

The cast includes Chester Hayes as Billy Casper, Kristen McNally, principal character artist with The Royal Ballet, as his mother, and former Northern Ballet principal dancer Tobias Batley (Winston Smith in 1984) as Jud, Billy’s wayward brother.

The kestrel, Kes, is represented by a very realistic and engaging puppet.

The production was adapted for the screen by the International Emmy Award-winning director Ross MacGibbon, and is billed as an ideal show for the whole family.

Kes Reimagined is being made available to view for free via The Space, a commissioning and development agency, supported by the BBC and Arts Council England,

It will be streamed on Tuesday 19 May at 7pm and remain available for 30 days afterwards on The Space Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.