Bracknell
South Hill Park’s upcoming production of Macbeth (Tue 5 – Sun 10 Feb) features Bracknell boy and ‘one to watch’ Keir Buist who’s South Hill Park CV spans over four year’s of productions!
Currently studying Drama and Music at Brackenhale School, Buist has been cast in the classic Shakespeare tragedy in the role of Ross, a complex character who faces a tough decision on whether or not to side with Macbeth. Having performed in a range of pantomimes and family-friendly productions such as Mortiz in Spring Awakening (2017), Marty in Madagascar: The Musical Adventure (2018) and Joe Casey in Our House, Buist is now thrilled to be taking on more dynamic roles.
How did you first get involved with South Hill Park Arts Centre?
My first involvement with South Hill Park was actually not even on stage. I had joined the ‘Technicians’ course for the Summer School back in 2015 which taught me a lot about the work that goes into a production. I then gained an interest in performing and was cast in the junior ensemble for Sleeping Beauty (2015) and have performed at South Hill Park ever since!
What do you enjoy about acting and performing?
I enjoy the entire process, from researching the play to building my character profile so I understand where they are in the story and their significance. Once rehearsals begin, I enjoy the process of further developing the character as I interact with my fellow actors and director. It has been fantastic for building confidence, meeting new people and developing my own acting techniques. Being a fairly young performer, I can’t recommend it enough to other young people who are considering a career in acting, or those interested in it as a hobby. South Hill Park allowed me to discover which aspects of theatre I enjoyed with their annual Easter School and Summer Schools so just throw yourself in, go to that audition or class with an open mind and believe in yourself!
What attracted you to the role of Ross in Macbeth?
I loved being a part of South Hill Park’s 2018 production of Romeo and Juliet, and am now looking forward to being in Macbeth. This has always been a dream of mine because of the layers to the storyline, the intense imagery in the language that relates to the relationship between characters. The beauty of Shakespeare is that everyone has their own individual interpretations of his plays, this is something that has helped immensely in rehearsals as there is no such thing as the ‘correct’ way of performing a scene.
I know that the team at South Hill Park care so passionately about their in-house productions and strive for the highest quality and professionalism and I know that Macbeth won’t be any different! I will be performing the role of Ross. His emotional journey throughout the play is challenging but a joy to perform as he is caring and family-orientated which I relate to. However, he is also faced with a tough decision regarding his loyalty to Macbeth and it was this complex emotional trait to Ross’s character that attracted me to the role.
What types of role would you like to take on in future?
I have always enjoyed taking on roles that take me out of my comfort zone, so I would want to keep pushing for roles that challenge me. I thrive when being faced with a new challenge as I will constantly be learning new skills and be able to reflect on these in my future roles. After performing in Macbeth, I will be playing Ryan Evans in South Hill Park’s Easter Production of High School Musical which will be a completely different role again.
What do you have planned for the future?
I have recently started auditioning for Drama Schools to do Musical Theatre Studies. Thankfully South Hill Park has given me fantastic experience and preparation for work in the industry so Drama School is my next ambition, then after that, who knows – these are exciting times!
Buist also attends Artemis Studios and is a member of BARTA Elite.
To book your tickets for Macbeth and for further information, click here or call our Box Office on 01344 484123.
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