Kate Harbour
Acting
Born in 1971, I grew up in a lovely village called Nether Heyford. I started dancing at the age of 4 and was often involved in performances at the school or local fete. One of my favourite memories is singing âHalfway up the Stairsâ in front of my class, with my Kermit the Frog hand puppet. From that little performance came my ever increasing fascination with âThe Muppet Showâ. At 8, I started at the Arts Educational School in Tring, where my main focus was ballet. My love of Theatre was born, when at 12 I was cast as âfirst mouseâ for the Royal Festival Ballets âNutcrackerâ at the Royal Festival Hall to approximately 2000 people per show ! I then attended The Central School of Ballet which was founded and run by the late Christopher Gable. In the 3rd year I toured with the schoolâs company in their âWorld on Fireâ production. Touring was a great experience, but I will never forget locking myself out of my digs in Warminster! I was too busy chatting to the local Ghurkhasâ over a pint or 3. Having shinned up the back gate and jumped down through the open window, I realised I had entered the bedroom of the rather shocked Headmasters wife. She was remarkably calm though, as I made my sincere apologies and attempted to exit through her wardrobe! My first professional stage job was the back end of Maggie the Cow at Watford Palace. Always good to start at the bottom and work your way up! Then I joined the NYMT for a season at the Edinburgh Festival. This was when I discovered my granny voice!! I played opposite Jonny Lee Miller in Bertolt Brechts Caucasian Chalk Circle, playing Granny Grusinia and other parts. The NYMT also produced âJoseph and his amazing Technicolor Dream Coatâ that year, featuring Jude Law! I have had the privilege of working with some amazing and talented people in theatre .Not least when I was cast in Cameron Macintoshâs âOliverâ directed by Sam Mendes. Working with the different âFaginsâ and all those âNancyâsâ! I then swapped my corset for another Cameron show, âMartin Guerreâ. My lasting memory of this though was the look on Craig-Revel Horwoodâs face as I tried to perfect his choreography in hob nail boots!
