AS our population ages and the baby boomer generation start picking up their pensions, the issues of growing old and end of life are going to get more important in society.

But it was a whole other aspect to the story that first attracted Sparkle And Dark Theatre Company’s co-artistic director Shelley Knowles-Dixon to take on Killing Roger as a directing project.

“It started as a short story written by our musical director Lawrence Illsley,” says Knowles-Dixon, as the production continues its 2014 national tour having earned critical plaudits at the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe.

“What interested me was the heart-warming human story about two characters, Billy and Roger, their friendship and the life the young boy Billy gives back to the elderly Roger.

“It was only after we put the play on and heard the reactions from the first audiences we realised the idea of assisted dying and care of older people at the end of their lives was personal to so many people.”

Killing Roger is about an unlikely friendship that grows between a 17-year-old A-level student taking part in a school care in the community programme, and the grumpy old man who starts out trying to test the young man before passing on his experiences.

Then one day Roger asks Billy to help him end his life.

“The play isn’t about the legal issues,” says Knowles-Dixon. “It’s not didactic in that sense. We’re not trying to present an argument for or against. It’s a human story which opens up questions.

“It gives people a platform to start talking about these things. People need to be able to talk freely about it and interact with other people. It shouldn’t be taboo.”

The company is hosting a symposium before Monday’s performance to discuss issues raised in the play.

“I think what’s lovely about the play is often people forget that old people were young once,”

says Knowles-Dixon. “They are still human beings, they aren’t any different from anyone else even though they are in an old casing.”

Puppetry plays a major role in the show, with Roger represented by a life-size bunraku puppet operated by two performers, co-artistic director Louisa Ashton and Nick Halliwell.

Bunraku is a traditional Japanese form of puppetry, which usually requires three people to operate a doll-like puppet – although Roger’s static position on the sofa means no one is needed to move his legs.

“As soon as the audience see the puppet they are able to suspend an element of disbelief,” says Knowles-Dixon, who built the life-size puppet over the course of two weeks.

“Puppets allow the audience to project their emotional responses on to them. Roger isn’t a real person, even though he moves and behaves like one.”

Sparkle And Dark productions combine puppetry with live theatre, exploring the relationship between human and puppet characters.

“It’s quite unusual in terms of puppetry,” admits Knowles-Dixon. “It’s a fairly straight play – a two-hander. It’s different in style from our other shows.

“Some people want to use puppetry for stylistic reasons because it looks cool or they think it’s an easy option. As puppetry specialists, we are very aware there has to be a good reason for using it, and it is complicated when using live actors too.”

Their initial approach to creating a show is different from a lot of other puppetry companies.

“We always start with the actors to build the characters, not necessarily working as puppeteers initially,” says Knowles-Dixon. “That conversation is important to me as a director.

“We usually employ actors with little experience of puppetry but with a natural ability and train them to do it ourselves. We have developed quite a strong style – we have a militant emphasis on making sure the puppetry principles are in place.

“With bunraku puppetry the performers are so connected to the puppet they can bring a dynamic sense of movement, much more than a marionette or rod puppet.

“Some companies dress the puppeteers in black or mask them, but as long as you have brilliant puppet-eers with a sense of focus they dissolve into the back-ground, and give a wider sense of the puppet’s soul.”

She feels the subject matter of Killing Roger will touch everyone.

“Every single person who comes and sees it will have a personal connection,” she says.

“People come back to us with stories of the situations they have been in with older relatives. People are being really moved by the show in a good way.”

  • Art And The End Of Life: A Symposium is at The Warren Main House on Monday, May 19, from 5.30pm ahead of the performance of Killing Roger. Entry is free but ticketed. Call 01273 917272.