So it's been almost two weeks since the biggest performance of my training (and yes, thus far my incredibly short lived acting career). The show I daresay was a success and was possibly the best performance we had done as an ensemble.
It truly amazes me at times the level of focus that can be seen in the actors on stage and for this production it was incredibly clear to the entire audience. We had no wings to hide in, the entire stage was open for all to see which only added the pressure.
A huge congratulations should go out to every single member of the cast for a fantastic performance and I think we should all be proud. My biggest disappointment of the entire experience was that we were only able to perform it for one night. It was also incredibly fulfilling to be able to work with people that I had never had the opportunity to work with before (which still astounds me).
The beauty of working on stage is receiving the audience reactions and really feeling the energy and atmosphere in the auditorium. There is no greater buzz for me than hearing that applause from the audience when it is time for the curtain call. Also it never fails to take me by surprise when audience members pick up on the tiny details/jokes that are placed within scenes and of course also the moments when the cast and crew themselves didn't realise there was a joke at all.
I was so happy when my Sergeant character and his fellow soldier got the reaction they did when we entered the stage atop a carriage with Nathan Wyer (playing the accompanying soldier) pulling along with all his might and playing the harmonica. There's nothing an audience enjoys more than laughing at another person's misfortune.
But lets face it, this whole show couldn't have happened if we hadn't all gelled together so well as a team and the sense of camaraderie was incredibly inspiring. Once again congratulations to all and a huge thank you to our director Anna Ledwich for helping to create a fantastic show which I'm sure will always have a special place in all of our memories.
Also huge congratulations should go out to the other cast who performed the following night under direction from Rachel Parish. A truly fantastic show!
So what's next? Well, now we dive full steam into our Negotiated Projects, in which we create an entirely new show (no pre-written scripts). The show I will be performing in, created by Tap The Table Theatre is called Test of Character and will be performed on Friday 13th May at Thomas Becket Catholic School in Northampton. The piece is a tragic-comedy which uses many characters (all of which are played by myself, Nathan Wyer, Zara Rivett and Thomas Liversidge) to explore the degrees to which we all have power over our own lives. Tickets are £5 each or £3 concessions and can be purchased on the door, or if you prefer you can reserve a ticket on 07763757864.
Hope to see you there!
