Staying Connected; Keeping Going

Since Module 1...

Since finishing up the Uni term in May and receiving a First for Module 1, I have fortunately been busy with rehearsals and auditions. However, I have had 'lull periods' where it seems not a lot is going on. During this time, as an actor, it is easy to get sucked into states of 'self-pity', which (as alluring as they may seem) are in no way beneficial. I have taken it upon myself to keep myself going during these rough times to, hopefully, mold myself into a more flexible and employable actor.

Stay Connected

Who says you can't work for yourself? You may have all the people in the world helping you along your career - but there is nothing more satisfying than small achievements which you gain yourself. My agents gave great advice recently to aim to be in short films / student films to gather together footage for a professional-looking showreel - solely missing the 'professional scene filming' cost. Student films are great because you are both doing each other a favour - the student gets a professional level actor for their university project; and the actor gets professional looking footage to use for their showreel. It's a WIN WIN as they say. I joined the website https://www.mandy.com/ and since then have had many a self-tape to do for short films (within a week or so of joining). I filmed an episode for a web series yesterday, and today I had a recall for a short film in Middlesex University. The director and writer were lovely and it felt great to make contacts with film students at the same University which I attend. We discussed how it is a benefit for both of us to have made this connection. Sometimes you don't have to look so far out of your immediate circles for professional connections.  If nothing else,  all of this learning new sides, filming and auditioning is experience that keeps me active as an actor and practicing my craft.

Training out of Training

You can only get better.   This is something I've learned since graduating from drama school. I have tried to do something every week that scares me - or throws me out of my comfort zone. If I fantasize about being in certain productions / plays; then I have to make sure I am employable for these jobs. Over the last few weeks, as well as getting practical experience in front of the screen, I have taken a technical singing lesson and I also did a Shakespeare workshop with a brilliant Shakespeare company called 'Merely Theatre'. This workshop was based around a scene from 'The Taming of the Shrew' which is one of my all time favourite Shakespeare comedies. I gained knowledge and ideas from that 2 hour workshop which I believe will help me with Shakespeare and non-Shakespeare script alike. One of the many interesting pointers made was that each line is either 'winning' or 'losing'. The workshop leaders got us to say either 'AH-HAH' or 'Oh Shit...' with different intonation before each line - depending on how victorious or down-trodden the character was at that particular moment in time. This helped with the pace and intention of the scene and added dynamics. It also encouraged me to get more Shakespeare monologues in my repertoire. I am always a work in progress and by constantly giving my brain new material to learn - I am without a doubt bettering myself as an actor.  

Open Your Eyes

The biggest bit of advice people often offer me is - 'SEE THINGS!' This advice is referring of course to things that are ongoing in our theatres / on our screens / upstairs in pubs. I decided to make sure to allow myself time in a month to go and see lots of productions. Watching productions is more beneficial to me than another under-paid shift at reception - a trip to the theatre / cinema always leaves me feeling inspired and creatively invigorated. Whereas a shift at reception leaves me feeling tired, creatively uninspired and oftentimes questioning the public's common sense...

In the matter of a few weeks I saw Emma Rice's 'Romeo and Juliet' at The Globe; 'Eris at the Wedding' as part of RADA Fest; 'Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour' at The Duke of York's Theatre; 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' at Theatre N16; 'The Staffroom Play' at Queens Theatre, Hornchurch; as well as absorbing brilliant drama series such as 'The Handmaid's Tale' and 'Game of Thrones'. All of these wonderful productions, no matter how big or small scale, have all lent to broaden my creative well-being. 

To Sum It Up...

We do have it hard as actors. That's a fact. But it is up to us to force ourselves to continuously work at our craft and make ourselves more rounded. Of course there are some days when you wake up and you want nothing more than to wallow in your own self-pity and eat spoonful upon spoonful of peanut butter (and kid yourself it's healthy because it's 'organic'); but only ever allow yourself that downtime for a minimum at most. Athletes don't get where they are by sacking off their training and the same goes for actors. So instead of reaching for your equivalent of my peanut butter next time you feel creatively uninspired - reach for a new script to sink your teeth into!