It all started once Strange Town came to my school for an after-school drama club. This is essentially how I found out about the youth theatre and grew more interested in it. My mum signed me up for their Easter holiday project in early 2018 which took place at Out of The Blue. It was great fun yet after leaving I felt the need to go back. So, I asked my mum to return, and I did, to the 8-10s theatre group. The first show I ever did was “Aladdin” by Tim Primrose. This was a ridiculous and funny take on the classic story of the same name in which I played the lead’s mother – essentially the Dame of the play. The show was really my first experience doing theatre, so I learnt a lot of things you have to do to make it all work which I didn’t know before such as blocking and learning your lines.
For the next couple of years, I stayed in this group and made lots of friends, some of which I still speak to now. It was all fun and laughter until COVID hit. We were all preparing to do a show called “Max to the Future” but that had to stop fast. The coronavirus hit Strange Town hard but it didn’t stop them. I had my last few sessions of the 8-10s over Zoom until I joined a new group. Doing Strange Town during COVID wasn’t the best, obviously, Wifi being a huge issue leading me to buy an internet extension cord because it was that bad. However, it was still so amazing that the Strange Town team managed to pull through and come up with new ideas for showcases and ways to keep us busy and performing, as COVID was hard for a lot of people and Strange Town was essentially their escape.
After about more than half a year, Strange Town went back to face to face sessions, with people keeping safety regulations like wearing masks, checking temperatures at the beginning of sessions, and keeping their distance. This was considerably a better option for groups but still not ideal as it was much harder to play games like Splat or Park Bench, and of course doing a show. When it became safe for us to be face to face without the obstacles, we started working our way back up to performances again.
At this point I was in the Monday 8-18s group, and we were working on, what is my favourite show to this day, Beneath the Surface. This was a dark and topical play, much different to what I was used to at the 8-10s but more my style of theatre, in which I played a figment of someone’s imagination. Alongside doing a more serious play, we were also performing in a bigger venue, the Traverse theatre. The Traverse is an amazing theatre not only because of its large space and capacity but also the opportunities it brought Strange Town and the group. We were able to do our rehearsals there and experience the space for ourselves. Performing at the Traverse every year is very enjoyable and hits you even harder that you really are a performer once you’re there.
Meanwhile being a theatre actor, I was also invited to join the Strange Town Agency. I have always dreamed of being an actor on screen and this was the opportunity I needed to follow my dream. The agency taught me so much about the casting side of the industry, something I knew little to nothing about, such as the auditions process, self-tapes, call-backs and many other things that go on behind the scenes, but most importantly, rejection. Acting is always seen as an easy job that is regarded as being more of a hobby than an “actual” job but that is far from the truth. Acting requires a lot of emotional strength, in my opinion, as not only you have to tackle playing a wide variety of characters ranging from serious to unserious, but also you must learn how to take rejection.
I honestly cannot say how many auditions I have done and told it won’t be going any further before getting an actual job. I consider myself quite lucky in terms of getting roles as I know it is an extremely difficult and competitive industry. But I have definitely pulled through and managed to land some really cool stuff like being in the eighth season of “Shetland” starring Ashley Jensen and the first season of “Ludwig” starring David Mitchell. These jobs have given me the experience of working on a real set and working with professional actors, some of which I grew up watching which I will always be grateful for. But it was because of Strange Town that I could’ve done all of this.
Without Strange Town, my life would have been most definitely completely different, and I know that this could read as me just overly commending them but it seriously is that way. I would’ve still continued my passions in acting and film but mostly likely not had a head start in them like I have now and only started developing them in university. I am now in Strange Town’s youth board and (at the time of writing this) am doing work experience there as well which has been a delight. Long story short, Strange Town has given me so much help and knowledge about what I want to do in life and has essentially propelled me into the performing arts industry which I will always thank them for.
