Sunderland Performance - National Theatre 31/03/23 !

 Sunderland Performance of Old Times

On Friday 31st March, we performed 'Old Times' by Molly Taylor at Sunderland Fire Station and as a cast, we all said how it was by far the best time we had ever performed it. The day started once we reached the theatre and were brought both backstage and on the stage to get a run down the days events. Upon entering, I straight away saw how different the stage is to our home theatre. The wings aren't curtains, they are open and shielding the actors from the audience with wooden pillars which reassured all of us as it meant we could see the scenes better if we were waiting to go on, and we wouldn't get tangled in it if we had to go backstage. The stage is also heightened, meaning it has an edge that allows the audience to look up rather than look down or straight ahead like our home theatre. I honestly couldn't believe that we would be performing on the stage as it felt so professional and it would allow me to perform even better as it's a different space. The woman that came to our home performance was there, and told us how we would be watching another group from Newcastle perform their Connections piece which I was looking forward to. 

The day before our performance started by meeting in a rehearsal room where we would be able to congregate to rehearse, and just relax before the show. Once shown the room, we straight away found our separate dressing rooms and got ready in costume for the rehearsal. I wore my gray jumper and jeans (the same I wore for the home performance) and I headed down to the backstage area as we found out that we would be getting miked up for the rehearsal and performance. I couldn't wait to try performing with mics as we don't have that at college, and it can level up a person's acting as they don't have to worry about shouting to be heard. Everyone's mics were put on and we were ready to have a full run through. 

The rehearsal went so well, there were little moments we tweaked like how some of the youngers would enter on, and we finally were able to add our new scenes from Wednesday into the show properly on stage. It made us all excited to perform later on and we all had individual notes to improve our own personal acting. For example, I wanted to push that Stefi is the narrator so next time, when there is a key moment said I will slightly emphasise to show how it's a defining moment. I also added that I'd fidget a bit more when I slowly start getting turned on. With all of that in mind, I made sure to use that and focus in on it when it came to the real performance. 

After a break out in Sunderland and some team games led by Kelly and Kane ( where my group came 2nd!) we all joined the woman from the National on stage alongside the youth theatre from Newcastle. We did a few warm up games to exercise our mind and body, and made sure to good luck one another before we all went on stage. The other group went first and there play was very interesting to say the least. They all acted amazingly, and it was great to see what other scripts were being used this year. I personally loved it so much and everyone around me was laughing at moments in the show. After they had unclipped the mics, it meant it was our turn. I wont lie, everyone was nervous behind the wings but everyone was so lovely to another and we all high fived before we were meant to be on stage. The lights slowly dimmed that signalled it was time to begin, and me and Callum both walked on stage to start.

WOW! After the show had finished, we all couldn't stop celebrating. We all collectively agreed how it was by far the best we had ever performed the play before at all. For me, I felt that I channelled every little piece of advice and ideas that came with Stefi's character into my performance and made sure she was the teller of this unsettling story. I was so pleased everyone enjoyed it, and that Kelly and Kane could see how much we all dedicated to this play. If it couldn't get better from the feeling we all felt, Kelly later told us that another person from the National was there and watched our play, which all sent us into a even higher cloud 9 if that is possible. I'm so lucky to be given opportunities like this, and make sure to work hard when representing our course.