10 Reasons why you should join a local theatre group

In 2008 I joined YAT (Youth Action Theatre) - a local youth theatre group based in Teddington/Hampton Hill, Surrey.  The main reason was because one of my ambitions (an item on my Bucket List, if you like) was to perform in a play, so I Googled 'theatre groups in Teddington' and here I am!  I often tell people it's one of the best things I ever did, and here's why:

1 - I wasn't sure I could do it...

The first play I did with YAT was The Royal Hunt of the Sun and I bagged a great part - Miguel Estete the Royal Veedor - quite a few lines to learn, and I had to move like a man!  Going on stage in front of an audience for the first time and remembering all my lines and not screwing up was an amazing feeling!

2 - I made some amazing friends:

I've kept in touch with more people from YAT than I have with people from Uni!  Sometimes there's a break of 3 months or so in between plays, but when we see each other again it's always good fun!

3 - I've tested my skills to the limit (and beyond...):

When I was asked if I could paint a 16x20 foot painting of Carnaby Street at the back of the stage, I couldn't exactly say no... So I just did it, and now I've done loads of set painting!

4 - There's so much more to theatre than (just) acting:

Acting is fabulous fun - but maybe that's not for you? Depending on which group you join, you can get involved in all sorts, from sourcing props and scenery, painting sets, lighting and costume - and the great thing about amateur theatre is no-one expects you to have 2+ years experience with a known designer - you can just muck in and help, and build up your portfolio in the process!

5 - It's only as amateur/awesome [delete as applicable] as you allow it to be:

I think the words "Amateur Theatre" should be changed to "Low Budget Theatre" or "Hobby Theatre" as the word "Amateur" does put a few people off.  No matter what the budget, you can still put on a great production, you just have to know your limits.  If you have an amazing script and the cast and crew work really hard, there's no reason why you shouldn't move and inspire your audience.

6 - Release your inhibitions!

I've done things on stage I would never dream of doing in normal life - dancing, singing, prancing around like an idiot - being able to switch off the fear of looking stupid is such a useful skill, and can help you in real life situations, such as a job interview or a first date!  Plus, acting is such a confidence booster, because in learning how to be other people, you feel more at home with being yourself.

7 - You never know what it might lead to...

I got some storyboarding work through a friend from my YAT, and got some work experience through another!  Although this shouldn't be a reason for joining, it's definitely an added bonus!

8 - You could get to go somewhere amazing!

If you're lucky your group might go on Tour!  Two years ago YAT went to the Edinburgh Fringe with The Duchess of Malfi!  They're going again this year (although without me this time) and will undoubtedly have an amazing time again!

9 - You might win a shiny award!

Ok - obviously I can't promise anything, but most areas have arts council awards, and if you're very lucky and work very hard, you may get your own very lovely award!  YAT won the Swan Award last year for Best Design, and the Wild Swan.

10 - Watch out for those cast parties!

Now obviously I'm not condoning drinking vast amounts of alcohol, especially if you are under 18 (!), but when a group of people have worked very hard and had no social life or sleep for the past 3 months can finally let loose - well that's a very special time...

Ok - I didn't say it was our most beautiful time now did I?

All of these photos (except the storyboard frame) are from productions or of people in YAT.  If you would like to learn more about YAT or join, visit the website and click on the contact tab.

Acting - What's in a Name?

What's in a Name at the Terrace Gardens, Richmond

11th July 2009

Written by Ben Davies, Directed by Bill Compton

What's in a Name was an original comedy written by Ben Davies all about the history of Richmond Palace and the variety of people who lived there. It was performed three times on the same day in Richmond's Terrace Gardens, and before the commencement we would wonder around the park in character to gather our audience from the families that were just out enjoying the sun.

Elizabeth I at Hampton Hill

Elizabeth I by Paul Foster

Directed by Ben Davies, Co-directed by Clare Williams
Venue: Hampton Hill Playhouse 5-8 November 2008
Youth Action Theatre

This was probably the first play that I helped a lot on backstage as well as acting onstage - I was in the Playhouse for 15 hours on the get-in prior to the show opening. It all started with some coconuts (one coconut in fact, which I had to saw in half and de-coconut to make coconut halves for Dana to bang together as she skipped onstage on her "horse" with a message, and skipped off again; Monty Python-style), and culminated in painting the chessboard on the stage at midnight - no easy task, as we kept on running out of paint.

Above: synchronised speaking of lines at the beginning of the play. From left to right; Miranda Marvin, Arthur Mollett, me, Adam Brett.

Above: The Two Hannahs - Hannah Ledwith and Hannah Thompson as Burleigh and Elizabeth I - another of my many tasks was to dress a bushy 80's ginger wig to look like Elizabeth I's hairstyle. It took several hours, about 200 bobby-pins, and a shitload of hairspray.

Above: The battle of the Armada; What Ben wanted for this scene was for us to be carrying actual model ships. He set us making these, and then left for an hour or so. After hours of trying, we had not even half a ship, which looked shit. I made some sails ready for the ships, and we all agreed that these looked pretty good, and gave the idea of ships without actually having shit papier mache models of ships to carry around (and break, likely as not). We also found that under certain lighting conditions, the shadows on the back of the stage of the sails looked like a fleet of ships, and if the people holding the sails swayed from side to side, as if on the sea, then it looked REALLY impressive! We were very excited about this but a little worried that Ben wouldn't agree. So we ambushed him when he got back with our idea, and it turns out we were needlessly worried, because all he said was "Ok, cool. Now what's next?"

Above: Me (can't actually remember the name of this character, but I had 2 days to learn the lines, and in a scottish accent too, because someone left) and Hannah Thompson as Elizabeth I. I never realised my face was so malleable.

Anna Stumpf-Condry as the French Queen in her big speech. Behind her: Hugenos (or Catholics - can't remember which). Another task I took on (I just love to be busy!) was to finish sewing the crosses onto the tabards, as time was getting short and Sarah had to take the baby home, and I was the only other person who knew how to use a sewing machine. You can see me in the middle of the row there - I'm the only one who's tabard seems to be wonky (typical).

The bath scene - an initially embarrassing but eventually fun scene full of misunderstandings, where the Laundress Tilly Boom (me) rushes about collecting items of clothing for Elizabeth and the Archbishop (Miranda Marvin) - the audience can only see the shadows, and it all looks and sounds very, very wrong. It was a very hard scene to stage, especially as the two characters have to emerge when the curtain goes up fully-dressed with nothing falling off and nothing coming undone. The bath was practically the only thing that was made that I didn't make (I was busy with the ship sails at the time) - Hannah and Miranda made it and they were extremely proud of it (and no-wonder too it looks fabulous!)

Me (Tilly Boom) in the same scene as previous. They got me to do my native North Yorkshire accent for this scene - I think this is the play in which I had the most different accents too!

The aforementioned bath - now you can see why they were so proud of it! Left to right: Aliette, Hannah, me (blurred), Miranda, and Becky Lewis.

Here's the Review by John Roth December 2008 - Not the best review we've had, but you take the good with the bad, and there's some good things in there about the lighting and staging etc:

We've had an abundance of the Tudors lately, so we should all be "clued up" about 16th Century England, as we see a group of strolling players perform their version of QE1 on a Street Corner. It is, as the programme told us, American author Paul Foster's own "very special take". I am not sure what that means, since it appeared a burlesque - a mock-serious commentary, which is one definition of the word, on Elizabeth I (at least up to 1588), but it did not seem to develop Elizabeth's character over-much, so I am not sure exactly what it was trying to do, but mine not to reason why, but to look at the finished product, and see what came about.

Whatever Mr. Foster's intention was, how should it be played? Presumably "mock" and "serious"- logically both, but there you have the problem as to what is real and what is being burlesqued - are we looking at real people, or the author's commentary on them, as portrayed by the strolling players? Moving on from that, do I look at the actors in the context of the roles they were portraying? I think I have to: "All the World's a Stage" after all, and the production switched between reality and burlesque/comedy, but the joins were uncomfortable in places.

However, I'll start with the credits, and there were many: a fast-moving, superbly staged and choreographed production by Ben Davies, some stunning lighting - the silhouette scene in particular, earning a well-deserved round on the night I was there - well chosen music, a sparse decor, with a chess-set floor (political manoeuvres in the 16th Century?). The cast's enthusiasm and discipline was most noticeable, so was the ensemble playing, and my congratulations go to everyone who popped in and out of differing 16th Century characters so slickly and so well.

When I come to performances, I have to return to my question of what the play was trying to do. It is almost impossible to comment on everyone, since there were so many doubles in small roles, and little or no chance to develop any character, but cameos were very much in evidence, so I really have no choice but to commit my observations to the major roles. There were three outstanding realistic performances. First and foremost, Rowan D'Albert as Leicester. Rowan has a commanding presence, is strong and commanding in his delivery, and was totally believable in his characters (he doubled as the Lord Mayor). I must express admiration for his final, colossal speech, taken at full flood, which should have merited a Round in itself.

Then, Antony Antunes as Philip II - same accolades. The fervour and bigotry which Philip possessed, although lampooned, in this play, still came across, and told most strongly. Finally, Hannah Ledwith as Burleigh, who strongly made her mark in a rather fragmented, but telling, part. Again, she has presence and command. These are actors to watch.

However, their undoubted strengths made me question the other leading roles; the above players gave us Elizabethan England, but elsewhere I felt there was a confliction of acting styles, and an intrusion of modernity, which brings me to two of the Queens.

There is no doubt in my mind that Hannah Thompson (Elizabeth) and Anna Stumpf-Condry (Catherine de Medici) are very capable actresses, Hannah in particular having a nice throw-away touch, and some good comic timing; both possessing a regal and commanding presence, especially Anna, (but I worried about her skittish entrances, which she was obviously required to do, but I couldn't see the reason for them). Once those were over, she convinced me, as the "bete noire" of the Valois Court with Medici craft.

However, vocal command was not as it surely should have been, by both Queens, but particularly in the Armada sequence, when I sensed that burlesque had become reality. Elizabeth's final speech before the curtain must surely be stronger than it was. Hannah gave us splendid reminiscences of Miranda Richardson, but, whilst acceptable en route, it is, in the end, superficial and Hannah was not allowed to go further to the point where we get to "I am Gloriana"; otherwise, why is the play called "Elizabeth I?"

Was this a Directorial lapse? I feel so. The programme according to Mr. Foster, stated that she emerges from her father's shadow as "Gloriana Personified". That, for me, did not happen, and I saw little, if anything, in the text to justify this, so I do not criticise Hannah in this respect, but I came away thinking that Mr. Davies had presented a highly entertaining evening, which I would not have missed, but he had not probed as deeply as perhaps he could have done, and had moreover not moved Elizabeth in particular to a convincing climax, so as to give us that personification with which the play must surely end. Then, the epilogue, as spoken by Elizabeth, becomes a summing-up of her, and her era, to its crisis point in 1587/88. This last was a draw-back of emotion, and, again, I wanted more. To use a Victorian term, it is jingoistic, but not to play it as such threatens anti-climax, and the curtain came down somewhat unsatisfactorily in this respect.

This has been a difficult review to write, and I may be misconstruing Mr. Davies' and the play's intentions, but there were no "passengers" in this production. Everyone made a contribution and the sense of enjoyment in so doing was most noticeable. Having seen, and indeed reviewed, several YAT shows, I continue to be optimistic and enthusiastic with what I have experienced What I am chiefly convinced of is a plethora of talent and commitment. YAT has done great things: they will assuredly go on to greater horizons.

The Royal Hunt of the Sun

The Royal Hunt of the Sun was my first YAT play - and a blog post on it is waaay overdue. However, I am fixing that now, as I'm currently updating my blog with everything remotely interesting that I've been doing over the past couple of years.

The Royal Hunt of the Sun by Peter Shaffer
Directed by Bill Compton
Venue: Hampton Hill Playhouse
28th April-3rd May 2008

Flyer/Poster

The Inca King; Atahuallpa, played by Anjum Dosaj

De Candia and Miguel Estete, played by Mark Williams and Me :)

The Incas bring a message. Incas played by Amy Southby and Tegan Arnold, Miguel Estete played by Me, and Felipillo played by Asha Gill

Francisco Pizarro played by the amazing Rowan D'Albert - being in my first play with someone as talented as him was a great experience and an amazing learning curve. Also visible are De Candia (Mark Williams) and I think Manco played by Ellie Giffard (I can't see the other person's face so I don't know who it is sorry!)

"You See Villac Umu, Chief Priest Of The Sun!" Pizarro and Co have just climbed the mountains and this is what they are confronted with. Villac Umu (centre) played by Hannah Thompson, to the right of Pizarro is the zealous priest Valverde played by Hannah Ledwith. The two other incas are myself (right) and I think Tegan Arnold (left).

Forground - King Atahuallpa played by Anj Dosaj, visible in the background is Jason Evans (the tall one at the back) me (front left) Tegan Arnold (front right) and from the height I think the one just visible behind Adahuallpa is Hannah Thompson.

The Inca Massacre. Hundreds (use your imagination here) of Incas have died to protect their King/God. This is the scene at the end of Act I.

Royal Veedor Estete (me) tells De Candia to end the pathetic madness of Pizarro and kill the Inca King.


Atahuallpa is about to be sacrificed. From back left: the slightly nicer priest, De Nizza (Miranda Marvin); Hernando De Soto (Charlie Lowry-Corry); Manco (Ellie Giffard); Rodas (Jason Evans); Atahuallpa (Anj Dosaj); Domingo (Jess Morley); and unfortunately I can't remember the last and the actor I know only as Raf - I'll update this as soon as I know better. Obviously Pizarro in the foreground played by Rowan D'Albert.

Review by John Thaxter, The British Theatre Guide, May 2008

Peter Shaffer's exotic piece of 'total theatre', first staged at the Olivier in 1964, now looks like a poke in the eye for the rigid Christian ethic of the Conquistadors in Peru, coupled with imperial plunder as Francisco Pizarro's ramshackle army crosses the Andes in a desperate search for gold - turning fine Incan works of art into gold ingots to line their knapsacks and the Spanish royal treasury.

When it was revived at the National a couple of years ago some saw it as a contemporary metaphor of American oil greed in Iraq. But the Incan emperor Atahuallpa is no Saddam Hussein and the intellectual love affair between Pizarro and this self-styled Sun God is more about the mystic meaning of life and death, than conquest and regime change.

Director-designer Bill Compton's staging for Youth Action Theatre goes some way to match the magnificence of Trevor Nunn's NT production, making brilliant use of the deep Hampton Hill Playhouse stage to create a huge chamber of gold for Atahuallpa's first appearance, seen through a circular gauze portal; a space later flanked by acolytes bearing precious gold objects as ransom tributes for his brutal Spanish captors.

Downstage is a collection of box-like structures to represent the Andean rocks and an Incan habitat, all caught in the tightly-focused precision of Simon Roose's lighting plot, cleverly picking out essential moments on a stage often crowded with Peruvian natives, Catholic priests and the idle Spanish soldiery. Strobe lighting for the village battle and bloodbath was used with restraint.

The production, presented as a Gala event, is the 100th by Youth Action Theatre. With its close link to Teddington Theatre Club, the company was founded by Eric Yardley back in December 1970. And before he retired in 2004 Eric had directed no fewer than 73 of its major shows.

Since its inception, YAT has provided free opportunities for any young person aged between 16 and 25 to acquire or enhance acting and theatre skills by participating in the regular drama workshops and on-stage performances. YAT now presents some three or four productions a year, between running the workshops and media-based activities.

Shaffer's play with its challenging demand for a 30-strong cast (and almost as many again backstage) is a natural for a youth company of mixed ability but with a huge enthusiasm to get involved, plus a dozen adult members in support who share their dedication to the company.

For a play with mostly male characters it was inevitable that half the masculine roles would go to girls in the company. But never once did I sense a moment of gender confusion. Charlie Lowry-Corry in particular was a magnificent Hernando de Soto, second in command to Pizarro and looking all-powerful in her Spanish-inspired armour and helmet. A lovely performance.

Likewise were Hannah Patrice Ledwith and Miranda Marvin, figures of striking appearance who as Spanish priests carried the cross and Catholic insignia, not to mention the word of their God, with tremendous attack and conviction, representatives of the only true religion - but, more than that, winging their words to the back of the auditorium.

The leading Iberians were all chaps. Tall, elegant and clearly no stranger to the stage, Tom Kirkin was pitch perfect as the older Martin Ruiz, regretting his role in the destruction of a civilisation; while Miles Orru as his young counterpart revealed similar moments of compassion as the Spanish-Incan go-between and translator.

The central roles of Pizarro and Atahuallpa, one delivering long, reflective speeches, the other coping with the constantly changing demands for physical presence, were given performances that would not have disgraced a professional production.

I have never seen Rowan D'Albert before but his physical likeness to the popular image of Cervantes' Don Quixote, with a neatly bearded chin, gave him a head start as the impassioned but slightly dotty military commander with an angry streak of fatalism. And his nicely judged, demotic speech patterns perfectly suggested a man of the people, born a bastard and risen to fame and royal acclaim through his own dogged determination to succeed. Truly, a magnificent performance.

The role of Atahuallpa demands a powerful sense of spirituality coupled with a kingly understanding of practical politics; assured belief in his physical immunity from harm, while recognising the potential dangers of any developing situation - after all (as yet another bastard) he has killed his own stepbrother in a bid to seize the throne.

But despite the essentially unemotional manliness of the part, this sun-god was played with total truth by Anjum Dosaj, a dazzling female figure with strong features, who demands an inviolate space around her; her silky complexion and striking beauty bringing an almost ethereal quality to the portrayal, yet fused with droll humour and self-perception.

These two fine performances must have delighted director Compton, as they clearly did an enthusiastic audience, listening with close attention to the constant changes of fortune between these big-hitters. And they really showed us what Shaffer was banging on about when he wrote the play. Bravo!

Pride and Prejudice at the Hampton Hill Playhouse

I'm currently updating my blog with everything I've been up to in the past 2 years - a sort of not-well-organised portfolio until I get my website up and running!

Pride and Prejudice at Hampton Hill Playhouse 6th-9th May 2009
By Jane Austin; Script Adaptation by Brian J Burton
Directors: Elizabeth Lattimore & Sarah Dowd
Publicity photography NOT taken by me - I am in the process of finding out the photographer's name.


Pride and Prejudice was the last main YAT play that I actually acted in - I played Charlotte Lucas, but more importantly, I also painted the huge set backdrops that were included in this play (see photos at bottom).

Flyer/Poster



Publicity photographs: Lizzie and Darcy played by Steph Von Weira and Chris Coiley

Publicity photographs: Lizzie, Mary, Mrs Bennet and Darcy played by Steph Von Weira, Ellie Giffard, Steph Mott and Chris Coiley.

Publicity photgraphs: Lizzie and Darcy played by Steph Von Weira and Chris Coiley

Pubilicty photographs: Lizzie and Darcy played by Steph Von Weira and Chris Coiley

The Set - visible are the huge paintings I did for the backdrops


Darcy gives Lizzy a letter - also closer view of the main backdrop painting.


The cast take their bows



Clockwise from left: View of stage from Jane Austin's table (Austin played by Hannah Thompson); Jane and Bingley dance (played by Dana Marshall and James Cairns); The dance at Netherfield (Charlotte Lucas (me), Darcy, Lizzy, Mr Collins (Adam Brett)); The cast and crew pose with our newest patron Rufus Sewell!

Review for Pride and Prejudice by Heather Morgan (May 2009)

It is a truth universally acknowledged that anyone reviewing a performance of the stage version of this literary classic will start off with this quotation. So, no apologies from me. It is, however, worth acknowledging the truth of the fact that the more young actors get to strut their stuff, especially on the stage at Hampton Hill Playhouse, the sooner they become mature and confident players of potential benefit to Teddington Theatre Club. I was very pleased, therefore, to be invited to review YAT's recent production of Pride and Prejudice in an adaptation by Brian J Burton.

Elizabeth Lattimore and Sarah Dowd shared the honours as directors, and demonstrated great skill in moving their actors seamlessly from scene to scene. They arranged some very attractive tableaux, especially in the dance sequences.

The clever set represented the tasteful interior of several different houses, with a beautifully painted backdrop of the grounds of wealthy estate, complete with temple, bridge and lake that might well have been designed by any one of the great landscape architects of the 18th century. I liked the grand staircase leading to a long landing across the top of the set above a drawing room, which served as the Bennet family's cosy living room, the ballroom at the homes of the various members of the squirearchy, to say nothing of Mr Darcy's stately pile.

The narrator, in the person of a beautifully spoken Jane Austen (Hannah Thomson), glided in and out of the scenes and was particularly effective when she stood on the landing, surveying and commenting on the activities of the characters she had created.

I was struck by the charming costumes and beautifully arranged hairstyles, the girls with their ringlets and the men in suitably neat, or in the case of Mr Collins suitably daffy, styles.

With an ensemble piece like this it is difficult to pick out individual performers, but I must mention Stephanie Mott as the frantic Mrs Bennet who delighted the audience with every appearance in an hilarious performance that was just the right side of over-the-top, while Barnaby Ferris (Mr Bennet) patiently observed her silliness. Stephanie Von Wiera, as Elizabeth Bennet, was delightfully demure in a long and demanding part and was charmingly partnered by aloof but romantic Chris Coiley as Mr Darcy. The five Bennet sisters all worked well together and made much of their cameo parts. Mr Bingley, played by James Cairns, was charm personified and Antony Antunes was suitably dastardly as Mr Wickham. Lady Catherine de Bourgh struck terror in the hearts of all she deigned to visit and was played with assurance by the petite but large-voiced Hana Patrice Ledwith.

So, congratulations once again to YAT for putting on a carefully detailed and well-orchestrated production in which the whole cast and crew evidently worked so hard. It was well worth the effort and must have been a great pleasure to participate in.