Sasha Damjanovski

So you are a tv and film director. How did you come about following this career path?

I always loved cinema, and I’ve been writing since age 11, but didn’t really think of it all as a career until I started working in TV as a reporter. This is when I realised that I’m much more interested in being behind the camera and putting it all together than standing in front of it, talking.

What excites you about this medium?

Everything! I love the whole process. Pre-production – the team brainstorming, planning, testing stuff, rehearsing with the actors; then love the production itself – finding the perfect shot, seeking moments of truth in performances, the perfect something or other; and then it all begins all over again in post – editing, making the magic really happen by putting seemingly disparate elements together, finding the right music, the right colour grade, the right sound effect, and on and on. It’s a complex, layered all-consuming experience – body, mind and spirit. It’s like a drug.

What excites you about theatre, do you have different techniques for theatre and film when directing? 

Theatre has its own kind of magic. I love the fact that I can rehearse much more. It’s like being locked in a room with all the cool kids and we can just play, experiment, try many different ‘what ifs’, reimagine the text and – when it’s really good – reimagine ourselves, too.

What do you think is important when collaborating with writers and actors?

Communicating. Communicating in an open, encouraging and empowering way. Listening. Trying to truly understanding where they’re coming from – what are their ideas, what are their concerns. With writers specifically, it actually starts with listening, of course, understanding their original vision, the point they started from.

What do you expect from an actor if they come into audition and also in rehearsal time?

Auditions are like a first dance – both partners are discovering whether they can dance together. This is nothing to do with how good they are at dancing, but everything to do with – do we make a good dancing match. So, in auditions, I just want the old cliché – be yourself. It’s the only thing that will ever work. Whether I have a clear idea of the character already, or I am still searching, when the ‘right’ actor comes in, it feels like they’re the only ones who know the correct answer to the hardest question in the quiz. In a way, there’s nothing you can do about it. The second thing I look for, and this is if I’m intrigued by the actor’s energy/persona and sense that they might be right, I want to see responsiveness. If I ask them to do something different and they essentially give me the same thing again, I won’t choose them.

In rehearsals I want trust. I do my utmost to build this trust with the actors, of course, it’s my responsibility too, but ultimately we need to get to a point of trust. And I’m also looking for openness to ideas, playfulness – let’s try if something will work, if it doesn’t we’ll ditch it. Finally, I expect contributions. Just like the heads of various departments will offer their own ideas for the look, feel, sound of the film, the actors need to contribute ideas, too, and again – we’ll try some of them out, if they work, we’ll use them, if they don’t, we’ll at least inspire each other to cmd up with other ideas.

What projects have you in the pipeline?

There are several projects in the air, at the moment. Perhaps, the most likely to go ahead first is a feature film comedy, then a theatre play commission which I am yet to write. Wish me luck, both are really exciting, and totally different from one another.

In the current climate with funding being cut everywhere, when starting a new project how do you tackle this problem ?

Keep going. Keep going. Keep going. There’s no formula and no unseal solution. Keep pushing, knocking on doors, making new friends, searching for new leads and connections. Perseverance is everything.

Fun- What’s your favourite film

Ha! The impossible question. In no particular order – Life of Brian, Groundhog Day, Donny Darko, Apocalypse Now, Persona, Bicycle Thieves, The Big Lebowsky, All That Jazz, Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo&Juliet, The Red Shoes, Ex Machina, and on and on and on… This year, Arrival was so exciting!

1 in 3

PART OF THE CAMDEN FRINGE FESTIVAL 2016

Presented by Now You Know Productions

Life is more than the days you have left. Jeff & Jasmine are two very different people, at very different stages, sharing one life threatening disease. But through each other they learn why life is worth being threatened.

Written & Directed by Anthony Orme, the play tells the uplifting story of how life is measured in friendship and the experiences had, not hours.

★★★★★ ‘Sometimes theatre doesn’t just entertain, it matters.’
(ALBIE MEDIA)
★★★★ (GINGER WIG & STROLLING MAN)
BOOK NOW https://upstairsatthegatehouse.cloudvenue.co.uk/home

David J. Keogh

How did you get involved with the play? Anthony Orme (The writer and Director) contacted me and asked me to audition.  He had seen a lot of applicants for the role of Jeff but because he had cancer I think they were tending to play him as a victim – when I did my audition I wanted to make him a little more normal – cancer shouldn’t define who he is.  Anthony must of liked what I did! But also, it was beautifully written and it’s the kind of role actors beg for. Really demanding and utterly uplifting – perfect! In fact, I laughed and cried a number of times when I read the script and if it moves you that much then it’s worth doing. Anthony is a very talented writer. It is a very important and moving subject matter, how do you feel the play tackles the subject? By not making it a play about cancer! It’s actually a play about hope and seeing the positivity in things. Cancer isn’t really mentioned in the play, it just sits, brooding in the background, feeding the character emotions. When we did the play in Brighton, we had people wait for us afterwards – hug us and say thank you for dealing with it so well.  It has moved a lot of people and we haven’t had a single negative reaction to the topic at all.  The play isn’t making light of cancer – it’s simply showing how people react to it and have to deal with it.  It’s not an easy subject for sure – but it’s sensitively dealt with and well researched. How do you prepare for such a role? Well I was going through cancer testing at the time as part of a study at the Royal Marsden – my father died of it at a young age so I was supporting a study into the genetic links that cause it.  So some of the preparation was done for me – I also know a number of people who have had cancer – Some have survived and some sadly haven’t – it gives me instant perspective on Jeff as a character and I understand what he is going through as I know people who have dealt with it (and are dealing with it) first hand. But I must me honest, nothing prepared me for the emotional weight I carried around with me when we performed the play in Brighton. The genuinely beautiful response from the audience however, made every minute worth it. What challenges have you faced? We have very high expectations of our performances – and during the week I did the play I was suffering from flu which made it hard – but I got through it – and we Had excellent reviews which helped. But also, knowing you are doing something that is deeply affecting the audience makes us all feel incredibly responsible for the audience.  And there are Some very emotional moments in the play – the emotions you see on stage are real too. We all know of people who are affected by this disease so it makes it difficult. As an actor what keeps you motivated? This job is such a privilege – working with amazing actors and other creatives every day is motivation in its self – but also, when an audience – be it on film or on stage, appreciates what you do. Then it makes it all worth it. Did you know of Actor Awareness before I approached you? I had followed you on Twitter for a while so yes – but I know a lot More now about what you stand for now and quite frankly – it’s wonderful.  I’m a working class actor – I didn’t get the opportunities when I was younger because of my background and that’s why I came into acting so late.  So hurrah to you all and keep up the good fight because we are seriously under-represented out there. I’m so proud to be in any way involved in what you are doing. Do you feel campaigns like Actor Awareness are a good step in making a more inclusive industry? Yes – they have to be.  Working class people simply don’t get to make the choice to go into acting in the first place and the ones who manage to, have to work extremely hard without support and often against the wishes of their families.  Acting isn’t considered a job if you aren’t earning -and families often think you’re a bit odd if you go into the arts!  There’s a whole culture issue – but purely in actor terms, we have less contacts and favours to lean on, which in an industry that very heavily on contacts and who you know, makes things harder.  Any help is welcomed.   We need actors from every background.   The reality of course is that regardless of background, you have to have talent of you’ll eventually get found out – whatever class you stem from! And working class people shouldn’t use their background as an excuse – but let’s be clear, it is harder for us.  But that’s shouldn’t stop us trying to break through. What would you tell your younger self if you knew what you knew now? Believe in yourself.  You have so much to offer. Stop thinking you are worthless!  I had a tough childhood so carried a lot of baggage into my adult life.  I wasted so much time doubting myself.  But I’ve proven I can do this – and I like to think I’m quite good too!   I believe in myself now. Damn… So much wasted time… What attracts you to theatre ? There’s really nothing like audience interaction and the sense that people are reacting to what you are doing. The buzz of knowing that at any moment, anything can (and often does) happen that’s off script -Each performance is different each night depending on the other actors and what they do and reacting to that in the moment is wonderful – It’s that mixture of fear and adrenaline and being in the moment that is so different from acting on screen. Suffering from prostate cancer  how has that been in regards to preparing for the play? it must be very challenging. Well I was diagnosed 4 weeks ago – and I still have to go on stage knowing that I am playing someone with the disease.  It’s a rather unfortunate opportunity to method act! In some ways it is cathartic because I get to play a character who is very angry at his diagnosis and has little support at home – I have the opposite, I have so much support and I am actually using my diagnosis to help raise awareness – I feel I carry a responsibility to help other people get down to the doctors if they are  worried about something. Having cancer doesn’t stop me from being an actor – I’m planning on being around for a long time yet and don’t see why this should stop me.  This is my dream – if anything being diagnosed only makes me more determined. My preparation for the play stays the same.  But I also have to remember the effect My diagnosis may have on the other actors – it’s not easy for them because last time we performed I was cancer free.  Next time will be a lot more real for all of us.  I’ve only had four weeks to deal with this myself – But at the end of the day it’s a play – I’m playing a character and we all have a job to do.  It’s not about me, it’s about the audience and ensuring they enjoy the play – which I am very confident they will.

Headshots

Check out this amazing offer below

So I had my new headshots done with Greg Veit and I can’t tell you how great he was at such a reasonable cost! So I’ll show you my new pics. What is important to remember is to get images that accurately represent you and Greg managed this in a friendly relaxed environment.  Finally think I have some headshots that show me as truthfully as possible.

Book your session now http://www.gregveit.com

Theatre4thought

It is time, Ed preview’s for my very own show ‘The Monologues of a Tired Nurse’ is here.

Please come and support @theatre4thought and watch some cool theatre, if I do say so myself.

THE PLAY

“One day you’re expected to know nothing cause you’re a student and then as soon as you’re qualified you’re expected to be this person, this somebody, this perfect person who never makes mistakes…” 

Emily, an optimistic newly qualified nurse and Sally an exhausted nurse in charge, both at polar opposites in their careers. The story follows Sally and Emily’s memories of nursing up until one fateful day that changes both their lives forever. Set in the present day, at a time when the NHS is short staffed, forced to make cuts and constantly under scrutiny. Where nurses are penalised, criticised and told by the government that they’re not doing enough after another long day. When you’re getting paid £11 an hour to do someone’s last offices, when you’re telling a mum their baby’s passed away or when you’re the newly qualified nurse on her first day, with little support and no time for error- how is anybody supposed to cope?

“We are all just stuff, bits of stuff and one day we won’t exist anymore. We are all just molecules and bits of dust.”

The Monologues of a Tired Nurse depicts the internal conflicts of two nurses in the modern day and gives you a peak through the curtains of how it really feels to be a nurse. The play deals with themes of nursing, mental illness, relationships & grief. It is an emotional, harrowing, raw, brave and naturalistic piece of writing which is attimes funny but more often than not painfully truthful.

“She just wanted to save everyone but you finish with one wound and there’s always another.” 

Directed by Simon Nader and brought to you by Theatre4Thought. Theatre4Thought are a new company making work with a conscience, getting people to examine today’s world in new ways.

BOOK

http://www.theatren16.co.uk/#!monologues-of-a-tired-nurse/wfmtp

Mine

August 1st-3rd with a showtime of 2:30pm

“Ben, I don’t want a child right now. Actually screw that, I can’t have a child right now…”

Does anyone really belong to us? Do our friends, our lovers, our children? “Mine” by Georgia Taylforth, explores three couples route into pregnancy, and questions whether they have a right to claim ownership of that child and indeed each other.

Following it’s successful run at The Courtyard Theatre in April 2016 Who Said Theatre’s “Mine”, written by Georgia Taylforth, is transferring to The Etcetera Theatre, Camden as part of the Camden Fringe.

If you missed it the first time round (or you just want to see it again!) then you can book tickets online at: https://cam.tickets.red61.com/performances.php?eventId=3113%3A1249

“Fresh, vibrant and energetic, moving along at a brisk pace, yet delivering the more poignant and shocking moments with emotional sensitivity and awareness.” – Peter Brown, ActDrop, *****

“Exciting, thought provoking material.” – Scatter Of Opinion        “Excellent.” – Brenda Blethyn

 

So Patch how did you get into acting, did you always want to be an actor?

Like many I’m sure, I first got into it at school. There was a production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory which I auditioned for so as not to be outdone by my older brother (he had played Robin Hood the year before). To my surprise and secret glee I was cast as Willy Wonka, and so dedicated myself to learning the part. In hindsight I probably gave an utterly garbled rendition, but it was enough of an experience to chase as much theatre as I could thereafter. Aged 14 I don’t think I seriously considered the possibility of being ‘an actor’, but I suppose the ambition came about as a natural result of never wanting to stop.

You did a course at the Guildford School of Acting. Why did you decide to train? How do you feel it set you up?

To the first part of that question, the short answer is that I wanted to be a better actor and start growing a network within the industry. The short answer to the second part is that it did both those things. In more depth, I knew there was nothing else on this earth I wanted to do and it seemed like the best way to get a foot in the industry’s door and give myself some credibility. I feel it set me up pretty well; attending a school does of course qualify you for Equity and Spotlight memberships and I was lucky enough to leave with an agent as well. Furthermore, I’ve had work that I’ve got directly through contacts I made at GSA. Drama school worked for me; it was a great way to start my career but it’s certainly not the only way to start.

Many people can’t afford drama school and the rising fees cause people to choose different paths, how important do you think it is to maintain an inclusive industry?

Goodness me how do I approach such a significant subject? I feel very underqualified to share my opinions on this. I’ll start by saying what’s important at the moment is not to maintain but to pursue an inclusive industry. We don’t have an industry that is all-inclusive and that’s the problem. As you say, the cost of training is huge; the ratio of the cost of going to drama school versus what you are likely to earn when you leave has to be one of the most unfavourable of any vocational course I can think of. Understandably this puts people off as at face value it looks like a terrible investment. Then, once in the profession, there is a relatively small amount of paid work available compared to a vast number of actors, none of whom have any greater or lesser right to work than any other. This too squeezes out people who simply can’t earn enough by juggling day jobs and taking acting work when it comes along. These are people who are just as likely to be talented, skilled and have stories to share as people whose circumstances mean they can wait it out, and it leaves sections of society without a voice. So, it’s extremely important. In the long-term what can be done? As well as the easy answer of MORE SCHOLARSHIPS, networks of like-minded people such as Actor Awareness are wonderful because they provide a platform for people to showcase their stories and skills and meet professionals at the same stages of the careers, as well as actively seeking deals to help members find ways of keeping their business expenses down. I’m full of admiration for the work you guys do. I also found out about a group called BOSSY (I have limited understanding of as it is a women’s only group) it is a forum for female industry professionals to come together and support each other, groups like these are amazing places for people to help each other through the same challenges.

Tell us about the new play ‘Mine’.

Mine is a play about 3 pairs of people and how pregnancy changes their lives. In order of appearance, the first ‘couple’, Ben and Sophie, meet on tinder and engage in a no strings attached relationship (can I call that a relationship?), then my character Chris is in a couple with Emma, played by the playwright Georgia Taylforth. They appear to be the perfect couple; completely in love, supportive of each other and still having plenty of ‘fun’. The third pair is Toby, a gay man unsuccessfully trying to adopt, and his best friend Lauren who offers a solution to his problems. The play asks what ownership the characters have over their future children, and indeed each other (I may be slightly plagiarizing from the official description…). I’m also proud to say we’ve made it onto Stagedoor’s list of most anticipated shows of Camden Fringe!

What have you got from your experience working on ‘Mine’?

Today I have a headache and bruised pride because I was an idiot and misjudged where the arm of a sofa was and smashed my head against the wooden bit of it in rehearsal earlier. I’m also exhausted and I think I might smell a bit. However I’ve got the satisfaction of working with hugely talented friends, playing some seriously challenging scenes and, well, working. Just working. I cannot tell you how much I always love just having the opportunity to work.

We all know it’s a tough industry, so what advice would you give other actors and what do you tell yourself to keep going?

I’m only at the beginning of my career so I would feel like a complete fraud giving any advice! What I will say instead is the way I try to approach what I do and if anyone is able to make sense of it then all the better. My outlook is based on the old cliché ‘the harder you work, the luckier you get’. I try to treat acting like a full time job. I make sure I do something to help my career every day, even when doing the day job, and treat days off from that as a gift. What I can do in a day obviously depends on how much time I have available, but believe me, now I’m in the habit of keeping busy it’s a hard one to break! I tell myself that that elusive breakthrough might not come along today, tomorrow, or even the day after that, but it’s out there somewhere so it’s up to me to be available and to be ready. I’m lucky enough to have found an extremely flexible day job (they are out there), so much so that I’ve never had to miss an audition because of it, and affordable enough rent (they’re also out there!) that it’s not a big deal if I have to cancel a couple of shifts here and there. That’s availability covered, and as far as being ready is concerned, I just try to make sure I’m always working on or towards something. It keeps me on the ball.

‘Mine’, by Georgia Taylforth, is performed by Who Said Theatre directed by Blake Barbiche, at the Etcetera Theatre on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd August at 2:30pm.

For more information (as well as booking links) you can visit our website at:http://www.whosaidtheatre.com/#!mine/tiwj8

@WhoSaidTheatre

Spotlight & Actor Awareness present ‘Intergenerational Night’

Monday, 15 August 2016 from 19:30 to 21:30

Spotlight UK – 7 Leicester Pl, London, WC2H 7RJ

Our first Spotlight sponsored event is coming 15th August. Spotlight are even giving away free tickets to those registered with them. So go to the eventbrite link and book your ticket now for a awesome night of new writing!

Spotlight are supporting us with this exciting new project . This is an integration of younger and older actors learning off of each other and tackling the issue under-represntaton of older actors in the industry. So please come and support these incredible new short plays.

Plays

Our Father by Stephanie Silver
37 by Nick Mwaluko 
Safe Word by Ribs Norman
Joan and Oliver by Nicola Amory

Spotlight members can attend for free, so you will need to show proof of membership (Spotlight profile or card) on the door, non members pay £8.

BOOK

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/actor-awareness-intergenerational-night-tickets-26419573656

Actor Awareness Events

The Actor Awareness Launch went off with a bang. After 2 years in the coming it was finally a proud night for Tom to be able to officially launch his campaign. I am a proud part of the campaign and the launch just showed the talent was off the chart. We had amazing poetry , comedy, singers and plays that showed a diverse range of talent. We unfortunately didn’t have a photographer to show pictures, so next time just make sure you’re there!!!

Hosted by Helen Scott

ACTS

● The cast of Tolkien- A New Musical
● Scooter by Paula Connolly
● Joe Bo- working class poetry
● The Monologues of a Tired Nurse by Stephanie Silver
● Johanna O’Brien – Singer
● Alice Marshall- Comedian

● Love And All That Crap by Oliver Retter
● Birth of a Nation by David House
● Ionica Adriana – Singer
● Netflix and Chill with Bae by Tom Stocks
● MDs Comedy Revue by UCL Hospital Medical Students

The Class night was @GuildfordFringe on June 30th.

The Plays that have been chosen were staged:

Auf Achse (On the road) 
By Joe Staton & Patrick Renton

THE ROBBING CLASS 
By Michelle Payne

Fresh With Promise 
By Felicity Huxley-Miners

CLASSIFIED
By Jayne Woodhouse

Our Health night was a raging success and each show from the night has been giving a evening slot in August to produce a 40-60 minute show of their original scratch piece!!!! So remember to keep following and grab your tickets when you can. Being part of our scratch nights is about progressing and improving and a big thanks to Jamie Eastlake for given everyone this opportunity. The shows in include

The Endo Me by Ed Keates

In The Dollhouse by Spark Assembly 

The Staffroom by Michelle Payne

The Mds Comedy Revue Sketch Show 

The Birth of a Nation by David House

We also having amazing news regarding two big projects!! So please please follow us on Twitter and Facebook! Or your miss out @actorawareness

Today, Life, the Universe & the Little Blue Bowl

So Elaine you graduated from Guildhall, that is an amazing school to go to, how did you feel when you graduated? I felt very proud! There were points I thought I would never make it to the end! It was also overwhelmingly odd and sad to leave the place I had spent so much time in for the past 3 years. I’d learnt things about myself there I never knew existed, I was challenged and encouraged every day and I’d made friends I believe I’ll still love when I’m 100 years old and totally mad. I thought I would be scared to leave but actually I felt excited and ready to see what was next. Did you always want to be an actor?  Pretty much yes! When my mum first took me to stage coach I was most looking forward to the singing and dancing (I wanted to be a back up dancer for spice girls) and I thought the drama would be boring but right from the start I loved it. I also wanted to be an author when I was younger so I guess being an actor that writes is quite apt!  What do you love about theatre? It’s the one of the few times that a group of people come together, put away their phones and focus on something outside themselves. A good piece of theatre can make you forget all the crap you’ve been carrying around with you all day. Equally it can open up something inside you you’ve been avoiding and help you understand it better. I just love that something as traditional as telling a story is still so powerful. We have more technology than ever, more knowledge then we know what to do with and yet still someone just standing and speaking truthfully on stage is listened to and wondered at.  How do you find juggling earning your rent and auditioning/working in London? It was really tough at first and I still find myself in my overdraft more often than I’d like but you find a way to balance, you have to! I’m lucky I’ve found two other jobs I really enjoy that offer extremely flexible hours and good pay so if some weeks I think “I really need a couple of days to do something creative or prepare for an audition” I can take it. Dog walking and pet sitting has been a saviour because I can earn money whilst writing emails/learning lines/drafting a script. Some months it’s tough because the flexibility means you aren’t guaranteed a set amount of work or pay a week, but if you can take a step back and not panic and try to budget yourself if becomes very possible.  You have a show at the Camden fringe? Tell us loads about this please? When I was in my third year at Guildhall I wrote a solo piece. I had no idea why I wanted to do it, I just knew I was excited by writing a part for myself and being able to share a story I wanted to tell. The piece was called “Decibels” and was about 20 minutes in length. I had 4 performances at Guildhall and, to my surprise, received a positive and warm reception to the piece. I was then fortunate enough to be asked to perform it at The Royal Theatre in The Hague with a company called STET. Four of us went to The Netherlands to perform our pieces in September 2015 for a week and it was amazing to share work with an audience of people who didn’t know us and that had paid to come. These 2 experiences taught me a lot about writing and performing a solo piece, 20 minutes alone on stage is a long time if you don’t get their attention from the start and they can immediately tell if you’re not being truthful and won’t respond to you. When I came back I knew I wanted to have another go so I began writing a new piece. What I’ve ended up with is a new solo show derived from that first piece. It has elements and, in some places, bits of text taken from the first piece but is, in my mind at least, a totally new story with a different message. It’s called “Today, Life, the Universe and the Little Blue Bowl” and is about 40 minutes long. My mum actually gave me the title totally by accident! It’s about a young girl in her 20s who’s reached crisis point. We meet her at a “well, what now?!” moment. We’ve all had those moments where we have no idea where we are going which is why I think it’s so interesting to explore as an idea. It’s a universal feeling of “oh fuck.” It’s a comic piece (hopefully) because it fascinates me how close laughter is to crying and pain is to pleasure.  How do you feel about audition fees at drama school, Guildhall is £63 now and they only just really brought in fee waivers for low income students? When I auditioned for Guildhall it was £50 so I didn’t actually realise it had gone up that much! I’m torn because I know what it’s like auditioning for schools. When I was trying in 2012 I went pretty much everywhere and it was always £50/55 a time plus the train down and back home as I lived in the north of England at the time. If you get to the last round of somewhere then you feel like you at least “got your money’s worth” but if you get chucked out first round then that’s an expensive 3 minutes! I had to save for a year beforehand to be able to do it and luckily my parents also helped as well. It’s super expensive and means some people who would love to audition simply can’t and that’s so sad. However, having been to a school now, I also know how much they have to spend to fund their audition days. Guildhall is 3 rounds to get in. They hold weeks and weeks of first round auditions, a few more weeks second round and then a week of third round. They also hire alumni to steward the auditions to give actors who aren’t working at the moment a hand with income. That’s a lot of people to pay for a lot of days. I really have no experience with organising this kind of thing or budgeting large scale event, so I have no idea if it needs to be as expensive as it is now but I know the money isn’t wasted. I would love it to be able to be free so that everyone had a chance but it’s a difficult balancing act I think.  In drama school , how were people supported who struggled financially?  Guildhall were extremely generous. In my second year I was given a scholarship from the school to help me financially as I was far away from family and there’s no time to work while training. I was given this money every term until I left and without it I would really have struggled. I know many of my year that needed help were given as much as possible and if anyone was really stuck there was always someone to talk to and emergency funds. We were very lucky that scholarships and grants were made accessible to us and we were helped with applying for them.  People often comment how actors shouldn’t complain about the cost of drama school, but most degrees people can maintain part time jobs as lectures are a few times a week, drama school is a full on 45 hour week with work on top. What do you think about the current situation of maintenance grants being cut, do you think it’ll be harder for more and more low income applicants to get through 3 years training?  Yes it’s almost impossible to have a part time job while training, I know a couple of people who did it but they were exhausted and barely earned enough to to make a difference. It’s a big obstacle for a lot of people about the maintenance grants and sadly I do think it will deter some talented low income applicants even attempting to train. But what’s important to know is there is support out there! Trawl through the books of supporters of theatre, there are people out there willing and able to help and if you don’t ask you don’t get. If a school wants you they will try to help as much as they can so if you’re struggling you should talk to them as they might have a solution. I would love for there to be more financial support for drama school students from the government, especially those living in London where the rent and transport costs are high, but for now it looks like we have to find our own paths and solutions as best we can! What do you think is the most important asset for an actor to have in todays industry? Belief! In yourself. In your craft. In your skill set. In your career. In your path. In the text. In the play. Just believe you can and you will. Sounds so cliche but the moment you doubt yourself people will use that as an excuse to write you off. You can never guarantee anyone is going to be on your side so be your biggest fan and your biggest support and you’ll never feel alone. Yes, everyone has down days and times you think you can’t act and maybe you don’t work for a year and start to think “I should be a zoo keeper instead” but those are moments you experience and then you let go. Also be able to make a good cup of tea, just because a cup of tea always helps.  What advise would you give to your younger self, all the way back when the idea of being an actor popped into your head?  Remember this moment when you’re older! Younger me was confident and sure of herself, she knew what she wanted and how she was going to get it. To quote little Elaine “I’m going to go to acting school in London when I grow up, they do drama all day there!” As children we have the perfect amount of assurance without being too cocky. Its passion and determination and drive and we aren’t afraid to tell people! I wish I could go back and tell myself to hold on to that and never forget how it felt to be certain.  Can you give us a few words on why you support Actor Awareness?  It’s just such a good family for actors! As we have already discussed it can be a lonely place acting. Financially and emotionally it’s draining. It’s great to have a platform where actors can speak out, find support, have help with new work, get advice and not feel alone. It’s being part of a community who all want the same thing and that’s something special. Tickets are available now at http://www.camdenfringe.com/show.php?acts_id=678 Moors Bar Theatre in Crouch End 17th-20th August 2016 at 8pm.

Moors Bar Theatre

Moors Bar theatre is a thriving theatre pub in Crouch End. The Artistic Director Andy James and Creative Director Seth Jones are a welcoming team of people to work with. They also hire out their theatre at a low cost for people wishing to perform their show, check out their website for details.

Currently Moors Bar are producing their new play ‘Hit Routine’ 

Dates: 18th,19th,20th July
Doors: 19:00 Start: 19:45
Online £9 Door: £12

Hit Routine

A series of stories, including love, crime and sometimes comical, begin to combine with characters slowly being dragged into the crime underworld.

Whether it be through greed or desperation, slowly the characters stories combine in this story of betrayal, adventure and desperation.

Cast:

Robert Nicholas as Bill
Natalie Donaldson as as Viv
Eliza Hewitt-Jones as Elisa
Stephanie Silver as The Gardener
Written and Directed By Seth Jones

BOOK TICKETS: www.moorsbar.com

Tel: 020 8348 4161. MOORS BAR, 57 PARK ROAD, LONDON N8 8SY

A Different Class

      Kevin Lee returns to Barons Court with his new play

‘Different Class’

 

  Maria is from a lovely little town in Berkshire. Andy is from the north. They pretend they don’t get on. But really they do. They have plenty to say for themselves, and to each other. But perhaps it’s the things they can’t say which trouble them the most.

 Dates: Tuesday 19^th July to Saturday 23^rd July 2016 @7.30pm including a matinee on Saturday @2.30pm.£12 or £10 concessions. Running time approx 60 mins

Kevin Lee returns to Barons Court for a third time after previous successes including ‘Time for Heroes’ last year. Tickets can be booked through londontheatre@gmail.com or by calling 020 8932 4747.

Barons Court Theatre, Curtains up pub, 28a Comeragh Road West Kensington London W14 9HR. Nearest tube stations – West Kensington (District Line) or Barons Court (District or Piccadilly lines) – Both within five minutes walk of the theatre

 About the writer

 Kevin Lee is a playwright from Sydenham in South East London and is the author of the critically acclaimed ‘Time for Heroes’ (Barons Court Theatre), which earned rave reviews last year. His new play ‘Different Class’ will be his fourth production to appear on the London stage. Kevin Lee’s previous work includes:

‘Time for Heroes’ (Barons Court)

★★★★★ – Everything Theatre       ★★★★ – The Upcoming

Cyrano of Brixton (The Brockley Jack Theatre)

★★★★ South London Press

girl-friend (Barons Court Theatre)

★★★★ Remotegoat