Epic Stages!

So after a 6 week National Youth Theatre course, the final day has arrived. It's strange how fast time goes; especially when, at the start, one cannot imagine it passing or happening at all.

The course (Epic Stages) was full of masterclasses all to do with acting - be it Shakespeare, voice masterclass, stage combat, acting for screen and many more - as well as working in a group of 25 and 50 to devise and create a piece of theatre, which we performed at Hackney Empire on Friday 30th August 2013. Plus, we had regular Q&As with industry professionals as well as having general rehearsals, where the group learned ensemble skills, worked together as a team and got to know each other.

It was a fabulous (yes, I just used that word) whirlwind - learning so much, being with so many new, inspiring people and really launching into the creative industry. I certainly feel that this summer has been one where I have learned the most (out of all my previous summers!), not only learning about theatre and the industry, but also about myself. I think I have 'grown up', so to speak, over this summer - from being completely naive of how to be properly 'independent' to taking my first steps towards this.

Living in London has been an absolute treat, and following my graduation (a mere 3 years down the line...!), assuming that all goes to plan, I will return to the city, hopefully to throw myself into the London theatre making, creative scene that I have so recently been exposed to.

The course, and the social side of it, has been completely consuming for the past 44 days, so returning home back to a slower pace will be a huge change, but I'm excited to get going, get creating, and see where I end up next.

8 Things I Didn't Know About London

So I have been staying in London for the past 3 weeks, and the extended period has made me realise facts about the metropolis that I had previously overlooked... So here goes:


1. There are Starbucks and Costas on every street - everywhere you look, every road full of bustling and jostling people...except when I desperately needed a Frappa and there was neither Costa nor Starbucks to be found.

2. The city is constantly alive and roaring - brilliant and electric and buzzing. Except, why Mr Bottle Collector Men (or women!), do you have to empty the recycling bottle bins at 5am? I am constantly awoken to the sound of a hundred bottles clanking into each other (not that I am complaining, of course).

3. Angel is a fabulous place, full of bars and restaurants, shops, cinemas - and all fairly central. I had never been there until recently, and was mighty glad to have visited it. I will definitely return there.

4. I always knew there was theatre in London. But I was never aware of just how much - the city has so much creativity, so many productions; so many discourses waiting to be watched.

5. The Hammersmith and City Line (as of August 2013) is not particularly reliable - although London transport is, on the whole, brilliant with tubes/trains/DLR/buses/ and, of course, the trade mark black taxis.

6. The National and the Old Vic sell £12 theatre tickets - bargainnnnn!

7. Time Out has all the news on the arts...and has recently become a FREE magazine. I did not know this - it was a serendipitous moment when I stumbled across a Time Out distributor, and provided me with my cultural dosage for the day.

8. Pop-up bars and restaurants are the 'it' thing - usually there is good food, good service, affordable prices - all for a limited time only, before the pop-up pops-away.

The longer I stay, the more I learn...I will be sure to let you know soon what else I discover!