Shellie Barrowcliffe
Stage Manager, Performer and Blog Designer
I have a great interest in all things technical, particularly Stage Management and have been able to pursue this interest throughout the past few years. I love seeing shows develop from a blank empty stage into some amazing things. There is no limit to what can happen on stage and that is what I love, being part of creating something magical.
I love theatre which allows me to form my own opinions, something which doesn’t try and push me either way of the story. It lets me breathe and think for myself. I also have a passion for Theatre for Children as the set and characters just seem to come to life in big colourful and exciting ways.
Love isn’t something which is a big thing in my life at the moment, this project is making me think about it more but I guess when the time is right I will find love again and who knows it could be magical.
Tom Briggs
Director, Writer and Performer
My passion for theatre is really in seeing stories told. I love new stories and old ones told in new ways. I love sincerity and playfulness, little moments of fun, flashes of beauty and that moment when your heart drops. A few of the companies that make me laugh, cry or/and cry with laughter include Little Bulb, The Flanagan Collective and Weeping Spoon Productions.
2013 was an extremely fortunate year for me; my proudest moments include the making of Dolls, Bombs and Cakes, taking an evil villain to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Sheriff Wayne and the Sundance Cave and performing After Me the Flood a BBC, RAF and Lincoln Company co-production to the veterans of the dambusters flight.
As I sit here now, I think I’ll be making theatre until I physically can’t. I hope I’ll still be doing this 5, 10, 20 years from now and surviving, whatever that means. I’ll learn new things and find new people to tell stories to or with.
It strikes me that love is the only universal truth. It applies to everyone, whether they like it or not, and despite my usual cynicism I do believe in love in the most basic terms, I believe people belong together, that a life is better shared with others, even if only fleetingly.
Abbi Dawson
Production Manager, Performer and Puppeteer
I love everything technical, stage managing is what I enjoy the most, and lighting design is my speciality.
I am considerably proud of the fact that I managed to perform at The National theatre in July 2013 with a remarkable cast and crew, it was an experience I will never forget.
In five years time I aspire to be a working stage manager, and if possible even a production manager.
I have had a bumpy road with love so far, I’m very cynical towards it. I am hoping this devising process will change my mind and will once again look forward to finding love in the near future.
Gabby Evans
Musical Director and Performer
My passion is creating theatre that makes a difference and offers a new view on everyday life. If an audience goes away smiling, crying or thinking then I think we have done our job! (Gold stars all round)
I have learnt a lot about myself and my love of theatre over the three years studying drama and hope to learn a lot more in the years to come.
I am currently Musical Director in the company which is allowing me to put all of my years of forgotten musical knowledge to the test. (that’s nearly 13 years!)
My aim in the foreseeable future is to set up my own theatre company which tackles the taboos of body size in the arts industry.
What is Love? Love is ‘the can’t eat, can’t sleep, heart racing, reaching for the stars kinda feeling’.
Samantha McKenzie
Performer, Marketing Manager and Songwriter
I have a huge passion for theatre that isn’t afraid to mock itself, not concerned with self indulgence but with entertaining the audience in different styles and through many different mediums. I love verbatim scripts because it’s from the people to the people, engaging with real life. Forced entertainment are a favourite of mine!
I once played the narrator in Joseph and his technicolor dreamcoat, that was fun. I’m also proud of every performance I have a done at university, particularly in my last semester. I played Lady Anne in a duologue from Richard III, it really tested my ability and I felt a great deal of pride after my performance.
I would love to make a living from acting, to feature on television and be part of my own traveling theatre company.
Love gets me through. I believe in it massively.
Becky Sowter
Performer, Producer and Master of the Glockenspiel
My main passion is for Shakespeare and I hugely admire companies that use Shakespeare in unique ways such as Filter Company. I also love watching new material, especially devised theatre.
I am quite proud of my performance as King Lear in my second year at University and the time I played Moth the blind fairy in an adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Glastonbury festival.
I’m not really sure what I want to progress onto yet…I’m sure I will find out one day!
I think we all need love in our lives in one form or another. Without it there wouldn’t be much point to life.
Jozey Wade
Performer, Assistant Musical Director and Puppeteer
I’m not going to lie here… I like to be entertained. Don’t we all? And I’m passionate about theatre which entertains AND has something meaningful to say. That we can relate to. Theatre which doesn’t take itself too seriously. And stories. I love a good story. A story which grips me and surprises me, that makes me laugh and touches me. A story I lose myself in and that I can relate to. I also love music. And I’m not ashamed to admit that musical theatre is top of my theatre passions. Musical theatre that pushes the boundaries of talent, subject matter, expectations is what really captures me.
I performed with The Lincoln Company at the Edinburgh Fringe for a month, in two shows which I am incredibly proud of. It was a huge learning curve, which was incredibly difficult at times but ultimately one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had. I’ve been lucky enough to be part of many shows I am proud of, including a short run of Our Country’s Good in Manchester and the LPACs annual musical theatre showcase, Encore, for 3 years running.
My ultimate dream is to be a musical theatre performer. But I am also interested in television/ short films, writing, casting… much more. Basically I just want to be involved in this wonderful, creative industry in some way.
Love is greatly under appreciated at times. I know it can be painful but it is a wonderful, illogical thing that is part of what distinguishes us as human beings. Love and compassion, they are key parts of what makes us human, so it’s no wonder that love is such a huge part of popular culture.
Lauren Walker
Performer and Writer
Acting and theatre is my second nature. You will know this if you know me as I am dramatic about everything in my every day life! I love the adrenaline rush you get when you pull of a part that you are struggling with or when all the hard work you put into a show pays off. There is so many different jobs and opportunity’s in this business and what one thing I love is how every single one of them contribute to the final performance. I think the main thing I enjoy about it is the writing. There is nothing better then a script that captures life and makes you think.
One thing I am really proud of is taking a risk and picking ‘off the page’ as a module last semester. That may sound silly but as much as I love reading plays, and I have lots of ideas I have never been able to put pen to paper, but I put everything I had into it and came out with a first! Oh and I also went to the National Theatre with the Lincoln young company which wasn’t to shabby.
When I came to University I was set on being a teacher which is still something I am considering for later life. Right now all I know I want to do is make theatre, write and travel the world.
Love as though you have never been hurt before.
Phoebe Wall-Palmer (but you can call me Pheebs)
Performer, Costume/Props and Marketing Assistant
People are always telling me that drama and theatre is easy, has no prospects, and consists of jumping around pretending to be an octopus (Or something similar)… Truth is, they are nearly right (apart from the ‘easy’ part), and I absolutely love it. The thought that I could get to do this for the rest of my life is so exciting. Yes, I may not make much money, and I’ll probably make some really bad theatre sometimes, and I may have to make compromises along the way. But I’m in it for the long haul, and I’m ready to work my arse of to get there, and be happy.
I played Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in my second year. It made me fall in love with theatre all over again and realise I’m in the right place and doing the right thing. Since then, I’ve been proud of everything I’ve worked on, especially being able to head up to Edinburgh Fringe last year with a cracking company. The greatest sense of pride comes from a group that have all worked their hardest to achieve the aim, which is something really lovely about being in a theatre company, you have pride for your whole little drama family.
To make theatre! With weird people, nice people, fun people, my friends, even my family. To make money from it would be the cherry on top, but you can gain a sense of achievement in other ways.
Even if we try our hardest not to, it’s the one emotion every single one of us shares: The ability to love. I think that’s pretty cool….