The Secrets Out Schools Tour

Overall Evaluation

Accepting our differences and embracing our

similarities.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the Schools Tour process and was so proud of our final piece
The Secrets Out. I believe I have crossed boundaries and overcome personal hurdles
that have helped me to improve as an actor. It has given me an excellent insight into
how I can adapt skills I have gained doing big shows at the Miskin and to suit almost any
environment. It has been a rollercoaster ride but I wouldnt change any of it!

Where did we start?

When we started the process I wasnt really sure
what to expect! I was really excited though by the
prospect of us being able to tour and create a brand
new piece of Theatre.

I was excited by what we could achieve as a
company and our first official piece of work that
would be shared with a public audience.

Workshops at the beginning of the process were
great fun and reminded us of what is required of a
Christmas show/show for children. You need lots of
energy, fun, creativity and play.


I enjoyed it when we had the chance to devise our won work and it felt like then we
were all working together to create the final piece. One that stands out to me was a
devised piece when we were all children entering a church, then we went into this wacky
world of characters where we had to show the conflict between the goodies and the
baddies and then the baddie had to have a change of heart! It was great fun and it
stands out to me as being a moment in the process when we really started to let go and
have fun, realising that we really can do anything. Charley was the silly elf and knocked
the bad out of Alex the baddie!

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Key moments of the process

Overall Evaluation

A key moment of the process for me was when we had to go away and create our own
character monologues based on a character from a Disney or fairytale character. This
was when I discovered Jane Poppins having no idea I would go on to play her! We had to
choose a character and then the monologue had to be as the child of that character. I
chose Mary Poppins and had so much fun writing my own monologue. The idea behind it
was that she was trying to be like her mother but everything she did went wrong and she
was very clumsy! Being cast as Jane didnt actually feel like the same Jane that I brought
to the floor initially, just because she evolved and I found the more sophisticated, nerdy
and knowing side she had too. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to pay Jane in the
piece, I feel like I went on such a journey and was able to bring my own ideas to it that
inspired me in the first place.

Getting the script was a real key moment. It was when I started to really see the story
come together and how all the characters go on that journey. The story stuck me as so
sweet, endearing, exciting, magical and adventurous.

The casting was a key moment in the process for me. Once we were cast things started
to slot into place and it was amazing how there was natural chemistry and strong
character relationships started to form. It was so exciting to get the script up on its feet
and start hearing how the piece would work dynamically. I was so thrilled to be cast as
Jane. I loved how flustered she was but at the same time you knew deep down she
would have a plan! (In the piece she came up with a plan, but didnt even realise until it
was pointed out to her!)

In addition, a key part of the process for me was when we did our first character
workshop when cast. Throughout my training at the Miskin we have done many
character workshops focusing on physicality and leaning more about the character, but
this way the first workshop I have been in where I discovered a huge amount of material
and felt myself give in to the character, not even thinking about it, just letting it happen.
It was eye opening how much detail I discovered and everything felt so much more
natural and like I really was in Janes shoes. When we were comparing our characters
physicality to animals this was really interesting too. It allowed me to not restrict what I
was doing and think outside the box.


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The Secrets Out Schools Tour

Overall Evaluation

Overall, was the process a success?

Overall, the process was a huge success. In the time we had I was proud of how far we took
our individual characters. I felt like we all went on a journey and was able to step up to the
demand.

I also believe that the story was a really successful part of what we did. The script was so
endearing, funny, playful and magic. I loved how much room the script gave us to play. It
was like nothing was written in stone, there was great scope for you as an actor to make it
your own and have fun. I believe this was something that really contributed to the success
of the piece. By the end I think we all felt we had ownership of the piece and all of our
characters played a massive part in making it work. Something else was the fact that the
show couldnt have worked without any of our characters; this made it a success. It meant
that everyone really had something at stake, every character had a huge journey to go on
and every character had to be engaged and work inside the wider group of characters and
the story. I believe this was great for our company too as we pulled together to tell the
story and everyone was linked and connected in some way.

One of the most successful and rewarding parts of the process for me was performing at
The Bracton Centre. To be honest I was really nervous about this performance. I just had no
idea what to expect or the response we would receive. There was also an obstacle because
in the sports hall where we were performing there was a 6 second echo after speaking. This
was extremely challenging because if you spoke too fast then people would have had no
idea what you were talking about. Personally, I found it especially challenging because of
the manic and flustered nature of my character. She has tendency to go off on one and
speak quickly building herself up into a panic. Therefore, I tried to slow down the speech
and show the flustered nature more in my physicality and facial expression as well as tone
of voice. At times the piece felt under energised because of this but I think we all pulled
together and the piece started to pick up towards the end and we relaxed into it more.
When they were all smiling and having fun at the end it was such a great feeling and
something I would love to do again.

The success of the piece was also reflected in how we adapted to new situations and
worked together as a company. The whole process was demanding and towards the end of
the process this is when I started to feel like we were a strong, professional working touring
company.
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Overall Evaluation

What was unsuccessful?

At the start of the process the company didnt feel strong. When you entered the space
there was often a very labored atmosphere, which made it almost impossible to start
anything productive. I personally really struggled knowing how to respond to this. I
didnt feel I could pick people up on it because you dont feel you have status in the
room to do so. However, looking back perhaps we should have picked each other up on
it and been able to be professional about it. The trouble was that there was no divide
between outside the space and then the space. It meant that personal issues were
brought in and then it becomes difficult to talk to someone without them feeling like it is
a personal attack. If we had a clear divide people would be less likely to enter with a
negative attitude and we would be able to talk to each other as actors.

There were moments in this process when it felt like the company was falling apart.
There seemed to be so many arguments happening and it was like no one could be civil
anymore. I found this really distressing because ultimately we are all there because we
have a shared passion and want to make Theatre. Carleigh really helped us as a company
to overcome this. Something she said at one point that still stands out to me is about
appreciating what we are doing because one day we might not see each other again or
we may not have the opportunity to perform. We need to cherish the time we have. I
couldnt agree more, we are so lucky with the facilities, level of training and support we
receive and I would hate to look back and think we were too argumentative and negative
as a company. After this though, I did feel a noticeable change in the company dynamic.
Everyone seemed to put all this behind them and focus on our goal. I believe that the
final piece really brought our company together. We worked together, supported one
anther and put out a show we were all proud of. We also have lots of shared memories
and fun moments to look back and laugh about which always makes a company stronger
and more fun!

An element of our performance and final product that I would say needed improving was
the workshop we did at Gravel Hill. I dont think the plan was effective enough and the
way we went about transitions inside the workshop didnt feel like they were energised
enough.

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Overall Evaluation

The children shouldnt have even clocked that we were changing the game because
everything should have been a game. For example, when Becky led the workshop with
us, even just running to the wall or gathering round to listen to her was a game and I
think we should have adapted more of these principals. I dont think we should have
started with the name game where children had to say their name and an action on their
own. I think it would have been better if we started with more ensemble and team
building exercises to make them feel comfortable.
The planning efficiency was not great and we should have thought in more depth about
the games we were putting forward. It would have been better to do less games but with
better intension and clearer outcome. These mistakes though will inevitably make it
better if we were to do workshops again and have taught us all what works and what
doesnt. The best way to learn is from experience and this is how we will improve and
discover more about what elements make an effective workshop.

What did you learn?

Learning how to adapt to new environments and taking everything in your stride was a
big learning curve for me. I completely underestimated how much technicians do and
the amount of preparation that everything needs! On this show we had to really be
independent and use our initiative. It was all about just getting stuck in and working as a
company to get a space ready, have props on hand and make sure the overall
technicalities were in place. We had Olly, which was great, but the show needed us to all
play a part. I actually feel that this helped us to have more ownership of the piece as it
meant we were not just actors we were doing all sorts of things that made the final piece
possible. Performing to children was something completely new to me. At first I felt very
daunted and did not have a clue what to expect. However, once we had done it at Gravel
Hill, I was able to clock what I did wrong and find ways to connect more with the children
at Gateway. This paid off because our audience interaction was much better in this
show. I think we all let go and realised that we can break the forth wall with confidence.

I also learnt a lot more about what a tour demands of you as an actor. It requires you to
adapt in your performance too. You have to clock the feel of the room, how big it is, how
big your audience is and where you should address your lines. You have to make big
decisions in seconds and then trust your initiative. The tour demonstrated the physical
and vocal demands you have to step up to and the importance of keeping fit and
healthy. You have to really look after your tools and maintain a good energy throughout
so you have the stamina to keep going!
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The Secrets Out Schools Tour

Individual strengths and

weaknesses

I believe a strength of mine on this

process was playfulness. I feel I have
developed the ability to play more inside
a character and scene. Doing workshops
and trying lots of different ideas with
scenes really aids this. It meant I very
rarely felt stuck or unsure of what to just
try next. I also think a part of this was
that during the rehearsal process I was
less afraid to make mistakes and this
then enabled me to take more risks and
be adventurous in what I was going to
attempt. I managed to abandon a lot of
worry and just have fun, which really paid
off. As an actor, I excited and couldnt
wait for the next scene. I was always on
my toes wanting to make the next thing
better. This is not of course always
possible and I did have performances
when I knew it didnt go as well as it
could, however, the energy I had as the
actor really spurred me on.

A weakness on this process has been letting

a bad show or a bad day worry me. Of
course you are naturally worried if
something doesnt go to plan but I think I let
this affect me too much. Worry is strange
because you know its all going to be ok in
the end but in that moment you feel bad.
However, there is nothing you can do to go
back and change it, you have to be positive
and look ahead to what your going to do to
rectify it. As I mentioned in my strengths, I
was so excited about the character, the
piece and all the moments that this helped
me to rectify things. However, I know for
the future something I want to improve
upon is not letting a bad day throw me off
balance. I need to have more trust in myself
and the company that we will get there in
the end!

I also feel I have developed initiative as

an actor and improved my ability to be
independent. I am starting to understand
how to make a character my own and not
feel restricted by what the script gives
you. This process taught me how to be a
fun and explorative actor who isnt afraid
to take risks and try new things.

Another weaknesses is when we were

exploring different characters I would have
liked to take more risks with my voice. I
want to try and develop a broader vocal
range so that I can be more versatile. I feel
my voice is quite specific to the characters I
play and I would like to work on finding a
new voice in characters and opening up my
range. This is connected also to vocal warm
ups. These could be improved massively
and should be more consistent.

Overall Evaluation

The Secrets Out Schools Tour

Overall Evaluation

Something else I would like to focus on is using my intercostal muscles to support my

breath. I found a real connection when Claire helped me to place my voice but in the
rush of a show this was sometimes forgotten. To improve, I want to work on sustaining
this and learn how to be more consistent to produce a stronger and more powerful
sound. Another element of voice was sustaining breath because singing and dancing at
the same time got tiring and we struggled at times to get the sound out. We learnt
more about the breathing technique to cope with this and I felt it improve in the last
shows when we adopted this, however, I would like to work on this for future
processes.

Company strengths and weaknesses

A company strength on this process was also the playfulness that was brought to the
floor. I feel we really started to develop a sense of fun as a company and this was
reflected in the characters and script that was produced. As a company, I think we are
more comically inclined so it was good we were able to bring this out and work with
another to develop scenes that worked.
Also, during the run of shows and the actual tour we pulled together. We worked with
one another to set up and ensure we were well prepared. We helped each other out
back stage and there was a sense of ensemble, if something went wrong, everyone was
there. I believe this indicates the huge journey we went on from the start of the process.
Weaknesses included the lack of unity at times. This was more prominent at the start of
the process and definitely improved, (as I have stated as a strength above) but I feel it's
something that really held us back some days. The space wasnt being treated a
professional working space and personal issues were brought into the room
unnecessarily. This had an automatic affect on warm ups and meant that we were not
always prepared and energised vocally and physically for the day. This is a huge problem
because if youre not a prepared actor then this is automatically going to have an affect
on the work you do and the boundaries you can push.

There also wasn't a full week until late in in the process when the whole company were
in. This was worrying because it meant you never knew who you were going to be
working. This is not how it should work; a company needs to be a strong, reliable unit.

The Secrets Out Schools Tour

Overall Evaluation

Looking ahead as a company, we need to work together more and ensure we support
one another always. There shouldn't be a divide or decisions being made without the
whole company. We need to trust one another so much more and that we can create
good work when we all put our mind to it.

How successfully did you complete tasks that were set?

I think we completed the tasks we were set successfully and each task, workshop and
exercise we did contributed in their own way to the final product and the material we
focused in on.

During the rehearsal process, we looked a lot at Outreach drama and one of the tasks
was to create a game show on two outreach companies. Our game show was called Give
me a hand brother. I found this a fun thing to do and a really different and creative way
of researching. I believe we fulfilled this brief successfully because we took on all the
information, learnt a lot about the outreach companies and how we could apply it to
what we were about to do. I also think it was successful because we made it into a piece,
putting our own spin on it and creating fun dittys and concepts which made the piece
entertaining and full of life.

Another task we were set in the rehearsal process to do independently was to create our
own character monologue as the child of a Disney or fairytale character. I found this so
much fun and where I first met Jane Poppins! It was great to write and I enjoyed sharing
and seeing what other actors had come up with! However, not all the company was on
the floor and these characters helped to form the script and the characters that would
be appearing. It also gave Carleigh inspiration for characters that could be adapted to
form another character. Its strange to think that if we did see everyones monologues
the script could have been very different, there would have been a greater variety of
ideas in the pot. I dont think this made the final piece any less successful, but I do think
that it meant we were not as in at as a company as we should have been at that point.

One of the goals we had at the start was that the piece must entertain but also contain a
moral. I feel we completed this goal really successfully and the piece had so many hidden
messages for audiences to dwell on.

The Secrets Out Schools Tour

Overall Evaluation

If you had more time, what would you change and why?

If we had more time something I would have liked to focus on is making the
choreography more crisp and polished so that the dances came really naturally to us all
and there was an even stronger sense of ensemble. I do think the dances and
choreographed moments were highlights of the show and moments where the audience
really started to get on side which is why I feel it would have been beneficial if we had
more time to drill them. I believe the same applies to the singing because sometimes
harmonies were not right and I think the words could have been more punchy and clear.
However, despite these technical things that would have needed more time we definitely
had fun with what we were doing and played inside it as our characters, which is a key
factor that made them successful overall.

I would also have liked us to fulfill our roles with more attention to detail and
concentration; for example, I was assigned along with Harriet and Amber as Tour
manger. Although we all had a hand in the different jobs and worked together as a team,
more time would have allowed us to plan in advance and have scope to think more
about the other elements. This is not to say however we didnt get a sense because we
all had to club together and this taught us all how much work and different things there
are to think about when putting out a tour.

I also think it would have been good if we did more promotional work and our run was
extended at the Miskin. It was a shame that not all the Miskin company were able to see
the piece, therefore, more time would have allowed us to extend the run and really get a
wide audience in to see the piece.

The Secrets Out Schools Tour

Overall Evaluation

Response to the feedback we received.

We devised an online questionnaire and sent it to the primary schools and the Bracton
Centre. We wanted to find out how successfully the piece was received and some more
specific details on what they enjoyed.
The response we had from The Bracton Centre was extremely positive and it was lovely
to get such encouraging feedback. Its great to think that as a company we now have a
strong connection with that Centre and that they would be interested in us coming
again. In addition, the service users there enjoyed it a lot and this made it even more
rewarding for me, it drives me to want to do more work like this and explore other areas
of the community that are in need or would really benefit from this type of outreach
they may usually be deprived of.
It was wonderful to see so many of our services users attend the performance and get so
much out of having the opportunity to watch a theatre performance.
We also got a response from Gravel Hill Primary School. This was also really
complimentary and I think it gave us all a boost hearing what they thought was
successful. Considering this was our first performance we did of the show too it was
great that they enjoyed it so much and there was a positive vibe from the children.
We would love to have a visit from you again - it is a very motivating and inspiring
experience for our pupils.

I was also pleasantly surprised at how they rated the workshop. Of course there are
things we know could have been improved but its encouraging to think that we made a
difference and it was our first attempt. It gives me confidence for what could be
achieved in the future.
The workshops were excellent and provided great insight to our pupils.
We did a Q and A at Gateway Primary School. This was an excellent form of feedback
because it meant we were able to have that direct contact with the audience and hear
the response straight after the show when it was fresh in their minds. It was also really
good that we were able to respond to the comments and questions and develop the
ability to talk about our work and process. It was great that the teachers were so
encouraging and also wanted to inspire the children to get into drama. It really makes
everything worth it and so rewarding when you get a lovely response like that.
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When they were asked if they would like to do acting in the future there was an array of
hands, which was such a brilliant outcome!
Feedback is paramount to the success of a show and based on the feedback we received
I believe our show was a great success. It shows that it was a fun piece and audiences
were taken on a journey. I feel really proud that we inspired and provoked thought with
the story and energy we brought. It amazing to think what you can do when a company
really works together and I hope we can continue to create work we love and make a
difference.

Credited: Google Images

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The Secrets Out Schools Tour

Overall Evaluation

What have you learnt as an actor that will influence your next
process?
As an actor, I have learnt a vast amount on this process and I really believe it has been a
turning point for me. I will take away everything I have learnt and apply it to future
processes. I do particularly enjoy Christmas show style performances, so I think going into
film is going to be especially challenging; learning how to strip everything back will be a
new skill. However, I know that the confidence I have gained and the trust in the material
we create is there and will guide me.
Something that will have an influence on future processes also is this idea of play.
Although not all shows require you to be as full on, I believe that an actor has to be playful,
even in the most serious scenes you have to be able to adapt, find new things and play, not
in a literal sense but be able to play with new ideas and not get stuck. This process has
enabled me to refine this skill and its one I hope to continue developing.
I have also learnt so much more about character development and how to sustain
physicality. This will affect me in future processes because I have become more self aware
and open to analysing all the small details that give a character the traits they have and
how to focus on making sure everything is the character.
I have found the whole experience extremely rewarding. Taking Theatre out into the
community has allowed me to understand how you can make theatre out of anything and
to be an actor means so much more than first meets the eye. I loved the fact we were able
to connect with audiences in a different way and also personally feel rewarded that you
have made them smile and given them a good show.
As a company I know we are in a really strong position; we all know we can create work
thats effective and entertaining. I am really excited about the ventures ahead. This year
seems to be going so quickly already so I really want to make the most of every minute and
embrace every task as a challenge and something that I will strive to help me improve as an
actor in the future.
(Credited: Google Images)

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