Graft, craft and generosity of spirit...

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It’s been another busy week…I started it at a Primary School where we made a play in two days inspired by the Paralympics.  Once of the things that struck me about the process of creating this was how difficult the children found it to get on with each other at times…they seemed to be looking for the chance to have a go at someone else, put them down or find fault…and frustratingly they couldn’t see that this was getting in the way of them having a nice time and equally making the piece of theatre the best it can be…they were so locked in patterns and behaviours even at this young age and refused to see things from any other perspective.  It wasn’t until this action resulted in things going momentarily horribly wrong for one of the children that she was able to see the part she had played in her own misfortune…

In professional theatre it doesn’t matter if you get on with someone or not, you have to cooperate in order to fulfill the artistic duties you have been paid to carry out.  The play, the work, is the most important thing and everything else pales into insignificance…each individual is subject to the joint endeavour  Obviously it’s harder to execute this that write it but still taking out personal feelings and relationships gets it done…allows creativity and progression to flourish.  I write this fully in the knowledge that where there is a spark between actors something magical happens on stage that turns the work into something truly engaging and inspirational.  However when this happens it is something to be cherished and in it’s absence it’s up to the actor to do their best with craft, graft and generosity to make things as good as they can be…

This idea of how emotions and relationships colour the making of theatre is an interesting aspect of the Youth Theatre.  From the start the values of Yew Tree are made clear…it’s about seeing the best in people, looking for the positives.  It’s about support and nurture and understanding both from the directors and from the other members of the company…kind words and encouragement can make a huge difference to someone’s confidence and indeed their general outlook on the world.  It’s also about standards about making the productions we embark on the best that they can be and about stretching ourselves as individuals to become better than we were the day before. 

I am delighted at the amount of people within Yew Tree who continually look at the world around them and see what they are bringing to it.  That it is filled with people who will reflect on their input to rehearsals, projects, performances and the day to day aspects of the youth theatre to see how they can make it better for both themselves and others.  I am continually delighted by the evidence of this that I see on a day to day basis…however it’s something I don’t get complacent about.   And so this is my challenge to you in the coming week…think about your contribution to the youth theatre and where, in terms of craft, graft and generosity of spirit, you can offer more…be prepared to be self aware enough to acknowledge what you bring to a situation and if necessary take a shift in perspective to make your contribution as truly positive and constructive as it can be.  Only by accepting this joint responsibility can we ensure that YTYT remains a place that welcomes, supports and develops all who choose to be part of it. 

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