Our NT Experience - A study in Kindness and Generosity!

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It’s been a while since I blogged…a long while…but if the events of the last few weeks don’t merit a blog I don’t know what would…



Unless you’ve been in social media hibernation you’ll be all too aware that YTYT fulfilled a long held ambition this summer to perform our play as part of the NT Connections festival at the National Theatre. (I imagine even, “…the dogs on the street,”* were fully aware) It’s been the most amazing experience for all of us…creatively fulfilling, exciting, enriching and educational – I’ve learnt so much, the cast have learnt so much and we’ve learnt it all having the nicest time.  I will be forever grateful for every bit of it…it was absolutely worth all the paperwork and logistics and time…genuinely something I will “Never forget.”*   



On reflection although there were a myriad of things that made the experience unforgettable two of the main ones is that for the entirety of the adventure we were surrounded by kindness and generosity.  I want to use this blog to acknowledge my gratitude for that…



The cast literally dropped everything to make it happen – some missed out on their prom and important family events…all of them fitted extra rehearsals into a June that was already jam packed with stuff – some of that stuff being significant exams.



The NT Connections team were simply amazing – nothing was too much trouble.  From the moment I got the phone call I felt like I had the backing of the most kick ass amazing team…their generosity was backed up with the most insane amount of knowledge and skills – at every point we were treated with respect…never ever made to feel like second best…the Connections team, the technicians, the production crew, stage management, costume – the list goes on and on – every individual was a privilege to work with.  Quick shout out to Fiona Doyle at this point for writing a stunning play and coming to see us perform it and rewarding us with the kindest words about our interpretation of her script…have to admit to getting a little tearful at that point…



Special mention to Tom Hughes, who was, quite simply, an inspiration – he questioned, challenged, supported and taught me things I didn’t know I didn’t know about making work…since our collaboration I look at theatre differently…and what’s more he did all of this with humour and kindness despite being stretched literally and figuratively the length of the country.



Another great kindness was shown by the people that came to see it: my Mum all the way from the North East, the intrepid Faith and her Grandma, Amy and her QM crew, Sarah and Victoria, parents and supporters of the cast and a glorious band of grown up yew treers.  Those that couldn’t make it watched from home on the live stream and said lovely generous things. 



Even the general population of London were kind to us…when one of the company accidentally left her phone at the site of our picnic instead of someone making off with it they trailed round 3 hotels until they found the one we were staying in and it was waiting for us when we got back to the theatre.  The whole thing was a restoration of my faith that there are excellent humans to be found everywhere.



A final huge thank you to Laura and Gemma for holding the fort so I could take the Ceasefire Babies to realise their dreams and Colette for feeding my cat



*#ifyouknowthenyouknow

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