Lucy's review of 2021

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 I'll be honest: I can't really remember most of 2021 without looking back at pictures or videos to help spur on some form of memory. If you've been inside my head for the last couple of months, you'll know why that is but I am going to try my very hardest to go back and reminisce on another weird year of Yew Tree Youth Theatre. 

 

First thing that happened: Witches Can't Be Burned. I think as a cast we were all very skeptical of this play and how we would be able to transform it to be stage ready. After multiple online rehearsals though and the weirdest Connections Week I've ever had, we did it. I played Grace, the bullied hockey girl, and whilst the part was definitely fun to play it was also the biggest step outside of my comfort zone I've ever had to take. Grace's life and my life shared some very personal details and it was hard to almost live through something all over again after trying my hardest to forget about it. But thanks to Sarah and the rest of the amazing cast (Mia, Lily and Layla, you deserve special recognition for what you did on the performance day) I was able to go through with it and pull off an amazing performance with some of the best people. 

 

Then spring came around. At the same time as Witches was rehearsing, Black, Sapphire and Gold Company were all rehearsing their own versions of Murder Mysteries. When we started the first rehearsal, I was super nervous as Sarah decided to put us all in separate chat rooms with the people we were going to be grouped with for the performance. However, when I saw who I was put with, I was more than ecstatic. I was put with Layla, Joe, and Lauren, the three people that I was closest with at Gold. And after several sessions of writing, hilarious innuendos and jokes (sorry Joe!!), stage fighting and placing in Fern at the last second, Blood in the Rain was born and was beautiful. So glad it happened and I haven't laughed so much since. 

 

After Blood in the Rain, I made the decision to move up to Black Company. We started drafting what we wanted to do for Christmas and whether or not it would be traditional fairytale or something else. After debating about how we could somehow fit Cher in the performance and saying goodbye to some really valued friends and members of Yew Tree, Fairytale of New York was created. 

 

The story was based on the Christmas song (obviously without the un-family-friendly lyrics) and revolved around 4 friends telling about the triumphs and downfalls they've had over the festive season. With Jez's lovestory, Claire's heartbreak, Kate's New York trip, and Bobbie's family troubles, the play was honestly one of the most enjoyable I've done at Christmas with Yew Tree so far. However, when Nat became ill a week before the show, this dingbat decided to volunteer to take over the role of Bobbie ON THE LAST REHEARSAL BEFORE THE PERFORMANCE!!!!!!! I got 2 days to learn the script and somehow manged to learn everything but Bobbie's speech. But with the support of the cast behind me and Sarah almost making me cry in her opening remarks before the performance, I enjoyed playing Bobbie so much. Fairytale of New York was not a fairytale anymore. 

 

Somehow, throughout all of this however, I managed to get distinctions in two LAMDA exams, start volunteering with Orange (now Yellow) Company, perform in a Miners Memorial Service, and start rehearsing in the role of Danielle in Hunt as part of my fourth, and potentially last, Connections. This year wouldn't have been the same though without all my brilliant Yew Tree family and, of course, Sarah. Sarah has been there for me more than ever before this past year and I'm forever grateful for all the advice you have given me. This is Lucy Gallivan, a 17-year-old wannabe actress, saying goodbye to the weirdest 2021 ever and welcoming in 2022, potentially my final year at Yew Tree, with open arms.

 

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