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Our first connections blog is from Sam - our unofficial but vital head of set/props and organiser of transport - she's also Emma's (who played Peter) Mum  

Emma has been counting down the years until she was old enough to take part in NT connections for a long time! In 2016 she took part in her first miners’ memorial performance with YTYT, she was hooked from that day forward. She jumped at every opportunity to work with the older students. She would hear them talking excitedly about their connections rehearsals and how they were looking forward to connections week. Although she was a little too young to watch or even understand their performances due to the content, she knew and felt the buzz of enjoyment that emanated from those who took part. This just made her want it even more. Fast forward a few years and a few more miners’ memorial performances and her saying “I can’t wait until I’m old enough to do connections!” And her time arrived! She was old enough to take part in NT connections 2022. I was a little concerned that it might not be what she was expecting, that she might have made it into something it’s not whilst waiting all these years to join and that it maybe not as exciting as she thought. I was wrong! I should never have worried! The last 5 months have been filled with statements such as.. I can’t wait for Saturday. I’m really enjoying connections. I’m so glad I was able to join connections this year. There were more but I’d be here all day. Her words to me this morning…I can’t wait to find out what next years play is! 

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It’s been a fun journey for me too, sourcing props and making papier-mâché statues. When I started making the statues I was a bit like... what the heck have I got myself into! Whilst I admit to being quite creative, model making has never really been my thing. I made it and laughed so much through the process, how odd looking it was, how it didn’t look like any garden statue that I’d ever seen before but hey it was prop on a stage it didn’t need to be perfect! What I didn’t know was the full story of the play, I’d purposely not read it in full and Emma had been quite secretive about it so as not to spoil it. When I came to watch it for the first time I laughed even harder at my attempt of the statue along with the rest of the audience when I learned of the line said just before showing it to the audience! It was then I realised it wasn’t just okay it was perfect and I should have more self belief. It really did look f****** weird! Thank you to each and every one of you who has made Emma’s first NT connections experience so amazing.

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