Sam in his wonderful and inimitable style reviews his YTYT 2014...to great effect!
So, for this blog, I have done a little timeline of a few of
the things I have been involved with during this year at YTYT in the form of
many mini blogs. I don’t know if you’ll find all of it so interesting and I
have tried not to be self indulgent but, with things like this, there is an
awful lot to say. Anyhow, have a look at my chronological, titled and hopefully
informative little summaries of some of my most memorable Yew Tree projects!
Kendal 2014
For me, it has to be said, the highlight of 2014 was in fact Kendal 2014. Going away on a residential and staying in a, errm, funky, youth hostel to perform a play we had spent quite a few months perfecting was a great opportunity. I won’t lie, I didn’t eat so well and I had my first ever KFC but, life is all about the new experiences so I remember that box of chicken fondly. Okay, so Kendal perhaps wasn’t glamorous, but performing “The Wardrobe” was enough to change my perspectives and equipped me to try and do it all again next year with new skills, more confidence and a growing sense of anticipation.
For me, it has to be said, the highlight of 2014 was in fact Kendal 2014. Going away on a residential and staying in a, errm, funky, youth hostel to perform a play we had spent quite a few months perfecting was a great opportunity. I won’t lie, I didn’t eat so well and I had my first ever KFC but, life is all about the new experiences so I remember that box of chicken fondly. Okay, so Kendal perhaps wasn’t glamorous, but performing “The Wardrobe” was enough to change my perspectives and equipped me to try and do it all again next year with new skills, more confidence and a growing sense of anticipation.
Children’s Excursion
Usually at Sapphire, we do workshops for many weeks before we devise for the Christmas shows and then rehearse for them before the performance. However, this year was different in that we worked on a play called children’s excursion (Much to the excitement of Bobbie Meadows from her days in Green Company) about evacuation from Leeds during WWII. Within this, Sapphire took its first look into physical theatre and many of the newer members got the chance to work with bigger roles. The best thing about working on the play was seeing how people progressed and became more confident, found their voices and worked together as an ensemble. I have a feeling that all of these skills could only have helped Dick Whittington when we performed it this Christmas.
Usually at Sapphire, we do workshops for many weeks before we devise for the Christmas shows and then rehearse for them before the performance. However, this year was different in that we worked on a play called children’s excursion (Much to the excitement of Bobbie Meadows from her days in Green Company) about evacuation from Leeds during WWII. Within this, Sapphire took its first look into physical theatre and many of the newer members got the chance to work with bigger roles. The best thing about working on the play was seeing how people progressed and became more confident, found their voices and worked together as an ensemble. I have a feeling that all of these skills could only have helped Dick Whittington when we performed it this Christmas.
The Sea
I wasn’t directly involved in The Sea, not being part of Gold company and all. However, I have a terrible habit of just dropping in every now and again so I got to enjoy a few rehearsals before watching the performance. My favourite part of the performance was how amazingly they handled the sinking of the ship. The very clever sliding of the passengers over then deck of the upturned ship was rather a strong image and the screams and shouting created rather a chilling effect. The way Gold company all worked together to produce such an ensemble based piece was a testament to them and how well they work as a team. I love you gold company.
Taming of the Shrew
2014 was the year that Yew Tree Youth Theatre offered the opportunity for me to watch my first ever full length Shakespeare play. ‘Taming of the Shrew,’ was performed by black company for us at Nostell Priory, an ideal setting for the performance, especially with the excellent weather (at the start). They made it entertaining and managed to convey the ideas of the play amicably so really, I am glad Taming of The Shrew in 2014 was my first Shakespeare play because I had a ball.
The Arts Party
Okay. This had to make my list of highlights. There is simply no alternative. I, myself, am somewhat politically minded at times, especially with regards to education and a certain buffoon who was, in the darker days, let loose on the schools of the United Kingdom. Now, I don’t want to sound too ranty and thus, I shall hush about such matters. Nonetheless, it leads me nicely to “The Arts Party” at the Hepworth. For a long time this was known as “The Secret Project” which was all very mysterious. Really though, it turned out to be a piece about changes to the education system with particular attention to the way the arts are being shoved to one side. For a few rehearsals we discussed the ways this affected us, how the arts help up and why they are important and what things we wanted to change. Then, all of a sudden, we had a little political demonstration and, though it perhaps didn’t bombard social media in quite the way we hoped, it felt like a positive action. Go us.
Castle of Dreams
I haven’t really been so involved with writers until recently and this was my first project. The past year (and the year before, but shhh) has taught me it is better to get involved and try new things and, as with starting miners as little me in 2013, and then Halloween and then Connections, Writers has been my new discovery of this year. I wouldn’t call myself a proficient writer but, really, it is an awful lot of fun. I like to write and ramble (this blog being an example of such things) so spending time enjoying poetry and writing about what the walls of Sandal Castle would say if they could talk was great. The thing with writing is that, although I love to do it, without some kind of session or reason to do it, I never seem to have the time. For this reason, the opportunity not only to write, but to hear my writing as part of a play, was a delight.
Halloween At Nostell
Halloween was very different from the attics last year in that the evening performance was a play rather than an attic tour. It was a strange kind of performance in that the audience moved around to different parts of the garden to see the various sections of the play… This made staging and planning more difficult but it was, as ever, an opportunity to explore a different way of performing. Halloween is the part of the year, this and last, that seems to be the most tiring: following the two performance nights, I would happily have fallen into a deep slumber, not only to rest but to secure my happy memories into the long term storage space in my mind. I say this because Halloween seems to make people be mushy, perhaps because it is three days of sharing each other’s company but, as such, it has provided me with very fond memories.
Halloween was very different from the attics last year in that the evening performance was a play rather than an attic tour. It was a strange kind of performance in that the audience moved around to different parts of the garden to see the various sections of the play… This made staging and planning more difficult but it was, as ever, an opportunity to explore a different way of performing. Halloween is the part of the year, this and last, that seems to be the most tiring: following the two performance nights, I would happily have fallen into a deep slumber, not only to rest but to secure my happy memories into the long term storage space in my mind. I say this because Halloween seems to make people be mushy, perhaps because it is three days of sharing each other’s company but, as such, it has provided me with very fond memories.
What A Witch is also my favourite thing in the world. I find
most of it utterly hysterical which is apparently off-putting when no one else
is laughing at the bits I find funniest; sorry. This year and last year I spent
a lot of time running around to gather audiences, to mixed success, but now I
feel like interacting with the public isn’t so scary. This is the lesson and
life skill I will take away from What A Witch so, thank you 2014.
Miners Memorial
People often say this is their favourite or most meaningful project that yew tree do. In 2013, I am not sure I fully appreciated it. However, with an extra year of life on my side, I realised in 2014 how meaningful it is to many of the people who go to the service. I think the reason that Miners is many people’s favourite project is that after doing it, you have the feeling of pride in what you have achieved in memory of the miners. I know a sense of achievement is a common theme with all the things I have mentioned above but, given the subject content and being so close to people who were directly affected by mining disasters, it becomes all the more personal and rewarding.
People often say this is their favourite or most meaningful project that yew tree do. In 2013, I am not sure I fully appreciated it. However, with an extra year of life on my side, I realised in 2014 how meaningful it is to many of the people who go to the service. I think the reason that Miners is many people’s favourite project is that after doing it, you have the feeling of pride in what you have achieved in memory of the miners. I know a sense of achievement is a common theme with all the things I have mentioned above but, given the subject content and being so close to people who were directly affected by mining disasters, it becomes all the more personal and rewarding.
Christmas Shows
I have a feeling that if you are reading this, there is a strong possibility that you were there. When talking about Christmas shows with my friends and family, many of them often assume that this is the only performance we will do throughout the year and yet, it has struck me after all of this typing that there is so much more in a yew tree year than the Christmas shows. I don’t want you to take my point here the wrong way, I think a Christmas performance is the perfect way to end a year but the best thing about Yew Tree youth theatre is that this isn’t the only thing that happens and we have the joy of everything I have already talked about to enjoy too. All this was rather recent so, although I suppose I could write a lot about the shows and mention Gold’s amazing dancing or Crimson’s interpretation of a well known tale but if you scroll back a few blog posts, you can see that people already have. Scroll back even further and you can probably read about everything I have mentioned so far… This is the thing about the Christmas shows, almost everyone is involved and this shows us the scale of how Yew Tree helps young people and means there will most definitely be a blog about it!
I have a feeling that if you are reading this, there is a strong possibility that you were there. When talking about Christmas shows with my friends and family, many of them often assume that this is the only performance we will do throughout the year and yet, it has struck me after all of this typing that there is so much more in a yew tree year than the Christmas shows. I don’t want you to take my point here the wrong way, I think a Christmas performance is the perfect way to end a year but the best thing about Yew Tree youth theatre is that this isn’t the only thing that happens and we have the joy of everything I have already talked about to enjoy too. All this was rather recent so, although I suppose I could write a lot about the shows and mention Gold’s amazing dancing or Crimson’s interpretation of a well known tale but if you scroll back a few blog posts, you can see that people already have. Scroll back even further and you can probably read about everything I have mentioned so far… This is the thing about the Christmas shows, almost everyone is involved and this shows us the scale of how Yew Tree helps young people and means there will most definitely be a blog about it!
Eller’s Coffee
Writers again! For an event at Eller’s Coffee shop in Ossett, we wrote some Christmassy words (The title was “Wintery words,” but they made me feel Christmassy so please excuse my renaming) to be read out to people drinking coffee. We wrote a Christmas song and told people what we wanted for Christmas and performed a few Coffee shop monologues between the bass band and Loz Campbell who I hear has recently released an EP. For me, this was a perfect example of how writing can be enjoyed and it is what kicked of Christmas for me with all the singing and cosiness. So, bring on 2015 which I hope will be as wonderful as the end of 2014.
Writers again! For an event at Eller’s Coffee shop in Ossett, we wrote some Christmassy words (The title was “Wintery words,” but they made me feel Christmassy so please excuse my renaming) to be read out to people drinking coffee. We wrote a Christmas song and told people what we wanted for Christmas and performed a few Coffee shop monologues between the bass band and Loz Campbell who I hear has recently released an EP. For me, this was a perfect example of how writing can be enjoyed and it is what kicked of Christmas for me with all the singing and cosiness. So, bring on 2015 which I hope will be as wonderful as the end of 2014.
2014. Boom.
I know I have reached my 3rd page of text on Word and you are perhaps fed up or perhaps content with the amount of 2014 reflection you have but, if not, scroll back and have a look at old blogs. They are there and document every week this year! I am very sorry if you feel have thrust 2014 unto your New Years Day, please forgive me. I won’t feel too bad though, regardless of your opinion, as, although we must face this year afresh, there are lessons we can learn from our past that make our present and future easier and happier. I thank Yew Tree Youth Theatre for providing me with many lessons and opportunities so that I can learn and grow and be free. Happy new year!
I know I have reached my 3rd page of text on Word and you are perhaps fed up or perhaps content with the amount of 2014 reflection you have but, if not, scroll back and have a look at old blogs. They are there and document every week this year! I am very sorry if you feel have thrust 2014 unto your New Years Day, please forgive me. I won’t feel too bad though, regardless of your opinion, as, although we must face this year afresh, there are lessons we can learn from our past that make our present and future easier and happier. I thank Yew Tree Youth Theatre for providing me with many lessons and opportunities so that I can learn and grow and be free. Happy new year!
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