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We've had a lovely weekend here at YTYT - Gordon - one of our visitors gives an insight into why...

Last August a group of 20 amateur theatre enthusiasts from all around the country gathered in Coventry as part of the NODA (National Operatic and Dramatic Association) Summer School ‘Directing Drama’ course run by Sarah Osborne.

During this course the embryo of an idea was conceived to have a ‘mini-summer-school’ reunion up in the Wakefield area in January 2017  - 5 months later 8 intrepid people from Bedfordshire, Cornwall, Hertfordshire, Kent, Cumbria and County Durham descended on the (somewhat chilly) city of Wakefield to experience a series of workshops over this weekend. All with one purpose in mind – to immerse ourselves in workshopping and improvisation – Yew Tree Theatre style.
Friday evening these 8 theatre aficionado’s arrived at the West Yorkshire Dance studio to observe the Gold company rehearsal in action. I personally imagined what it must be like for a tight knit group of talented young performers to see their rehearsal space ‘invaded’ by a group of strangers. They could so easily have become very introvert at such an invasion of their personal space. Nothing was further from the truth as none were fazed as they, with openness, accepted our group as welcome visitors.
The Saturday saw us reconvene at the Hepworth studio for a workshop on improvisation – again several of the youngsters from the previous evening such as Tom, Jacob, Ellie, Beth and Lucy joined us, accepted us as equals and before long we shared the common language of theatre. A Saturday evening rehearsal back at the dance studio and our group were seeing, now familiar, faces once again with a mutual respect during their workshop rehearsing of ‘Three’ (a piece I would pay good money to watch when performed).
Sometimes youngsters get bad press – well that press should have seen what 8 would be directors from across the country saw – commitment, talent and self discipline. Whilst credit must be attributed to the calm un-flappable force that is ‘Sarah’ the companies of Yew tree should give themselves a massive pat on the back for their un-swerving effort and aptitude.
On Sunday afternoon the eight visitors made their ways back to their respective corners of the country after a 5 hours workshopping of different directorial techniques but will leave behind a re-born respect for all the skills shown by Yew Tree and their generosity of spirit. Hence a personal thank you from myself and my fellow travellers to all at YT for allowing us to share for a brief moment the abundance of talent in this small corner of Yorkshire that is Yew Tree.

Gordon Richardson

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