Amani's 2025 Year in Review Blog

This year at Yew Tree has been a WHIRLWIND. I performed in more shows than I usually do, worked with people who are now some of my closest friends, and learnt so much about both myself and other people. I think I’ve really found myself a lot more this year - 2025 has been so full of change, sudden endings, and new-beginnings that I can’t even begin to describe how different I feel now compared to the start of this year. However, despite it all, YTYT has always been there for me as one of the few unchanging factors of my current life.

If you’ve ever thought about taking part in NT Connections and then doubted yourself, let me tell you that it was literally the highlight of my year. “Mia and the Fish” was genuinely the most amazing show I’ve ever worked on. It lasted from November 2024 until April 2025. I got cast as “Talia” who was such a fun character to play, and I really loved exploring and building character relationships during rehearsals. The process building up to the performances was in-depth and enlightening. I particularly loved learning about flocking during the physical-theatre boat scene!! This cast consisted of some of my favourite people and it was epic to be given the opportunity to work with them across a longer period of time, especially on a show that meant so much to me. A few days before the final performance, we all took a trip down to Bridlington beach where we partook in some NODA workshops, rehearsed for our play, and played That’s Out on the beach (if you know, you know). Throughout the course of the show, we performed four times locally at The Cluntergate Centre, once at Crofton High-School, and once at CAST theatre in Doncaster - the latter being by far my favourite. Putting it all onto the big stage was immensely fun and to be given the opportunity to show a piece that we’d put so much heart into to a larger audience was wonderful. I was very sad when the final show was over :( I also ran front-of-house at the local shows alongside some of the cast members I was close friends with - which, by the way, makes me feel REALLY old because as a kid I’d see the older ones running front-of-house…and now I’m one of the older ones. Weird. Nevertheless, I’m so grateful to have been a part of the MATF cast, and I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.

In March, I took my Grade 7 Silver Award LAMDA exam, in which I got a Merit. I performed as Lady Macbeth from Macbeth, Jimmy from Look Back in Anger, and Rosaline from After Juliet. The latter was a script I’d wanted to perform when choosing pieces for my Grade 6, but hadn’t chosen back then. Lady Macbeth is probably one of my favourite Shakespeare characters, if not my favourite; I’ve performed as her for LAMDA twice now (I didn’t dare try for a third time…Sarah might’ve just killed me LOL) and thoroughly enjoyed it both times. Jimmy was the piece I learnt last…and I don’t quite know why because it ended up being my favourite. I’ve got to admit that I was a little disappointed in myself after the results came out, however I did completely mess up my knowledge section so it was fair. Lesson learnt - work on the knowledge section sooner…something I will be doing for my Grade 8 Gold Award in 2026!

At the end of May, I was a part of ‘The Revenge of Eris’ alongside the cast of Gold Company at the time. This was a play largely based on the Trojan War and, due to duels and battles being an unavoidable part of the plot, this meant we got to work on stage combat. Tom visited us for a session and we all got to learn about how to (safely) “punch” and “push” people, as well as creating combinations for sword fights. I got to do lots of partnerwork with my friend Dylan which was really fun. Also, I got cast as “Cassandra” which meant I could work alongside Dylan who was cast as my on-stage brother, Polydorus. This show was really fun to work on as it was quite different to anything I’d done with YTYT before, mainly due to the constant on-stage battles. We also performed this at The Cluntergate Centre as a part of YTYT’s 30th year summer showcase, where I ran front-of-house again with a close friend at the time which was quite fun.

In September, I went with many members of YTYT from across the different companies to go and see Showstopper: An Improvised Musical at Wakefield Theatre Royal. I’d gone with them on a previous trip there in 2023 and absolutely loved it and, as it is all improvised so it’s different every time, I thought why not go again?! I genuinely can’t even begin to even try and explain the utter absurdity of this show. It was an amazing watch which brought out lots of laughs from all of us, and I got to visit alongside some of my closest friends at the time which was thoroughly enjoyable.

At the end of this year, I took part in “When Robins Appear…(Loved Ones Are Near)” which was a play about living through grief during the festive season. This was a really interesting take on the Christmas period and it was different to be in a slightly more serious show this year. However I loved every minute of it! Despite some last minute casting changes and complicated rehearsals, it was overall pretty fun to be a part of. Being cast as “Freya” meant I got to work more closely with my on-stage siblings Fred, Ash, and Jess which was epic. It was really fun to play around with my royal character, as I’ve always enjoyed performing as different types of characters.

Before I end this exceedingly long piece of writing, I do have to give out a few thank yous.

Obviously thanks to all the friends I’ve made along the way. Over the last decade or so, Yew Tree has sort of become one big family to me. I’ve met, lost, and gained some of my closest friends through YTYT - some honorable mentions being Dylan, Ash, Jess, Yen, Emmie, Lottie, and Robin. I’m at that age now where people are taking part in their final shows, and it does kill me a little bit whenever I know I’m in my final show alongside a particular friend. It also kills me that I only have maybe 3 shows left with Yew Tree…it feels a bit wrong. :(

Thanks to anyone who’s worked as a volunteer and/or tech crew, the shows don’t come together without you. Particularly to Ash H who I’ve spoken to a lot more this year after working with him throughout every single show I was in throughout 2025; fanks for giving me the opportunities to get more involved with techy, politicy, and edity things this year :)

And most of all, thanks to Sarah for helping make the Yew Tree family what it is today. For being an amazing director (even when we’re being our most annoying selves). For being there for any of us if ever we need it.

This year’s been full of ups and downs, but overall, being a part of the YTYT family has, as always, been a pleasure and a privilege.

I can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2026!!