What's happening at YTYT

 Betty Miller Blog This project has been truly enriching and I feel honoured to be able to represent such a rich history through a performance like this. From the start when I first viewed Betty Miller’s statues, I felt inspired, and in wonder. There were intricacies in each individual piece giving them such life, some of my very favourites being Dove Hill and Ambulance Man due to their ability to take something seen everyday, like a street of houses or a paramedic, and almost transporting me to a bygone era where you realise, they were people like us, with their own lives and their own struggles.  Then we begun the crafting of the piece. From the beginning, me and actors were given almost full control over the process, where we were told to think of some themes which reverberate throughout the piece (such as class divide and oppression) and create some of the opening movement based upon these. With each actor working brilliantly in unison, the creative process became fun and ...

I took part in my first miners memorial service when I was around 10 years old and in every year that I have done since the experience has been just as rewarding as it was on the first day. Starting at a young age, I was very grateful to have the guidance of older and more experienced members of the company, who gave me a good example to follow and learn from. Moving forward I was not only thankful for the experience that the miners memorial service gave me in terms of being an actor but also the knowledge of stories it gave me both of triumph and sorrow from mining communities across Yorkshire. As mining was such an integral part of the area I have been lucky enough to grow up in, I felt it was my responsibility to make sure that the sacrifices which miners made for us to have the lives we do today were not forgotten or erased, despite the fact that the industry has been given such insensitive treatment over the years.   That is what makes the miners memorial services so inte...

 13 year old me walked into the Cluntergate Centre 5 years ago absolutely terrified of starting something completely alien where I knew no one and didn't know what to expect. I'd picked drama as one of my gcse options and thought I should try give it ago outside of school to give myself a bit more experience. However, I hated trying new things, and going in blind was incredibly daunting. I went in, sat down, and proceeded to stare at the floor whilst everyone did their best and worsts, determined not to make eye contact with anyone because I was so scared. But then as we went round the circle I realised with utter (and probably more intense than was necessary) joy that I actually knew two of the people that were there from school. This was good for two reasons; one, it meant I didn't have to start any friendships completely from scratch, which was a big win for me back then, and two, it made me feel less scared that I was trying something new because Penny had only just joi...

First review is from Amani A little review since I got to watch an older-ensemble-company’s play for once as I’m usually in them ahahaha: Tonight’s show was INSANELY GOOD. I really liked the use of the push-pull method at the start of the play, and the flocking around characters (such as Gee) really personified and embodied the animals themselves. The masks were intricate and really quite fascinating to look at during the ensemble sequences, and they definitely added to the actors’ performances. The boxes were also perfect for this performance. The classroom environment flowed nicely which demonstrates the clear depth of the thought that had been put into each character. Two of the actors that stood out to me were Amelia as her performance as Gee about halfway through the play genuinely made me want to run onto the stage and hug her, and Ben as his performance as Zane showcased such a wide range of emotions. Everyone’s performances made me forget that I know them in real life as they e...