So a virus has brought a standstill to the arts, a tiny virus that can be rather lethal. This standstill prevented us from going up for our premiere, for all of our scheduled shows. While this puts us into line with Shakespeare and his fellow actors when their shows in the seventeenth century were halted due to an outbreak of the plague, it is undoubtedly an experience that we would gladly have passed on. It creates a vacuum, because cripples the actor; it silences the actor.
It is also ironic that we should be halted in our production with a play such as Romeo & Juliet. The text offers a dramatic rendition of our current situation, does it not?
But the show is only one side of the production. While of course it matters that artists are made visible through being on stage and engaging with an audience, for the artists the journey towards the show is equally important and mind-opening. Engaging with their roles and positions within the team, engaging with the text and bringing it to live, bit by bit, the artists offer so much of themselves to the production — and most importantly, offer so much support and friendship to their fellow artists that one could almost say, the performance ends up as a commodity.
Directors views:
Anna-Maria: What I like about theatre is that it gives you the opportunity to explore your creativity and develop as a person. it’s amazing for building up self-confidence and really learning to trust yourself. another amazing thing about theatre is meeting a group of new, motivated and so supportive people who you can share all the priceless memories along the way with. in addition , theatre is so much fun and I really enjoy acting , as you can learn a lot by portraying a character. Theatre is also great for learning valuable life skills which are sure to be helpful in many different aspects of your life. for example, teamwork , discipline , achieving your goals and so much more ! furthermore, theatre leads to countless opportunities which you can explore in both artistic as well as creative aspects. one example of such an opportunity for me is helping direct this year’s production of Romeo and Juliet. through his I have had the opportunity to be creative and present my ideas on the stage as well as gain valuable leadership skills and learn how to motivate the team and guide them through all the rehearsals to that they can deliver to the best of their ability and present a show that we all can be proud of. as for one thing that theatre has thought me , that would be self-confidence and to believe in myself. and from starting off as one of the princes in Richard iii , to playing the iconic role of lady Macbeth , all the way to directing Romeo and Juliet , I would say that theatre has shown me that if you work hard and set your mind on a goal , you can achieve anything!
Conny: Ever since I started teaching at the ESM, I had a theatre group to keep me busy in the afternoons and weekends. I remember the very first time that I intended to put on a Shakespeare production, it was Midsummer Night’s Dream. I was anxious and wondered what it would take to persuade a group of teenagers to put on a Shakespeare play. How silly of me to think they needed to be persuaded!!! And so it all begun, the ESM Players were born, and have been going strong ever since. And will continue, doubt not…
Actors’ views:
Laura: Every theatre performance has something magical to it. It can make the audience laugh, cry, angry and makes them sit at the edge of their seats. It is astonishing to see a story coming to life and enchanting the spectators. The fear of the unknown is always present. For example, the fear of standing on a stage for the first time. Theatre taught me to try things out first, before throwing the towel and saying, “I can’t do it”.
Anna-Lena: Theatre is like a room where I can try everything, I can be mean, nice, cute, funny, stupid etc. It is a place you can be who you’re not and at the same time who you truly are. Theatre isn’t all about being on stage, reciting your lines and moving to it, it is about working in a team, having fun and meeting new people.
Arian: What I like about theatre is getting to know new people and expressing your acting skills, this has taught me how to speak up and being confident about yourself.
Anna: I have been doing theatre for as long as I can remember. The first performance I ever did was when I was 1 month old. I was admittedly only playing baby Jesus. It has taught me a lot of things but to me the most important is theatre taught me how to speak up.
Malou: One thing I like about theatre is the way you can stand in the spotlight. You are one stage and there isn’t a better feeling or another place you would like to be . I’ve done theatre all my life and I haven’t gotten bored of it once. Theatre has taught me to express myself better. I’ve always made great friends in theatre. The Team is always very nice, and I gained very good friends that are as crazy as myself.
Joao: Theatre is fun. Besides, if People think I’m a weird, I can just call it ‘method acting’. And, hey, staying late in School can apparently be fun sometimes!
Clarisse: The thing I love about theatre is the satisfaction when we perform. I love the feeling of being on stage, of people praising you, the mingled sense of excitement and nervousness that you feel just before the play starts ( and also during the play ¯_ʘ‿ʘ_/¯) Theatre has mostly taught me how to be less shy. I used to be extremely shy, and now, thanks to all the other actors, and Conny, I have learnt to speak up and be proud of it.
Jolanta: Theatre and acting within makes me forget about my own problems and it let me live in someone else’s shoes for a moment. Theatre brings books, especially dramas come to life, so people can see and enjoy it. It also creates a little family within the cast. What I really like about theatre, is that it lets me create memories and happy times for myself, to remember for the future, when I’m going to be 20, 40, 60 and maybe even 80. I want to be able to look back and think about those happy times without having any regrets.
Theatre and acting within makes me forget about my own problems and it let me live in someone else’s shoes for a moment. Theatre brings books, especially dramas come to life, so people can see and enjoy it. It also creates a little family within the cast. What I really like about theatre, is that it lets me create memories and happy times for myself, to remember for the future, when I’m going to be 20, 40, 60 and maybe even 80. I want to be able to look back and think about those happy times without having any regrets. I haven’t been acting for a long time and I haven’t performed a play in front of many people, but it has for sure taught me one thing. I should hold my head high, be confident and be who I really am, because putting out an act belongs into a play and not real life. I want to show people who I really am, instead of pretending to be someone else, and if anyone doesn’t like the real me then I just shouldn’t care, no I just won’t care.
Lea: What I like about theatre is that I have found a safe place to talk and to have fun without anybody judging, it’s a family. The attitude, the fun we have in theatre is the best part of my week!!! Theatre has taught me to be myself around other and if they don’t like it, eff ’em.
Michaela: Theatre has taught me to be self-confident about myself and to not give up. What I especially like is that I can be whoever I want to be and every character I can only imagine, but at the end I am still me.
Lise: There’s an atmosphere during rehearsals you can’t really find anywhere else. I like how the whole cast interacts with each other and it’s fun to watch as scenes come together. I learned that there is more to a play than learning lines and reciting them. I was more aware of the overall process than last year and I realise how much work and effort goes into a play before it gets to be performed. I had a lot of fun this year!
Clementine: I like that I can be myself in the craziest way possible. Theatre has taught me that I can do everything I want if I have the imagination necessary.
Sophie: What I love about theatre, is that I can be someone else for a little 1h or 2 and that’s fun. Theatre has taught me how to free my emotions and it me that it’s not because you have smaller role that you’re not as important to the play.
Malena: I love theatre, because it is a safe place where I can express all my feelings. I also enjoy spending time with the group, there’s always something to laugh about and overall, we are having a great time. heatre has taught me how much work you put into something your passionate about. But at the end you can see how all those rehearsals have paid off and created an amazing play!
Sophie: What I love about theatre, is that I can be someone else for a little 1h or 2 and that’s fun. Theatre has taught me how to free my emotions and it me that it’s not because you have smaller role that you’re not as important to the play.
What more can we say? As a director it breaks my heart that we can’t go up and bring our production to you. As a teacher, reading up on what the team has to say tells me that I’m doing the right thing when we spend afternoons and weekends at school. As a friend I feel privileged to see how Shakespeare, how theatre, the arts bring people together and allow them grow and find friends for life. Theatre matters.
What can be done? The ESM PLAYERS aim to go online with a reading of their production. At least we’d like to bring Shakespeare to you, to your home. We’d like to bring our version of Romeo & Juliet to you. If the audience cannot come to the playhouse, the playhouse will come to them. Stay tune, we will update you on the when and how we will meet again.
So, a final word. Let’s stay safe, let’s stay indoors. Lest it will befall on us what hath befallen Londoners back then.
Fearful Summer (1636)
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