Having completed my panto contract I now believe that what they say is true - you never really learn about the industry until you start working! I have learnt a lot from this contract, which no amount of training could have ever prepared me for and which I will take with me into further work.
My favourite experience of my time in 'Pantoland' was the relaxed performance that we presented. This performance was designed to welcome individuals of any age who have Autism, Asperger's Syndrome or learning difficulties, as these people would benefit from a more relaxed performance, meaning that the music is quieter, the house lights are left on and it is a generally all round less daunting environment and experience. This performance was incredibly rewarding as we were told by their parents that these children and young adults would not have been able to attend a performance otherwise and to see their reactions and receive their appreciation was amazing. We did a meet & greet (in costume as our characters) for some of the younger children after the performance to be told that it was the "best show they had ever seen". This made the long hours of rehearsals, early mornings and late nights all seem worthwhile.
I feel like I have grown so much as a performer over the last few weeks. I have never been cast as the comedy lead before (and a boy at that!) and this allowed me to discover another set of skills that I never knew I had. My confidence has improved both a performer and as an individual and I have made friends and contacts within the industry who I will definitely keep in touch with.
This experience allowed me to put the first pieces of my learning from the BAPP course into practise and it was interesting to hear the view of other professional actors (who are not studying on the BAPP course) about some of the topics we have covered in the first module. I have already improved my networking skills since working at Panto, as a friend in the cast suggested I contact a theatre company that she has worked for previously, and this has allowed me to make a further contact in the industry. Performing to large groups of children also gave me a lot to think about in regards to my upcoming inquiry and modules as I am really interested in exploring the teaching of drama in schools and how this affects children from a young age. For a lot of children this was the first time they had ever been to the theatre or seen a show and this could have a massive impact on their life. I remember being taken to the theatre as a child and I knew from a very young age that performing was the career path I wanted to take. I will definitely explore this further in the upcoming modules and tasks.
