When I opened The MTA back in 2009 there was no name for the kind of pastoral policy that we were going to implement. However having worked in vocational training for over 20 years I knew that drama college seemed to involve an awful lot of crying. I hadn't met a singing teacher who couldn't relate to a 'crying student' anecdote. I knew that I couldn't open a college without a counsellor (having spent the previous few years working in colleges which failed to provide this service).
By way of a fluke actually, the person that I asked to take on the role happened to be a mental health nurse specialist, who was also (by virtue of her day job) an extremely successful life coach. I realised early on that by making the counsellor a key person in the faculty, as opposed to an 'add-on', students would be more likely to engage in using her. I also felt it important that they could self-refer, as opposed to going through a system - thereby making a counselling service an easy thing to connect to. It was imperative that the service was confidential, which again is impossible if students aren't able to self-refer.
What took me by surprise over the first few years though, was quite how many students who were visiting the counsellor for 'life coaching', seemed to come away with a mental health diagnosis. In truth I felt that our counsellor must have been being over cautious, however, it quickly became apparent that this wasn't the case, when time after time the local GP's agreed with her diagnosis, and students were quickly given a 'care plan', be that medication or talking therapies. Of course some of the talking therapy we were able to offer without long waiting lists, and as for the medication, our counsellor was able to give advice on the treatments, and indeed started to liaise with many of our local GP services in order to ensure that the students were on the best treatments straight away. It's easy to forget quite how little GP's know about Mental Health. We sort of think of them as 'all knowing', however, in reality, they probably spent just 6 months looking at Mental Illnesses during their training. So having an expert on the faculty enabled us to take various shortcuts, and more importantly enabled the students to get expert advice.
Initially, I felt that The MTA must have been incredibly unlucky to have quite so many students that were suffering from Mental Illnesses. I mean we're a tiny college (max of 44 students at any one time), whilst acknowledging that the students that we had were extremely lucky to have had a life-changing diagnosis. Maladaptive coping mechanisms that were enabling them to have a productive life were suddenly being replaced with good health and the difference in every one of them was truly staggering.
However, such was the volume of previously undiagnosed illness I started to do some research and came across a survey from New Zealand. Rocked by an industry suicide they had undertaken a survey of the industry (backstage and onstage), and they had discovered that 1 in 3 of 'their industry' had an experience of personal mental illness as opposed to the recognised norm of 1 in 4.
That epiphany of it was an 'industry thing' was startling. Suddenly everything fell into place, we weren't the exception we were actually the norm. The big difference being that we had accidentally placed ourselves in a position to help people as opposed to simply brushing off symptoms. From that moment on it became a campaign to wake everybody else up - especially as more and more countries seemed to be making the link between our industry and mental health.
I've already blogged and vlogged about #time4change and the Mental Health Charter - but basically I felt like we needed to ring a really loud bell to tell other colleges (and indeed our industry as a whole) that something big was happening, and we all needed to respond to it. In fact #time4change was the result of shouting about this for a number of years and everybody either ignoring me or telling me to shut up.
Going back to The MTA we just kept going - only now I truly understood that the work that we were doing was vital and potentially life-changing.
We've always had 2 members of staff on call 24/7, 365 days a year, as we're aware that difficulties don't tend to be limited to the 8:30-5 college day. So our students, staff & graduates always have a mental health professional available to them.
So we have never changed what we've done, it's just in 2017 the government found a name for it - the 'whole school approach'.
We don't start working with our students until we know and understand them a bit. Take the premise of drama college - you go into classes with people asking you to be vulnerable BUT usually, those colleges/staff don't know a student's background - being vulnerable tends to open up a whole can of worms. So we try to find out if they're OK with being vulnerable first.
There's a misconception that this kind of approach is too 'kind', that we're creating a 'mollycoddled' cohort of students. Well, you couldn't be more wrong. We have 0% unauthorised absence, we have 0% unauthorised lateness. For 99% of the year, we operate with 100% attendance (contagious sickness bugs are the only reason for approved absences). Students who are in the depth of a deep depression still come to college. . . because it's proven that getting up and at least attempting to do something will aid their recovery. I would argue that we are building a true and honest resilience into each and every one of our students.
I've always held a belief that a large percentage of people go into our industry to escape, since opening The MTA I've added to that belief insomuch as I now believe that some people go into the industry to escape their own minds. I don't believe that the industry makes you ill, I believe that you were susceptible to illness (be that circumstances or genetic loading), and the industry with all of its 'be vulnerable to be great' teachings, have meant that those susceptibilities have been realised. Maybe if people had 'escaped' to a 9-5 office job those ticking time bombs would never have gone off? Who knows?
All of these discoveries were an accident, all created because the only counsellor that I could afford when I started was a certain Angie Peake. . . my wife! It's the most fortunate of accidents - and one that has transformed so many lives and continues to do so on a daily basis.
So there you have it - a whole school approach to mental health.
Showing posts with label Angie Peake. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Angie Peake. Show all posts
Saturday, 27 October 2018
Sunday, 1 January 2017
Working Together
When you write a semi regular blog you almost feel obliged to write a New Year feature.
I've been very torn about what to write, as in 2016 the world appeared to go crazy, in a year that I was instrumental in a campaign which was attempting to empower people to stop going crazy.
The #time4change initiative came out of a blog that I wrote in 2014 http://www.thereviewshub.com/blog-annemarie-lewis-thomas-support-each-other-in-2015/
10 months later and nothing had changed: http://www.thereviewshub.com/opinion-annemarie-lewis-thomas-taming-the-black-dog/ except that I was finding myself more and more on the periphery of our industry. All of my own doing I should add - nobody likes being called out, least of all me. However Equity, Spotlight, BAPAM, Drama UK. . . the list goes on, were seemingly doing nothing to address the mental health epidemic in our industry. Now in fairness to all these organisations they might have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to make changes, but when lives are at stake I don't think that you wait 20 months to reveal your grand plan (which in the end is what happened).
In March, The MTA hosted a Mental Health Conference, and the indifference that I encountered was staggering. At the conference Equity reassured us that things WERE being planned, and we just had to be patient. Sadly that is not my best feature. I'm not a sitter. Be patient as people became patients? I don't think so. I had this plan, which in itself was madness. I tried to 'sell' the idea to someone involved in one of the aforementioned organisations. I wanted the organisation's backing, as I knew that if they got behind it we could roll it out in a week! The vitriol that followed has spurred me on throughout 2016. Yes, I'm antagonistic. Yes, I'm persistent. Yes, I tend to think in bigger pictures. Yes, I'm Welsh and my mother's daughter, and if you think that shooting down my idea with a load of personal insults will stop me, then you have no idea about Welsh heritage at all, especially Welsh women! You say no - we say, "I'll bloody show you"!
Angie Peake donated her time, the #time4change Mental Health charter was written, and off I tweeted. I tweeted constantly for months. I emailed colleagues that I had once said hello to at various shows, conferences etc. . . any link to get me through the door to colleges, theatres, production companies and agencies. I made sure that I had a few big hitters on board before announcing the charter, as I knew that by their very presence some would naturally follow. Fast forward 6 months and 115 organisations have signed the Charter.
I never had a desire to run a mental health campaign, I just found myself compelled to DO something. Empirical evidence was growing which supported my long standing personal belief (as documented here) and yet nobody was 'acting' on it (ironic for our industry don't you think?).
That said, I also never had a desire to open a drama college - and look where that got me?
The campaign has exasperated me - I just don't understand why people won't join. Why can't they make a commitment to send out an email? Why are people reluctant to see that there's an issue here that we're not addressing? The bullshit that I've heard this year; Smaller colleges who could enforce the charter in a heartbeat, claiming that they have no money to implement it? Strange that - as the most that it would cost them would be for a mental health consultant to train their staff, and to speak to their students. So the cost of a consultant for a day? If your margins are that tight maybe you should rethink your business plan! Production companies and agencies that will 'think about it'? What is there to think about? I'm asking you so send out a PDF. That's it? Other than BAPAM none of the major organisations mentioned in the 2nd paragraph have entertained endorsing or joining the initiative. Hurrah for BAPAM I say who, as we all know, put health (mental or physical) first. Were Spotlight or Equity to join us - we could flood the industry in one go. How disappointing that both organisations have been too busy to discuss the possibility with us. As for Drama UK. . . well I had always said that they were a waste of space. Their demise in 2016 will, I believe, spur our sector on to be world class, in both our training AND our pastoral care.
However the campaign has also exhilarated me. It's enabled me to meet like minded people. People that like me, don't give up at the first hurdle. People like Pat O'Toole from Rose Bruford, who was not only 'in' from the get go, but was out to get everybody else to sign up too. Mountview and Arts Ed - surely 2 of the most established drama colleges in the UK signed up to the charter. Honest and frank discussions with Stephen from Mountview and Chris from Arts Ed, email chats with Nick from PPA, have all restored my faith in the industry. All four are people that want to make a difference. There is no competition just differences that make us all unique BUT with a unified fight against mental health that will make us all stronger. I can't wait to work closer with all the colleges that have signed up, as we all begin to learn from each other and to give each other support as we work our way through the maze of mental health issues that we are confronted with on a daily basis. The journalist Susan Elkin who has consistently backed the initiative, writing several blogs/features on it when others didn't want to know. Mark Shenton for kindly giving the campaign 'a soft launch' in one of his blogs. Just people restoring my faith in humanity actually, in a world that was appearing to stop caring about anything other than 'self'.
The campaign is ongoing - but given that I have a college to run, shows to write, and a young family to spend time with, it will now run in the background, ready to be sent out to anybody that's interested. The colleges have all agreed to meet early this year (2017) to work out how our peer supervision is going to work.
A couple of weeks ago I was humbled to learn that The MTA has been short listed for The Stage School of the Year Award, an award that we'd already won once, back in 2012. How brilliant that the citation acknowledged #time4change as something important.
I won't name the person that insulted and patronised me way back at the start of the year, as their name isn't important. However I would like to thank them - as they know who they are. If they hadn't been so bloody rude to me I probably wouldn't have been so dogmatic about making this thing work. I'd like to think that they knew that all the time. A paradoxical intervention if you like.
Here's hoping that #time4change continues to grow in 2017. I'm looking forward to meeting with BAPAM to ensure that we keep joining up the dots - as we are only ever stronger together, and whilst that slogan didn't work for Brexit, I still believe that it works in theatre, which after all, has always been about collaboration, and working together.
Happy New Year
I've been very torn about what to write, as in 2016 the world appeared to go crazy, in a year that I was instrumental in a campaign which was attempting to empower people to stop going crazy.
The #time4change initiative came out of a blog that I wrote in 2014 http://www.thereviewshub.com/blog-annemarie-lewis-thomas-support-each-other-in-2015/
10 months later and nothing had changed: http://www.thereviewshub.com/opinion-annemarie-lewis-thomas-taming-the-black-dog/ except that I was finding myself more and more on the periphery of our industry. All of my own doing I should add - nobody likes being called out, least of all me. However Equity, Spotlight, BAPAM, Drama UK. . . the list goes on, were seemingly doing nothing to address the mental health epidemic in our industry. Now in fairness to all these organisations they might have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to make changes, but when lives are at stake I don't think that you wait 20 months to reveal your grand plan (which in the end is what happened).
In March, The MTA hosted a Mental Health Conference, and the indifference that I encountered was staggering. At the conference Equity reassured us that things WERE being planned, and we just had to be patient. Sadly that is not my best feature. I'm not a sitter. Be patient as people became patients? I don't think so. I had this plan, which in itself was madness. I tried to 'sell' the idea to someone involved in one of the aforementioned organisations. I wanted the organisation's backing, as I knew that if they got behind it we could roll it out in a week! The vitriol that followed has spurred me on throughout 2016. Yes, I'm antagonistic. Yes, I'm persistent. Yes, I tend to think in bigger pictures. Yes, I'm Welsh and my mother's daughter, and if you think that shooting down my idea with a load of personal insults will stop me, then you have no idea about Welsh heritage at all, especially Welsh women! You say no - we say, "I'll bloody show you"!
Angie Peake donated her time, the #time4change Mental Health charter was written, and off I tweeted. I tweeted constantly for months. I emailed colleagues that I had once said hello to at various shows, conferences etc. . . any link to get me through the door to colleges, theatres, production companies and agencies. I made sure that I had a few big hitters on board before announcing the charter, as I knew that by their very presence some would naturally follow. Fast forward 6 months and 115 organisations have signed the Charter.
I never had a desire to run a mental health campaign, I just found myself compelled to DO something. Empirical evidence was growing which supported my long standing personal belief (as documented here) and yet nobody was 'acting' on it (ironic for our industry don't you think?).
That said, I also never had a desire to open a drama college - and look where that got me?
The campaign has exasperated me - I just don't understand why people won't join. Why can't they make a commitment to send out an email? Why are people reluctant to see that there's an issue here that we're not addressing? The bullshit that I've heard this year; Smaller colleges who could enforce the charter in a heartbeat, claiming that they have no money to implement it? Strange that - as the most that it would cost them would be for a mental health consultant to train their staff, and to speak to their students. So the cost of a consultant for a day? If your margins are that tight maybe you should rethink your business plan! Production companies and agencies that will 'think about it'? What is there to think about? I'm asking you so send out a PDF. That's it? Other than BAPAM none of the major organisations mentioned in the 2nd paragraph have entertained endorsing or joining the initiative. Hurrah for BAPAM I say who, as we all know, put health (mental or physical) first. Were Spotlight or Equity to join us - we could flood the industry in one go. How disappointing that both organisations have been too busy to discuss the possibility with us. As for Drama UK. . . well I had always said that they were a waste of space. Their demise in 2016 will, I believe, spur our sector on to be world class, in both our training AND our pastoral care.
However the campaign has also exhilarated me. It's enabled me to meet like minded people. People that like me, don't give up at the first hurdle. People like Pat O'Toole from Rose Bruford, who was not only 'in' from the get go, but was out to get everybody else to sign up too. Mountview and Arts Ed - surely 2 of the most established drama colleges in the UK signed up to the charter. Honest and frank discussions with Stephen from Mountview and Chris from Arts Ed, email chats with Nick from PPA, have all restored my faith in the industry. All four are people that want to make a difference. There is no competition just differences that make us all unique BUT with a unified fight against mental health that will make us all stronger. I can't wait to work closer with all the colleges that have signed up, as we all begin to learn from each other and to give each other support as we work our way through the maze of mental health issues that we are confronted with on a daily basis. The journalist Susan Elkin who has consistently backed the initiative, writing several blogs/features on it when others didn't want to know. Mark Shenton for kindly giving the campaign 'a soft launch' in one of his blogs. Just people restoring my faith in humanity actually, in a world that was appearing to stop caring about anything other than 'self'.
The campaign is ongoing - but given that I have a college to run, shows to write, and a young family to spend time with, it will now run in the background, ready to be sent out to anybody that's interested. The colleges have all agreed to meet early this year (2017) to work out how our peer supervision is going to work.
A couple of weeks ago I was humbled to learn that The MTA has been short listed for The Stage School of the Year Award, an award that we'd already won once, back in 2012. How brilliant that the citation acknowledged #time4change as something important.
I won't name the person that insulted and patronised me way back at the start of the year, as their name isn't important. However I would like to thank them - as they know who they are. If they hadn't been so bloody rude to me I probably wouldn't have been so dogmatic about making this thing work. I'd like to think that they knew that all the time. A paradoxical intervention if you like.
Here's hoping that #time4change continues to grow in 2017. I'm looking forward to meeting with BAPAM to ensure that we keep joining up the dots - as we are only ever stronger together, and whilst that slogan didn't work for Brexit, I still believe that it works in theatre, which after all, has always been about collaboration, and working together.
Happy New Year
Thursday, 15 December 2016
Mystic Meg
So this time last year I wrote: http://althomasmd.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/theatre-is-hardso-lets-look-after-our.html all about my Christmas wish, that we, as an industry, could learn to look after ourselves. I asked that we would acknowledge that Mental Health was a major issue in the performing arts sector. We launched the #time4change conference, giving people 3 months to get that date in their diary.
I guess the rest has become history. . . a somewhat chequered history but history nevertheless. The conference didn't get the support that we would have hoped for, in spite of various conversations which led us to believe that it would. However it did prompt us into launching the #time4change Mental Health Charter. An initiative that over 100 organisations are currently signed up to. A charter that we categorically know has made an impact throughout the performing arts industry.
We still need more people to sign up, but for a while I need to concentrate on running a college. In the meantime, the writer of the Charter, Angie Peake, is giving ongoing (free) support to those people that have signed up, needing additional support to implement it.
I think a rather sad by product of the Charter is how jaded it's made me of certain organisations and of people in general. Organisations who decide to put petty politics before the greater good. Petty politics I should add that are entirely one sided. Suddenly Mental Health became competitive? What the hell is that about? Colleges refusing to sign up to the charter as they perceive it to be an initiative from another college. Somehow they missed the lesson that clearly stated that every 'movement' has to start somewhere - but then the momentum of change comes from the proactive masses. Or what about the ones 'already doing it'? If you're doing it . . . sign up and let's get some consistency throughout the sector then. Add your voice and experience to the 'movement'. Pop down from your ivory tower and teach us all what your experience has taught you so that we can all put that into practice.
It was only the other week that a basic thing dawned on me. I keep speaking about the 1 in 3 of our industry being susceptible to mental health issues - forgetting of course that this INCLUDES the very people that I'm trying to engage with. I have to say that that realisation made me slightly less resentful about some of the vitriol I've been subjected to this year!
In fairness though I'm not just talking about the Charter. This year has seen such political upheaval across the world, and yet we have social media activists who believe that writing a constant flow of vitriol will solve the problem? I'm sorry but get off your backsides and DO something. Don't just plan to stand in Trafalgar Square with a load of other 'activists' thinking that shouting about the problem will make things better - it won't. We need solution focussed thinking - not idealistic Utopian dreams (yes, I am saying that Corbyn will never get into power)
Every Tom, Dick and bloody Harry appear to be making a 'statement' about drama training being so expensive and becoming elitist - but what are they DOING about it. On your twitter feeds and timelines you all agree, you bemoan the latest government, but are you donating some of your money to help out? Are you donating your time to help out? Why not make a statement about how we solve this mess instead of just nodding loudly (an interesting phrase. . . but social media somehow allows us to do this)
ALW shouts that we need more diversity in the arts, we ALL agree (or at least should do). However this is a complex subject, and the answer lies right back at primary school level, as this is when a load of us decided to do this for a living. Then the next solution comes in secondary school when potential BAME performers AND their families need to know that this career is an option. It's no good bleating about it on the West End stage - the problem is endemic in society and in certain cultures BUT we could change that with education. I would suggest though that everybody making a statement about how elitist the arts is ain't helping any struggling wannabes persuade their parents that this could provide them with a sustainable career!
Then there are amazing people who pull me back from the brink of exasperation. People who are running marathons, donating time, donating money, donating 'ideas' all for the greater good. Yet we don't listen to their understated voices so much do we - as they're not shouting about themselves.
We have people that are literally donating the price of a coffee to The MTA every month. Those smaller donations for a college like ours become a life line. We're not LAMDA, able to raise £300k to ensure that 'everybody' gets a chance to train. However just 20 people donating £20/month would support 1 student a year who's already in receipt of a CDL.
I've met tutors from other colleges who are busting a gut trying to get the mental health package right. I've met with Principals, brave enough to say that they are sinking under the deluge of struggling students, which enables us to think with them about what 'we' can do to make a difference. I've spoken with counsellors swimming against the tide of ever expanding colleges, where the management have given no consideration to student welfare. Again though #time4change has enabled us to throw out life rafts to each other, so as one goes under, the rest can help pull them out. . . for now. This is indeed an ongoing issue, but there are people prepared to stay open minded, give the initiative a go, and together we CAN and indeed WILL make a difference.
Finally, and this is my biggest revelation of the year - I've realised that I've officially become Mystic Meg! No really. . . look at the evidence. For around 3 years I've been saying that Drama UK was a drain on resources to those 'in the club' providing nothing more than a name for people to bandy around. A name that was meaning less and less. Then Eureka this year it folds. Hopefully it folded returning the £6k that the remaining colleges had paid into its coffers over the past year. Hopefully soon it will finally do the decent thing and take down its website, which interestingly fails to mention that the organisation no longer exists.
I've said forever that Mental Health is an issue in our industry, and now finally, empirical evidence is being presented around the world categorically proving my hypothesis.
I've been speaking for years about the need for the training industry to become transparent. The Stage cottoned onto this a few years back, and just this week another blog was written about it. We're currently an industry relying on a reputation that's based on history and soundbites. Surely it's time for facts - especially now that people can't wave their Drama UK certificate in the air?
Procrastinate at will through the blogs of the year and then cross reference them to 'events' of the year - I am nailing these predications though.
Of course in reality we all know all of these things - but we don't chose to name them. I opted rather consciously when I opened the college to pop my head over that parapet (as I did it in private often enough). The simple joy of being self employed is that you don't have to answer to anyone. You haven't got anyone telling you to wind your neck in. We've just got to hope and pray that common sense prevails and an edit button is used every so often (a lesson that I'm still attempting to learn)
Merry Christmas - here's to a happy, healthy and PROACTIVE New Year - and thanks for reading my constant streams of consciousness.
I guess the rest has become history. . . a somewhat chequered history but history nevertheless. The conference didn't get the support that we would have hoped for, in spite of various conversations which led us to believe that it would. However it did prompt us into launching the #time4change Mental Health Charter. An initiative that over 100 organisations are currently signed up to. A charter that we categorically know has made an impact throughout the performing arts industry.
We still need more people to sign up, but for a while I need to concentrate on running a college. In the meantime, the writer of the Charter, Angie Peake, is giving ongoing (free) support to those people that have signed up, needing additional support to implement it.
I think a rather sad by product of the Charter is how jaded it's made me of certain organisations and of people in general. Organisations who decide to put petty politics before the greater good. Petty politics I should add that are entirely one sided. Suddenly Mental Health became competitive? What the hell is that about? Colleges refusing to sign up to the charter as they perceive it to be an initiative from another college. Somehow they missed the lesson that clearly stated that every 'movement' has to start somewhere - but then the momentum of change comes from the proactive masses. Or what about the ones 'already doing it'? If you're doing it . . . sign up and let's get some consistency throughout the sector then. Add your voice and experience to the 'movement'. Pop down from your ivory tower and teach us all what your experience has taught you so that we can all put that into practice.
It was only the other week that a basic thing dawned on me. I keep speaking about the 1 in 3 of our industry being susceptible to mental health issues - forgetting of course that this INCLUDES the very people that I'm trying to engage with. I have to say that that realisation made me slightly less resentful about some of the vitriol I've been subjected to this year!
In fairness though I'm not just talking about the Charter. This year has seen such political upheaval across the world, and yet we have social media activists who believe that writing a constant flow of vitriol will solve the problem? I'm sorry but get off your backsides and DO something. Don't just plan to stand in Trafalgar Square with a load of other 'activists' thinking that shouting about the problem will make things better - it won't. We need solution focussed thinking - not idealistic Utopian dreams (yes, I am saying that Corbyn will never get into power)
Every Tom, Dick and bloody Harry appear to be making a 'statement' about drama training being so expensive and becoming elitist - but what are they DOING about it. On your twitter feeds and timelines you all agree, you bemoan the latest government, but are you donating some of your money to help out? Are you donating your time to help out? Why not make a statement about how we solve this mess instead of just nodding loudly (an interesting phrase. . . but social media somehow allows us to do this)
ALW shouts that we need more diversity in the arts, we ALL agree (or at least should do). However this is a complex subject, and the answer lies right back at primary school level, as this is when a load of us decided to do this for a living. Then the next solution comes in secondary school when potential BAME performers AND their families need to know that this career is an option. It's no good bleating about it on the West End stage - the problem is endemic in society and in certain cultures BUT we could change that with education. I would suggest though that everybody making a statement about how elitist the arts is ain't helping any struggling wannabes persuade their parents that this could provide them with a sustainable career!
Then there are amazing people who pull me back from the brink of exasperation. People who are running marathons, donating time, donating money, donating 'ideas' all for the greater good. Yet we don't listen to their understated voices so much do we - as they're not shouting about themselves.
We have people that are literally donating the price of a coffee to The MTA every month. Those smaller donations for a college like ours become a life line. We're not LAMDA, able to raise £300k to ensure that 'everybody' gets a chance to train. However just 20 people donating £20/month would support 1 student a year who's already in receipt of a CDL.
I've met tutors from other colleges who are busting a gut trying to get the mental health package right. I've met with Principals, brave enough to say that they are sinking under the deluge of struggling students, which enables us to think with them about what 'we' can do to make a difference. I've spoken with counsellors swimming against the tide of ever expanding colleges, where the management have given no consideration to student welfare. Again though #time4change has enabled us to throw out life rafts to each other, so as one goes under, the rest can help pull them out. . . for now. This is indeed an ongoing issue, but there are people prepared to stay open minded, give the initiative a go, and together we CAN and indeed WILL make a difference.
Finally, and this is my biggest revelation of the year - I've realised that I've officially become Mystic Meg! No really. . . look at the evidence. For around 3 years I've been saying that Drama UK was a drain on resources to those 'in the club' providing nothing more than a name for people to bandy around. A name that was meaning less and less. Then Eureka this year it folds. Hopefully it folded returning the £6k that the remaining colleges had paid into its coffers over the past year. Hopefully soon it will finally do the decent thing and take down its website, which interestingly fails to mention that the organisation no longer exists.
I've said forever that Mental Health is an issue in our industry, and now finally, empirical evidence is being presented around the world categorically proving my hypothesis.
I've been speaking for years about the need for the training industry to become transparent. The Stage cottoned onto this a few years back, and just this week another blog was written about it. We're currently an industry relying on a reputation that's based on history and soundbites. Surely it's time for facts - especially now that people can't wave their Drama UK certificate in the air?
Procrastinate at will through the blogs of the year and then cross reference them to 'events' of the year - I am nailing these predications though.
Of course in reality we all know all of these things - but we don't chose to name them. I opted rather consciously when I opened the college to pop my head over that parapet (as I did it in private often enough). The simple joy of being self employed is that you don't have to answer to anyone. You haven't got anyone telling you to wind your neck in. We've just got to hope and pray that common sense prevails and an edit button is used every so often (a lesson that I'm still attempting to learn)
Merry Christmas - here's to a happy, healthy and PROACTIVE New Year - and thanks for reading my constant streams of consciousness.
Saturday, 1 October 2016
100 thanks
The #time4change #mentalhealthcharter has now been 'signed' by 100 organisations. 100! 63 agencies have agreed to send out the fact sheet to all their clients, present and future, 7 colleges/training organisations have signed up to promote good mental health provision within their faculties. People within those organisations have worked hard to ensure that their institution can commit to all the points that the Charter asks of them. 4 theatres, have agreed to 'source' and clearly 'signpost' mental health resources to all of their visiting companies. Finally 26 organisations from Accountancy firms to Vocal training groups...including nearly all of the 'new breed' of production company currently producing the goods off West End and in some instances around the World. Importantly this section includes technical theatre too with White Light and the Stage Managers Association agreeing to distribute the fact sheet.
This blog is just a huge thanks to these 100 companies who are trying to make a difference. Thank you for allowing me to bombard you with emails and tweets. Thank you for making a commitment to do things differently. Thank you in lots of instances for sharing your stories of why your organisation felt like it had no choice but to sign up to the charter.
The biggest thanks of all goes to Angie Peake who actually wrote the charter. Donating time to the cause to both write up the charter, and in some instances supporting organisations/people to implement it.
These last 3 months have been such a rollercoaster ride. The excitement as the numbers started to grow, quickly followed by the lows of constantly having to bang on about a subject that just seems so obvious and evident in our industry, but yet wasn't really being addressed. The highs of working closely with organisations to support them to be able to sign up to the charter, followed by the lows of other people's agendas hindering progress on a larger scale. The highs of actually connecting with a lot of new people, followed by the lows of being perplexed by long term work colleagues, and even friends, coming up with silly excuses as to why they were unable to commit 'at this moment in time'.
The highs of hearing about shows starting with all the cast/crew being presented with the charter just as a matter of course, followed by the lows of finding out that someone had signed the charter but hadn't actually sent it out to their cast/clients.
The best highs of all - the emails from people that the charter had resonated with, and indeed had helped. I said at the beginning that even if we were doing all of this for one person, then it would be worth it, but we already know that it's helped more than one.
The campaign goes on, colleges have to sit down and discuss how we can ensure that the Charter's practises are working? How peer supervision will work to keep the charter alive?
More colleges need to sign up! We need to work together to solve this problem. We need more theatres outside of London to sign up...as the chances are that people could find help in their home city. . . but they wouldn't have a clue where to start should they be working away from home.
The charter will be an ever evolving piece of work - however having committed the last 3 months to promoting it, plus a few months before that prepping it, hosting the #time4change conference etc, it's time for me to return to my 'crap' job, as The MTA gets ready to welcome our 8th year group and begins to hunt down a 9th. It's also time for me to really focus on my 'real' job, as I need to write a panto, and produce some backing tracks....plus tweak an older show...and start work on a brand new show.
Now that we've started the conversation - let's all try not to block it. Let's keep talking about #time4change and encourage people to commit to it - as therein lies the secret. A simple, free charter, low maintenance to implement. . . but potentially a game changer for a lot of people.
The moral of this story though - never tell a short Welsh person that something can't be done - it's a little bit like a red rag to a bull. Don't dismiss an idea before you've tried it. Just because you can't visualise it. . . remain curious, and give it a go.
In impro we teach not to block and to be accepting of new ideas. Not a bad motto in life I reckon.
So. . . . who's next?
Tuesday, 12 July 2016
It's #time4change?
Back in March I blogged about a Mental Health conference, that we, at The MTA had instigated: http://althomasmd.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/mental-health-in-drama-schools-conference-time4change.html This had been borne out of 7 years of quiet, and then not so quiet campaigning to encourage drama colleges to think differently about their 'Mental Health Policies'. Back in Christmas 2014 I wrote this: http://www.thereviewshub.com/blog-annemarie-lewis-thomas-support-each-other-in-2015/ It was meant to be an impassioned plea to get colleges to look at this ongoing issue anew, but instead I discovered that it did nothing more than raise certain hackles, It felt like however I approached the subject it was wrong.
Since actively campaigning I have been told (and I confess that I'm paraphrasing here), that I should stop 'going on' about Mental Health, as I'd run the risk of becoming digital wall paper (I should quickly add that this was from someone most definitely supporting the campaign); My stance came across as too aggressive, turning people off from the content (said by the person that practically gave me a geographical reference point when I asked the question where young performers could go when in crises, missing the fact entirely that I was speaking much more metaphorically, and having missed the critical sentence that I'd written, about the fact that when in a mental health crises, some people couldn't get out of bed, let alone go to their GP's for help). I've written letters to various organisations which have been met with a resounding 'we do all of this...haven't you read our policy?' failing to stay curious for just one moment that whilst their intentions couldn't be faulted, maybe their services were failing to follow through somehow? I've been patronised, placated and down right insulted by the best of the best. Whilst screaming from the rafters that we, as an industry need to keep doing more, I've felt my head patted several times, like some naughty but playful dog that just won't 'stop playing'.
Then there are the amazing people that I've met along the way, some long standing associates, some very new, who have reinvigorated the campaign at times when they probably didn't even know that I was just about to throw in the towel (again). How did they do it? Well they just listened and then reiterated that we really MUST do something.
For the conference, I attempted to collate some informal empirical evidence about the silent epidemic that was hitting our industry. The emails that I received have literally kept me fighting these past 3 months. Story after story of people that had been let down by these so called 'policies', people who had left our industry prematurely due to Mental Illness. Colleges (or more specifically, unskilled staff at respected colleges) offering up helpful advice like 'the industry is tough get used to it'..right through to the classic 'if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen'. Brilliant advice for young performers struggling with their own sense of self, and in some instances, even their grasp on reality?
Whilst discussing the campaign with industry friends and colleagues every single person, without exception, has acknowledged that we have an issue in our industry. People that are struggling, entering our industry (or indeed have been in it for years)...clearly needing help and guidance. The MTA graduates are constantly returning to college with various anecdotes about how much mental illness they are seeing out there, and how that, even more scary, when they broach the subject with their new found friends, they are being answered with the same scared voices that have engulfed our industry for too long. Mental illness is not a thing to be talked about . . . it is our industry's taboo.
When famous performers become infamous overnight by breakdowns and illnesses that we can't even name, then we are doing something wrong aren't we? Stephen Fry walked off a set in 1995 due to illness, and the press nailed him to the nearest cross. The language that they used just last year to explain the 'walk out' included that classic 'admitted' word. He 'admitted' to being Bipolar. I'm asthmatic - I've never had to 'admit' to that fact...I've sometimes told people about this physical impairment, but it's never involved a full confession. I was extremely short sighted for years...I never 'admitted' that I wore contact lenses, I told people so that they could share in the same relief that I had when I put my lenses in.
The goldfish bowl of social media has magnified the issue to a crazy degree (pun intended). We no longer wait for a newspaper to publish the 'facts', the audience of that night will tell you within minutes what's gone down at a theatre. We have twitter accounts helpfully telling us the news 'as and when it happens'. We have speculation and rumours flying around before the curtain has come down on Act One. At least pop stars get a warning from 'an insider' that someone is going to grass on them, so that their management have time to put together a damage limitation plan (usually dressed up as a scoop for one of the tabloids). Theatre folk don't have that luxury. Live theatre nowadays equals live, real time, gossip. It doesn't matter what you write, as we have forgotten that we're actually writing about humans...and probably humans in so much pain at that time. Those same humans go home and read the crap that's been written about them, if they're foolish they'll try to answer their critics. . . but it's lost. At that moment the 'battle is lost'. The next thing you know what should have been a discrete issue between you and a maximum of 2000 people (usually much less), has become a headline. . . a news story.
Let's go back to my critics though . . . as we don't have a problem in our industry. . . do we? Sarcastic? Moi?
In other words Mental Health and the stigma around it, is still prevalent in our industry. This amazing industry that accepts everyone for who and what they are, just as long as they have talent. We not only accept, but we embrace flaws. . . maybe to the point that it quashes our desire to fix this problem?
So for all the people out there struggling today, for all the people out there that feel just a bit out of kilter with the rest of the world, but you can't just put your finger on the issue, we've come up with an industry wide Mental Health Charter. We are looking for colleges, production companies, theatres and agents to sign up to the Charter. It costs you nothing. . . it contains simple guidelines for each of those areas. It contains a Fact Sheet that we want to get out there to as many industry folk as possible. It's your 'break glass in an emergency' piece of virtual paper. A simple PDF that we ask you to download onto your desktop, or add to a well used folder, so that IF you find yourself with an issue that you're going to need to 'admit to'....you now have an instant reference point to attempt to try and find out exactly what you're 'admitting to'. A reference point that isn't a generic Google search (which is in itself enough to make anyone ill), but a list of criteria drawn up by Angie Peake our Health and Welfare Consultant (who I should add, volunteered her services to do this work), but designed to 'keep it real'.
The #time4change initiative is not the answer to the difficulties that we all face in this industry - but if it helps one person then it's been worth all of the above, and then some.
We should celebrate ill performers fighting their inner demons, be they dressed up in comedy, addiction, or even meltdowns, in order to go back into work. To return to a job, which let's not forget, holds each and every one of us, up to public scrutiny night after night. Or if currently looking for work, an occupation that puts you up for scrutiny and rejection every day. . .without ever telling you why. A career, which for most people, means only being able to engage in it a few times a year, and even then probably won't be paying you a decent wage.
All of this and yet STILL we brush mental health under the carpet, because I guess it's the ultimate monster. If it got a hold of so and so. . . are you next? PR machines go into overtime to deny that their clients are 'ill'. Agents feel the need to cover up a truth, and discretely try to let their client know that there might be something wrong.
It's #time4change.
It's time for all of us within the industry to at least have an open dialogue about Mental Health. To be able to say, without recrimination that we have depression or anxiety or bipolar or. . . whatever. For our industry to understand those words without fleeing in a stricken panic. I am asthmatic, I have a pump, I am OK. People will know where to find the little blue plastic thing that I occasionally need to breath. I am short sighted. In my pre-laser days, people knew where my lenses were for those 'special mornings' when I maybe, just maybe, I'd lost the ability to be thoughtful the night before in disposing of them. If people suffer from a mental illness they should have the freedom to name it, and we should have the knowledge to understand what that means, and what support, if any that person needs.
It's #time4change
If you'd like a copy of the Charter, and think that it could help inform you, your clients, your production company - just drop me a line at Annemarie@theMTA.co.uk naming the subject as #time4change. It won't cost you anything, but it might make a huge difference to somebody's life. . . if not your own
Since actively campaigning I have been told (and I confess that I'm paraphrasing here), that I should stop 'going on' about Mental Health, as I'd run the risk of becoming digital wall paper (I should quickly add that this was from someone most definitely supporting the campaign); My stance came across as too aggressive, turning people off from the content (said by the person that practically gave me a geographical reference point when I asked the question where young performers could go when in crises, missing the fact entirely that I was speaking much more metaphorically, and having missed the critical sentence that I'd written, about the fact that when in a mental health crises, some people couldn't get out of bed, let alone go to their GP's for help). I've written letters to various organisations which have been met with a resounding 'we do all of this...haven't you read our policy?' failing to stay curious for just one moment that whilst their intentions couldn't be faulted, maybe their services were failing to follow through somehow? I've been patronised, placated and down right insulted by the best of the best. Whilst screaming from the rafters that we, as an industry need to keep doing more, I've felt my head patted several times, like some naughty but playful dog that just won't 'stop playing'.
Then there are the amazing people that I've met along the way, some long standing associates, some very new, who have reinvigorated the campaign at times when they probably didn't even know that I was just about to throw in the towel (again). How did they do it? Well they just listened and then reiterated that we really MUST do something.
For the conference, I attempted to collate some informal empirical evidence about the silent epidemic that was hitting our industry. The emails that I received have literally kept me fighting these past 3 months. Story after story of people that had been let down by these so called 'policies', people who had left our industry prematurely due to Mental Illness. Colleges (or more specifically, unskilled staff at respected colleges) offering up helpful advice like 'the industry is tough get used to it'..right through to the classic 'if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen'. Brilliant advice for young performers struggling with their own sense of self, and in some instances, even their grasp on reality?
Whilst discussing the campaign with industry friends and colleagues every single person, without exception, has acknowledged that we have an issue in our industry. People that are struggling, entering our industry (or indeed have been in it for years)...clearly needing help and guidance. The MTA graduates are constantly returning to college with various anecdotes about how much mental illness they are seeing out there, and how that, even more scary, when they broach the subject with their new found friends, they are being answered with the same scared voices that have engulfed our industry for too long. Mental illness is not a thing to be talked about . . . it is our industry's taboo.
When famous performers become infamous overnight by breakdowns and illnesses that we can't even name, then we are doing something wrong aren't we? Stephen Fry walked off a set in 1995 due to illness, and the press nailed him to the nearest cross. The language that they used just last year to explain the 'walk out' included that classic 'admitted' word. He 'admitted' to being Bipolar. I'm asthmatic - I've never had to 'admit' to that fact...I've sometimes told people about this physical impairment, but it's never involved a full confession. I was extremely short sighted for years...I never 'admitted' that I wore contact lenses, I told people so that they could share in the same relief that I had when I put my lenses in.
The goldfish bowl of social media has magnified the issue to a crazy degree (pun intended). We no longer wait for a newspaper to publish the 'facts', the audience of that night will tell you within minutes what's gone down at a theatre. We have twitter accounts helpfully telling us the news 'as and when it happens'. We have speculation and rumours flying around before the curtain has come down on Act One. At least pop stars get a warning from 'an insider' that someone is going to grass on them, so that their management have time to put together a damage limitation plan (usually dressed up as a scoop for one of the tabloids). Theatre folk don't have that luxury. Live theatre nowadays equals live, real time, gossip. It doesn't matter what you write, as we have forgotten that we're actually writing about humans...and probably humans in so much pain at that time. Those same humans go home and read the crap that's been written about them, if they're foolish they'll try to answer their critics. . . but it's lost. At that moment the 'battle is lost'. The next thing you know what should have been a discrete issue between you and a maximum of 2000 people (usually much less), has become a headline. . . a news story.
Let's go back to my critics though . . . as we don't have a problem in our industry. . . do we? Sarcastic? Moi?
In other words Mental Health and the stigma around it, is still prevalent in our industry. This amazing industry that accepts everyone for who and what they are, just as long as they have talent. We not only accept, but we embrace flaws. . . maybe to the point that it quashes our desire to fix this problem?
So for all the people out there struggling today, for all the people out there that feel just a bit out of kilter with the rest of the world, but you can't just put your finger on the issue, we've come up with an industry wide Mental Health Charter. We are looking for colleges, production companies, theatres and agents to sign up to the Charter. It costs you nothing. . . it contains simple guidelines for each of those areas. It contains a Fact Sheet that we want to get out there to as many industry folk as possible. It's your 'break glass in an emergency' piece of virtual paper. A simple PDF that we ask you to download onto your desktop, or add to a well used folder, so that IF you find yourself with an issue that you're going to need to 'admit to'....you now have an instant reference point to attempt to try and find out exactly what you're 'admitting to'. A reference point that isn't a generic Google search (which is in itself enough to make anyone ill), but a list of criteria drawn up by Angie Peake our Health and Welfare Consultant (who I should add, volunteered her services to do this work), but designed to 'keep it real'.
The #time4change initiative is not the answer to the difficulties that we all face in this industry - but if it helps one person then it's been worth all of the above, and then some.
We should celebrate ill performers fighting their inner demons, be they dressed up in comedy, addiction, or even meltdowns, in order to go back into work. To return to a job, which let's not forget, holds each and every one of us, up to public scrutiny night after night. Or if currently looking for work, an occupation that puts you up for scrutiny and rejection every day. . .without ever telling you why. A career, which for most people, means only being able to engage in it a few times a year, and even then probably won't be paying you a decent wage.
All of this and yet STILL we brush mental health under the carpet, because I guess it's the ultimate monster. If it got a hold of so and so. . . are you next? PR machines go into overtime to deny that their clients are 'ill'. Agents feel the need to cover up a truth, and discretely try to let their client know that there might be something wrong.
It's #time4change.
It's time for all of us within the industry to at least have an open dialogue about Mental Health. To be able to say, without recrimination that we have depression or anxiety or bipolar or. . . whatever. For our industry to understand those words without fleeing in a stricken panic. I am asthmatic, I have a pump, I am OK. People will know where to find the little blue plastic thing that I occasionally need to breath. I am short sighted. In my pre-laser days, people knew where my lenses were for those 'special mornings' when I maybe, just maybe, I'd lost the ability to be thoughtful the night before in disposing of them. If people suffer from a mental illness they should have the freedom to name it, and we should have the knowledge to understand what that means, and what support, if any that person needs.
It's #time4change
If you'd like a copy of the Charter, and think that it could help inform you, your clients, your production company - just drop me a line at Annemarie@theMTA.co.uk naming the subject as #time4change. It won't cost you anything, but it might make a huge difference to somebody's life. . . if not your own
Saturday, 28 May 2016
Let's start at the very beginning...
Once again there is a flurry of activity around the fact that the 'working man' is getting lost in our industry. Times are changing and not for the better (they cry). Bring back rep (they cry). However isn't the current noise coming from the people that are the elite or at least have become the elite? The ones that have made it in our industry? Isn't it something like 2% of performers actually make a living out of being a performer? I mean great that they're shouting, and using their position to make some noise, but is that all it is? Noise?
What happened to the drama college that was going to be funded by actors, where all the fees were going to be covered by the professionals? That was 'launched' with panache and then fell by the wayside (unless I've missed something?)
Shall we start at the beginning of the cycle as opposed to jumping to the middle. The 'working man' can't even afford to go to the theatre to get inspired to even think of it as a career at the moment. So is this just the elite shouting to the elite anyway?
Since 2010 The MTA has run a scheme whereby any local children can come and watch our panto on a pay what you can arrangement. When we were at the Drill Hall, you won't be surprised to hear that the two schools that took us up on the deal, could pay a fair rate. In subsequent years we've been in less affluent areas so the pay what you can rate has gotten considerably lower. Then in 2014 we did our first panto in what was then going to be our 'new home' down at the Bernie Grant Arts Centre in Tottenham.
Thanks to the combined efforts of local schools, us and indeed BGAC, in the first year alone we played to over 1000 children. A lot of whom had NEVER been to the theatre before. It was the most humbling thing ever to watch their amazement at the 'magic' of a simple mirror ball. They didn't mind that we didn't have a fancy all singing, all dancing set...they loved just being entertained by the simple magic of theatre.
Last year we extended the scheme and played to over 1500 children. Again their faces were a joy to watch (in fact I had to work hard to remember that I was supposed to be watching the show, not watching the joy on the children's faces). After each show we arranged a meet and greet with the cast, and the children were ecstatic. Even the older 'cool kids' visually got excited by 'meeting the stars'. Let's keep it real here - the stars were just our 2nd years. . . having the time of their lives being idolised by all the kids, and learning themselves the importance that panto has not just for our industry, but also in our society.
The trouble is though, that shows and hiring theatres cost money. In a 2 week run we don't stand a chance of recouping our losses. However part of our students' fees go towards funding 4 shows a year for them, so in a way each show is subsidised. In a bid to extend the scheme even further this year we've started to fund raise. Obviously we're looking for commercial sponsors(so if you're a Tottenham based firm and fancy helping out this Christmas, please do get in touch). So we're trying a 'buy a child a seat' crowdfunding scheme https://www.gofundme.com/24vga64
I'm aware that something similar was tried recently for Dougal Irvine's The Busker's Opera down at The Park theatre, although I missed if they managed to raise the money or not. I hope so as it was a great idea.
I'd love to take the credit for the fund raiser, however it was our Health and Welfare Consultant, Angie Peake who thought of it and decided to give it a go. She did the usual sum of 'if all of my friends on FB sponsored just one seat we'd raise X amount of money' Of course in reality this just doesn't happen for a multitude of reasons I suspect. That said we've already funded 30 places, which is nearly a class coming to see the panto this year, that maybe wouldn't normally afford to even contemplate a theatre visit.
We're aiming to get 2000 children in this year...so the race is on to find the extra money that this will cost us. We'll do it though...because it's important.
Then what if one child loves what they see and decides to 'give it a go' themselves? What then? Well I hate to say it, but we're back in the realms of the haves and haves not. How do they afford to go to classes? What schemes are there in the local community to fund children slowly building aspirations?
The thing is though, we're not just talking about theatre, which let's face it has always been elite? Why are we pretending that this is new? When I was training it was elite...but the 'working classes' will always find a way to help their children out of their rut. That's just what we do! If your child wants to study ANYTHING in HE the working classes are priced out of the market. So who's going to build the social housing of the future? Will it be some upper class architect with a social conscience, trying to make amends for their own family's wealth? Shouldn't it be designed by the people who understand the needs of the community, the people that were brought up in that environment?
Of course architects don't generally 'have a public voice', so we don't keep reading in the papers what they're saying about the future of their industry. So we're back to so called celebrities, using their platform to voice their concerns and rattle a few cages.
My TL is engulfed with people Sharing or RT'ing' these worthy statements - but what do YOU do to change things? It's easy to click and 'share'. It's easy to write a rousing comment to go with the 'share', but what do you actually DO to make a difference?
The reality is, probably nothing. You want the answer to come from the government. It's THEIR fault that we're in this situation, so THEY should do something about it.
The trouble is....they won't.
Whichever government it is...they won't.
If socialism is ever to work as anything more than just some rabble rousing rhetoric, then each of us will have to make different choices. Don't have your Starbucks tomorrow and donate that money to a more worthy cause. Don't have that pint after the show, and donate the money to a worthy cause. The thing is, we could ALL do our bit but our apathy or introverted thinking means that we won't(and I'm not exempt from this argument. I could make different choices too).
So next time you click 'Share' or RT an amazing speech, hold up a mirror and ask yourself if you could do something different...just once? If you're not sure what to do...then do remember that this appeal will be running for months: https://www.gofundme.com/24vga64
What happened to the drama college that was going to be funded by actors, where all the fees were going to be covered by the professionals? That was 'launched' with panache and then fell by the wayside (unless I've missed something?)
Shall we start at the beginning of the cycle as opposed to jumping to the middle. The 'working man' can't even afford to go to the theatre to get inspired to even think of it as a career at the moment. So is this just the elite shouting to the elite anyway?
Since 2010 The MTA has run a scheme whereby any local children can come and watch our panto on a pay what you can arrangement. When we were at the Drill Hall, you won't be surprised to hear that the two schools that took us up on the deal, could pay a fair rate. In subsequent years we've been in less affluent areas so the pay what you can rate has gotten considerably lower. Then in 2014 we did our first panto in what was then going to be our 'new home' down at the Bernie Grant Arts Centre in Tottenham.
Thanks to the combined efforts of local schools, us and indeed BGAC, in the first year alone we played to over 1000 children. A lot of whom had NEVER been to the theatre before. It was the most humbling thing ever to watch their amazement at the 'magic' of a simple mirror ball. They didn't mind that we didn't have a fancy all singing, all dancing set...they loved just being entertained by the simple magic of theatre.
Last year we extended the scheme and played to over 1500 children. Again their faces were a joy to watch (in fact I had to work hard to remember that I was supposed to be watching the show, not watching the joy on the children's faces). After each show we arranged a meet and greet with the cast, and the children were ecstatic. Even the older 'cool kids' visually got excited by 'meeting the stars'. Let's keep it real here - the stars were just our 2nd years. . . having the time of their lives being idolised by all the kids, and learning themselves the importance that panto has not just for our industry, but also in our society.
The trouble is though, that shows and hiring theatres cost money. In a 2 week run we don't stand a chance of recouping our losses. However part of our students' fees go towards funding 4 shows a year for them, so in a way each show is subsidised. In a bid to extend the scheme even further this year we've started to fund raise. Obviously we're looking for commercial sponsors(so if you're a Tottenham based firm and fancy helping out this Christmas, please do get in touch). So we're trying a 'buy a child a seat' crowdfunding scheme https://www.gofundme.com/24vga64
I'm aware that something similar was tried recently for Dougal Irvine's The Busker's Opera down at The Park theatre, although I missed if they managed to raise the money or not. I hope so as it was a great idea.
I'd love to take the credit for the fund raiser, however it was our Health and Welfare Consultant, Angie Peake who thought of it and decided to give it a go. She did the usual sum of 'if all of my friends on FB sponsored just one seat we'd raise X amount of money' Of course in reality this just doesn't happen for a multitude of reasons I suspect. That said we've already funded 30 places, which is nearly a class coming to see the panto this year, that maybe wouldn't normally afford to even contemplate a theatre visit.
We're aiming to get 2000 children in this year...so the race is on to find the extra money that this will cost us. We'll do it though...because it's important.
Then what if one child loves what they see and decides to 'give it a go' themselves? What then? Well I hate to say it, but we're back in the realms of the haves and haves not. How do they afford to go to classes? What schemes are there in the local community to fund children slowly building aspirations?
The thing is though, we're not just talking about theatre, which let's face it has always been elite? Why are we pretending that this is new? When I was training it was elite...but the 'working classes' will always find a way to help their children out of their rut. That's just what we do! If your child wants to study ANYTHING in HE the working classes are priced out of the market. So who's going to build the social housing of the future? Will it be some upper class architect with a social conscience, trying to make amends for their own family's wealth? Shouldn't it be designed by the people who understand the needs of the community, the people that were brought up in that environment?
Of course architects don't generally 'have a public voice', so we don't keep reading in the papers what they're saying about the future of their industry. So we're back to so called celebrities, using their platform to voice their concerns and rattle a few cages.
My TL is engulfed with people Sharing or RT'ing' these worthy statements - but what do YOU do to change things? It's easy to click and 'share'. It's easy to write a rousing comment to go with the 'share', but what do you actually DO to make a difference?
The reality is, probably nothing. You want the answer to come from the government. It's THEIR fault that we're in this situation, so THEY should do something about it.
The trouble is....they won't.
Whichever government it is...they won't.
If socialism is ever to work as anything more than just some rabble rousing rhetoric, then each of us will have to make different choices. Don't have your Starbucks tomorrow and donate that money to a more worthy cause. Don't have that pint after the show, and donate the money to a worthy cause. The thing is, we could ALL do our bit but our apathy or introverted thinking means that we won't(and I'm not exempt from this argument. I could make different choices too).
So next time you click 'Share' or RT an amazing speech, hold up a mirror and ask yourself if you could do something different...just once? If you're not sure what to do...then do remember that this appeal will be running for months: https://www.gofundme.com/24vga64
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