My experience at AUB has been extremely fun and memorable – I am thankful for everything that I have learned in my time here. By taking part in a course that teaches their students such a diverse range of skills, I feel that going forward after graduation, I am prepared for any area of my field.
From both on-stage and backstage work to being in front of the camera, no matter where my career takes me, I will be able to use my experience at AUB. Of the work I have done in the past three years, my most recent show would be my proudest – having the opportunity to work on a new script, to then performing it in such a great venue like the Palace Court Theatre.
I enjoyed every step of the process, feeling like I was able to create a character who the audience could enjoy and connect with. Working with different courses to help bring the character to life, I felt that everyone understood the character the same way I did. Feeling the appreciation from the audience was very reassuring, a big confidence boost for me going forward into the industry.
I discovered my love for performing after I did my first musical during secondary school. I was a fairly quiet kid but acting on the stage in front of so many people felt thrilling. I had never experienced such a feeling before; I went on to join the drama club and never looked back. Studying drama at GCSE and A-Level allowed me to expand my knowledge on theatre as well, watching and exploring a wide variety of scripts and theatrical styles. After moving to university, I discovered my love for acting for screen. Being surrounded by so many creative people, my love for my craft has strengthened over the past three years.
Typically, when I am working on a show, I try to fully immerse myself in the world of my character. By understanding them and their life experiences, I can perform the truest version of that character. Stanislavski is one of the key practitioners that we are taught; his method looks into deep exploration of a character’s circumstances. Rooted in using personal experiences and emotions felt by the actor, the character can come from a real place in an actor’s mind.
When I am devising my own work, I like to do free writing exercises to help develop our central idea. By writing what comes to my mind without thinking, it can give me lots of little ideas to develop throughout the creative process. Collaboration is such a big part of theatre, so having the opportunity to work with so many different people is a greatly rewarding experience – one that AUB has blessed me with in abundance.
Outside my studies, I spend my time relaxing with friends and enjoying the fun things that Bournemouth has to offer. Going to the beach on a warm day or taking a walk along the Jurassic Coast, enjoying the nature is a way I like to unwind from a long week of working on a show. Keeping fit is something that I try to keep up with – I find that exercises like running help improve stamina and breath control. It is one thing that I have always tried to work on to make a high-intensity show that little bit easier. It also allows me to have some time to myself to relax, clearing my mind of any stress.
Post-graduation, I see myself working within the film industry and I hope to pursue TV and film work after finishing my studies. I think my strengths lie in both theatre and film; however I gravitate more towards being behind the screen. I would like to get a part-time job in something within the creative industry, networking with people that I meet at work to get connections with those working on projects. To improve on the skills I have developed at AUB, I am considering taking dance classes to improve my repertoire.
I am looking forward to start working, seeing where my career takes me – I will always think of the time that I spent studying at AUB.
