What is wrong with your industry?

What do you hate about your job?

If I asked these questions of all the brilliant women in my life- especially those working on a freelance basis in arts and media- I wouldn’t be short on answers.

I’m an actor, so I am totally allowed to say that actors- excellent as they are- love a good moan. Whenever I meet up with thespy chums to sink a glass (bottle/bottles/delete as appropriate), the night inevitably descends to the airing of grievances: issues of fairness, representation and fulfilment crop up an awful lot. We all bemoan the lack of opportunity, the amount of time we spend not doing what we trained to do.

My head would probably implode without these sessions, moaning is necessary, for sure. But- a little voice in my head sometimes asks-couldn’t you do more than moan? Couldn’t you try and change something, even if it’s just something small?

I tend to just shush this little voice, drown it with wine, so when Rebecca Durbin- a friend from university and a fellow actor-decided to do something, I sat up and took notice. Becs Durbs had graduated from the prestigious RWCMD, moved to London and was frustrated by the lack of opportunities available to her as a recent acting graduate. Like so many of us, she didn’t want to sit around waiting for auditions to come in. PLAY was born of this frustration.

The idea is pretty darn simple: four writers, four directors, ten actors, two weeks, and, at the end, four brand new plays. PLAY gives creative people an opportunity to make work and forge connections. I can’t quite express how important it has been for me.

PLAY started at a community space in South London last June. On the hottest Friday of the year, over one hundred people packed in to watch PLAYs 1-4. In September PLAYs 5-8 were performed at the Old Red Lion.

I was a proud cast member at both venues and I just bloody loved doing them. It was such a thrill to be in a room with like-minded creatives, and to have audiences respond so warmly to our work. It reminded me why I had decided to train as an actor.

Next up we are excited- and a bit terrified- to be presenting PLAY at the 2016 VAULT Festival. Thirty-six actors, writers and directors will be making PLAYs 9-12 in January and 13-16 in February. It is massive step up for the company.

I’m totally biased, but I do think they make for a super night at the theatre; there’s something exciting about watching something new, and this is super new work. The script will only have been finalised days before and the actors will be on the tips of their toes. It is also short, which, let’s be honest, is A Good Thing. Four plays of just fifteen minutes each make for a night of varied, speedy and (hopefully) engaging theatre.

So, basically, I’d love you to come see PLAY. I think you’ll like it, because it’s good. But- more importantly- I would like to give you a gentle kick up the bum: don’t stop moaning, moaning is great. But perhaps you could have a moan and then do something. Being part of PLAY has inspired me, made me realise that I can make change happen.

And- Quarter Clubbers- you so can too. Go forth and… make stuff better.

The post Kat Drury on Why We All Need To Play appeared first on The Quarter Club.

2. What does a day in the life of you look like?

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1. Tell us about you – what motivates you?

Other people. My company is run collaboratively which means we create our shows as an ensemble and also make company decisions collectively. This is a challenging and intensely satisfying way of working. My colleagues provoke me in all sorts of surprising ways! Having other people around to generate ideas with in the rehearsal room and to manage the practical side of running a company means I am continuously asked to consider different view points and find answers together. It is not always easy, but I have learned so much about theatre making through this shared process. For me it is about putting the work first, over ego or personal doubt, and finding a voice together. I am constantly learning.

Then, in a larger sense, the world we live in. Theatre is simply my response to some of what I observe and feel around me. And when audiences come along and share in what we have created, showing such understanding and joy, it is a truly incredible feeling.

Teaching students is also a very motivating aspect of my life. The students’ questions and courage make me want to share all I can and challenge them just like I have been challenged so far in my theatrical education. It is wonderful to be able to exchange my findings with their refreshing energy and varied outlooks on the world.

2. What does a day in the life of you look like?

Well, being a freelance performer and running my own theatre company means no day is ever the same! When I am touring a show, the day will probably be dominated by traveling, teching and performing. Another day might be completely different- I could be on a shoot working on someone else’s project, which can be a lovely change of rhythm and way of creating. Many days are focused on administration, meetings and general ‘faffing’. I enjoy the flexibility of working my own hours from home or perhaps in a cafe. It also means I can meet up with other freelancers, who often have similarly random schedules. Then in my free time, I love to be with friends, read, have dinners, see shows, go dancing – all these activities are very important to me too!

3. What’s the most courageous thing you’ve ever done?

This question is so difficult! People sometimes say it’s very courageous to get up onstage and perform, but actually for me that can be one of the easier parts of my life! I love it. Moving to Paris to live alone and study at Jacques Lecoq Theatre School was definitely a very intimidating and brave move for me. And I am so glad I made that choice as it was a great adventure and has helped shape who I am today. But I also think my true moments of courage have been when I have allowed myself to be vulnerable and completely honest both in my professional and personal life, and being able to say words like ’I need help’ or ’I love you’ have all been part of this!

4. What does Balance mean to you in your life?

For me, balance has a lot to do with accepting what is. If I feel like I need to address the balance in how my days are spent and change something then generally I have the power to to do so, but if I don’t want to or feel I can’t then it is really about embracing the moment. It is good to remember that actually the world won’t fall apart if something doesn’t happen when or how I’d like it too- I am not that important, no one is! Life is a journey not an end point and I am enjoying the ride!

5. Who is your role model and why?

My mum. She is a one of the wisest women I know and has always been a source of inspiration for me. She came over to the UK from Ecuador many years ago and works as an oncologist in Bristol. She has affected many people’s lives through her wisdom and kindness, and is strong, courageous role model. A great deal of my strength and values come from her. My mum’s support of my choices has enabled me to study, travel, move abroad, set up my own company and ultimately find my own path, even when it seemed uncertain.

6. What’s the most inspiring thing you’ve read, seen or done in the last month?

Well, I spent the last month of August performing my show Jurassic Park at the Edinburgh Fringe festival and, while I was there, I saw some very inspirational theatre shows. One of these shows was a piece called K’rd Strip: A Place to Stand by a New Zealand based company Okareka Dance. The show is based on Karangahape road, a red light district area in Auckland, and the male prostitution scene that surrounds it. What it inspired me most about this show was that it felt very honest, relevant and brave, as well as totally unique and unapologetic in its form (a blend of cabaret, drama, Māori dance and comedy). The piece had me laughing one moment then with tears streaming down my face the next, and I love shows that achieve this dynamic! But the whole month at the Edinburgh fringe was a very inspiring and humbling experience. I met many brave companies and individuals putting on all sorts of work. If you haven’t been, I recommend checking it out

The post Maria Askew, Superbolt Theatre, Discusses Collaborative Working appeared first on The Quarter Club.

What does a day in the life of you look like?
I’d like to tell you that I leap out of bed when my alarm goes off, run 5km and then head into work for a day of productive action but it’s basically the opposite of that. I’m a terrible procrastinator and that starts the minute I wake up. I listen to the Today programme, scrabble around for something to wear and inevitably run out of the house late. Like every job there are things you have to get done, so I try to spend my mornings focussing on the stuff that has to happen. If I book too many meetings early on in the day I tend to get distracted by exciting projects and creative planning, then nothing happens. So I’ll get to the office, sit down at my desk, do any writing for that day, catch up with the team, look at our stats for the previous day and plan out our social media. Afternoons I like to spend meeting people, whether that’s existing contacts or potential new stories, and planning out content for the rest of the week. I get invited to loads of really great women’s networking events in the evenings and I try to go to as many as possible but I’ve had to restrict myself to about two a week. More than that and I find I’m not doing enough of the other stuff that I need, like seeing friends, exercising or just doing my washing. I always know that my diary is too busy when I’ve run out of clean knickers.

What’s the most courageous thing you’ve ever done?
Hmmmm, I’m not sure. I’ve done a lot of stuff that in retrospect was a bit of a stupid idea but at the time seemed like an amazing opportunity…. I guess I don’t think much of what I do is that courageous. I think wherever you are in life, you always have options and it’s just up to you to pick the best one for your situation and for me, the best one is usually the one that makes my heart race. I always know instantly when I’ve made a mistake, I can feel it, and generally at that point I’m very happy to change my mind and go back on it. Maybe that’s the most courageous thing you can do, admit you’ve got it wrong and start again?

What does Balance mean to you in your life?
Balance is hard for me because I’m naturally an extremist. Left to my own devices I’m either going at full speed or I’m doing nothing. I’ve got better at controlling that but it’s still a work in progress. I don’t really think you can have a complete work-life balance if you love your job, and given how much time we spend at work I think loving your job is hugely important. Instead I like to think about all the good stuff that my life brings to my work and vice-versa. Some of my closest friends have come about through work and some of my best ideas for work have come when I’ve decided to take up a new course or do something different on a Saturday. I think women have spent a long time beating themselves up for not having a perfect balance, instead of celebrating how much each area of their lives can bring to the others. That said, I’ve become one of those people who bangs on about how they need yoga in their life or they go crazy. I never thought that would be me but it is, I’m a crazy yoga lady and proud of it.

Who is your role model and why?
I’m not sure I have just one. Or that I’d even use the term role model. There’s no one woman who I look at and think, “your life is the one I want”. But I am lucky enough to meet lots of amazing women who have fabulous lives and inspire me to bring some of that into my own. The second I meet someone with a brilliant idea, loads of passion and a sense of humour I know I’m going to think, “I want to be like you”.

What’s the most inspiring thing you’ve read, seen or done in the last month?
I’ve just finished reading Triggers by Marshall Goldsmith which I heartily recommend if, like me, you can’t stick to anything for more than a week. But it’s more practical than inspiring. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some brilliant coaches including Nikki Armitage and Patti Fletcher, both of whom are incredible. I went to an amazing female entrepreneur’s event, Flock, which gave me so much enthusiasm. At least twice each week I’ve had coffee with women who inspire me. I had dinner with four of my oldest friends who know me the best and give the best advice. And I spent a week in Portugal with no wifi, daily yoga and two of my best friends, where we did little more than sleep and drink wine. It’s amazing how inspiring those two things are!

If you’ve yet to check out the continually inspiring Guardian Women In Leadership (hold up- where have you BEEN?), check it out here

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