NEWSLETTER - Almeida Theatre

YOUNG FRIEND
OF THE ALMEIDA THEATRE
NEWSLETTER
ISSUE NUMBER 3 JULY 2009
Hello! I’m Eliza Shea, your new
newsletter editor and an active
member of the fantastic Young
Friend Scheme here at the
Almeida!
We’ve had a very busy few months with
lots going on including an Auditions
Masterclass, Script Lab, two Play-in-a-
Day events, a Musical Theatre Masterclass and the Be a Critic
workshop.
The Young Friends Lab is now the fully fledged theatre
company GULP and the cast are all very excited about
performing on the Almeida’s prestigious stage in July!
I’d also like to introduce your brand new creative
board, a team of Young Friends who are working to represent
you and help ensure that you have access to all the best free
workshops and masterclasses at the Almeida. Below are our
photos so you know who we are!
Best wishes and hope to see you soon,
Eliza Shea Marketing Officer, Young Friends of the Almeida
Razvan Haval and Mollie Keane in rehearsal for Or Nearest Offer, the YFA Lab
CREATIVE
BOARD
L-R, Top: Desara,
Alex, Aisha, Raz,
Mollie. Bottom:
Chloe, Shanice,
Jess, Louie, Pius,
Naomi.

SUMMER FESTIVAL
EXCITING THEATRE COMPANIES, AMAZING WORKSHOP OPPORTUNITIES!
THE ALMEIDA THEATRE’S SUMMER FESTIVAL 2009 started
off with the fantastic production Last Seen from Slung Low, a
multi-sensory journey which took the audience on a headphone
tour around Islington. Six of our fantastic Young Friends also
performed in the show!
New York City-based The TEAM then presented The American
Capitalism Project, a completely devised show in its early stages
inspired by sources from music, art and film, where the
audience were able to give feedback after the performances.
They also led a devising masterclass exclusively for Young
Friends.
Working with
Slung Low
YOUNG FRIEND NINA CHOGRASHI TOOK PART
IN A STREET THEATRE WORKSHOP WITH THE
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF SLUNG LOW.
Coming Up…
24 – 25 July: MUST SEE!!! New theatre company GULP, made
up of fifteen Young Friends of the Almeida, present their new
play, Or Nearest Offer, which was developed in collaboration
with writer, Tanya Ronder, over ten months. Tickets are £8 or
just £4.50 for Young Friends!
29 – 31 July Tiata Fahodzi returns this year with a new play, The
Golden Hour by award-winning writer Michael Bhim. Some of
you will have worked with him on Script Lab, now you have the
chance to see his work in action! On 1 August, the Summer
Festival closes with a vibrant concert of African music.
Book your tickets now at www.almeida.co.uk/festival or 0207
359 4404 and remember to tell them you’re a Young Friend for
your discounted ticket!
Working with a company like Slung Low is like a whole other
experience. The performance style is very different from what we
are used to seeing at the theatre, Last Seen takes you out of the
typical Theatre Space onto the streets and various locations
around Islington. The cool thing was that you didn’t have to sit
in the theatre you got to follow the characters as they told you
the story. Being involved is a great experience you get to work
with so many different people and learn so much, not only that
but being Young Friends of the Almeida gives you performance
opportunities if you want to be an actor it’s a great way to gain
experience.
Performer from Slung Low

Auditions
Masterclass
YOUNG FRIEND CHLOE MORGAN TALKS TO US
ABOUT WHAT SHE LEARNT FROM OUR TWO-DAY
AUDITIONS MASTERCLASS.
THE AUDITIONS MASTERCLASS
was on 12 March (7-9pm). Richard
Harrison from the Central School of
Speech and Drama led the
workshop.
After introductions, we got
into small groups and portrayed a
conflict but we were not allowed to
talk. The audience had to guess the
relationship and what had
happened.
After some more interesting
exercises, we watched an 'auditions video' with drama
graduates acting out what to do and not to do in a real audition.
On Sunday, 15th March, we each had an individual 20
minute audition slot with the directors Vik Sivalingam and
Nadia Latif.
This whole experience was brilliant! I learnt new tips
and how the process works. I was always nervous about
auditions but I realised that if you come in fully prepared and
relaxed, you'll be fine - it's just about controlling your emotions.
I would definitely do it again - and strongly advise other young
friends to do it as well!
Acting for Stage
and Screen
IMOGEN WARE TOOK PART IN A WEEKEND
WORKSHOP EXPLORING THE TECHNIQUES
NEEDED FOR ACTING FOR STAGE AND SCREEN.
THE ACTING FOR STAGE AND SCREEN workshop was held
over two days with each day focusing on one aspect.
Acting for Stage was led by theatre director Nadia Latif.
We explored a range of stage techniques, including methods by
Stanislavski such as learning to break down text quickly and we
also explored scenes from modern plays.
Acting for screen was taught by Holby City actress
Ayesha Antoine. We got a TV script to look at in order to
familiarise ourselves with screen directions and we had to learn
a short section and perform it whilst being filmed. This was really
productive as it gave us a chance to practise the differences
between acting for stage and
screen and the opportunity to
watch ourselves on TV!
I thoroughly enjoyed
the workshop and learnt a
range of new skills such as
the ability to change my
performance style when
acting for the screen. I would
like to thank Nadia and
Ayesha for a thoroughly
enjoyable and exciting
weekend.
When the Rain Stops Falling
Devising Project
FROM MARCH UNTIL JUNE, LIAH TECLE TOOK
PART IN AN EXCITING PROJECT EXPLORING
DEVISING AND CLIMATE CHANGE, PERFORMING
SITE-SPECIFIC SCENES TO AN AUDIENCE OF
SCHOOL STUDENTS AT THE ALMEIDA THEATRE.
I SIGNED UP to the Climate Change Project. We worked with
Abdul Shayek who is a director and works with young people
and Imogen Knight who is a movement director.
We worked from the 3rd March up until June in the
Candid Arts Centre to devise different scenes and sequences to
show how we as young people can make a change to climate
change.
Our final performance was on Wednesday 10th June
and consisted of a variety of innovative scenes and sequences
and also a lot of effort from Abdul, Imogen and the whole
Almeida Team especially Natalie, Anne and Charlie.
Thanks for this opportunity and I can’t wait for what I
find in the post next time!

SCRIPT LAB
BUDDING PLAYWRIGHT AISHA MCKENZIE TOOK PART IN SCRIPT LAB, WORKING WITH
PROFESSIONAL WRITERS AND ACTORS TO DEVELOP A SHORT SCRIPT FOR PERFORMANCE.
SCRIPT LAB was an intensive script-writing course which took
place through March and April, ending with a four-day residency
where actors performed extracts of the scripts produced by the
Young Friends who took part.
Writing in Script Lab was always easy and fun with the
relaxed atmosphere that allowed you write about whatever you
wanted. Everyone was so encouraging, which made you want to
share work. Natalie as a script writer and projects co-ordinator
always incorporated interesting exercises to help develop our
A short extract from Aisha’s play,Weighing Up a Dead Fish
Cassandra
I wanted a funeral to say goodbye. Rudi deserved that.
pieces and Jane, our dramaturg, was always there to help by
asking key questions.
After discussing what made a great script, we then had
an intensive week editing where we received personal tutorials
and reviews.
Script Lab allowed us to go through the full process of
writing and a taste of what it will be like if and when we become
great writers!
Elliot
Forthcoming YFA Events:
GULP presents
OR NEAREST OFFER
Friday 24 July at 7.30pm / Saturday 25 July at 3pm and 7.30pm
One hot summer in London and the school holidays look set to
drag: there's nothing to do and no money to do it with. Yet
everybody has something to sell. 15 chaotic lives entwine to give you
the teenage experience today: where life has to change, where
everything must go.
Young Friends of the Almeida created this fantastic play by exploring
all the plays in the Almeida Theatre's 08-09 Season. Don't miss
this!
TICKETS JUST £4.50! Book now on 020 7359 4404.
www.almeidasummerfestival.co.uk
THE OFFICIAL YFA SUMMER PARTY
Saturday 25 July, 8.30pm - late!
Celebrate the end of the school year, and join the members of GULP
on their last night for this exclusive post-show party, open only to
registered YFA members. Music, drinks and canapes all sorted...
but what will you wear?
More coming soon in September!
check out: www.almeida.co.uk/projects/young_friends
For more information, contact Natalie at on 020 7288 4937.
Almeida Theatre
Almeida Street, Islington
London N1 1TA
Registered Charity No. 2821
It was a fish Cassandra. You bury people not fish. You bury
things that are important, things that meant something. You
bury your grandmother or dog but not a fish from a bloody
fete. (Pause, Elliot breathes) Things die Cassandra. There is
more than one fish in the world; there is more than just one
kind of fish.
WANT TO GET
INVOLVED IN
THE CREATIVE
BOARD?
DO YOU WANT TO TAKE
CONTROL OF THE YOUNG
FRIENDS SCHEME?
From September 2009, there will
be some spaces available on the
YOUNG FRIENDS CREATIVE
BOARD. You will have the
opportunity to direct and manage
the Young Friends scheme!
• HAVE YOUR SAY on
projects you’d like us to
programme
• WRITE and edit the YFA
newsletter
• DEVELOP and curate YFA
events
• RAISE FUNDS for future
Young Friends work!
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED,
EMAIL NATALIE ON
nmitchell@almeida.co.uk
OR CALL 020 7288 4937