UNIT 4,5,6 - National Theatre Connections

UNIT 4,5,6 – National Theatre Connections 

 

Task 1 

On my blog 

 

Task 2 

For my production role in DNA, I was in charge of marketing for cast 1. The first thing we did was take a cast photo for the programme. When I was told I was doing marketing I was shocked as I am not particularly good at taking pictures so was excited to do something different that I would never pick for myself. This role is important because it helps build up the knowledge if the show and helps to sell tickets as people known about it. I enjoyed doing interviews with the cast and taking pictures and videos during rehearsals and the show.

 

Task 3 

Things they do: commission and produce new work for our stages, at the South Bank and on tour, share resources to help theatre-makers develop work for venues across the UK champion equity, diversity and inclusion in our casting opportunities, create opportunities for upcoming designers, tours of shows although we’re based on the South Bank and create world-class work that can be seen by audiences across the country and around the world. 

In the last ten years they have toured to 14 different countries. We work on everything from international hits, like War Horse, to supporting new UK mid-scale tours like Sucker Punch. 

Over 230,000 people saw the Ocean at the end of the lane, which toured to 29 towns and cities across the UK in 2023. Most recently, our new production of War Horse has begun a year-long tour of the UK, to November 2025. 

We also tour our productions directly into school halls reaching over 10,000 young people every year with what can be their first ever experience of theatre. 

Cinemas - Our work is available to millions of people around the world. 

National Theatre Live broadcasts the best of British theatre to cinemas and local community screens of all shapes and sizes. Over 11 million people have joined us in cinemas worldwide. We work directly with over 800 UK cinemas who show our work, with broadcasts across the country from Penzance in Cornwall to Lerwick in the Shetland Islands. Our streaming service, National Theatre at home, makes our shows available to watch anytime, anywhere. Making unmissable theatre available to everyone, whenever they want it. Schools, universities, and libraries around the world can subscribe to National Theatre Collection. Over 89% of UK state secondary schools are signed up to use it for free. 

They have young courses (for people aged 13-25) to help give young people a chance to gain experience and teaching from professionals in a professional theatre. The courses include prop making, archive tours, producers, workshops, space to create, writing for theatre, technicians, and stage management course. 

the young tech course

Connections 

Every year, Connections commissions new plays for young people to perform. The programme brings together some of the UK’s most exciting writers with the theatre-makers of tomorrow. In 23/24, we worked with over 250 youth companies from every corner of the UK. 

Connections Play last year

Connections is open to any company of young people aged 13-19, and up to 26 years old for groups with additional needs. You can be a school, a youth theatre or voluntary organisation. You can have lots of experience staging plays or none. Whoever you are, your group can apply to be part of Connections. 

Connections Play last year

 

Task 4 

On the 13th of March we performed our home performance of ‘Normalised’ in college at the Margaret Armstrong theatre. It took us a few months of rehearsals to complete it. At the start we read the script and discussed topics as a company that are addressed in the show like homophobia, college, and home life. I found this exercise extremely helpful. To help us figure out our individual character and help bring it top life we answered a lot of character development questions. The questions were about, basic facts, age, birthday, physical traits, home, education, family, friends, relationships, pets, favourite food, travel, fav films, personality traits, strengths, weaknesses, emotional questions, memories, values, and morals. After our show we had feedback from the director which we will work on to improve our performance for Newcastle Theatre Royal on 10 April.  

 

Task 5 

The objectives where to clearly tell Jay’s story and show the emotion of it. The characters motivations where to save the meadows and to keep Colm’s memory alive.  

To understand and create my character i answered a lot of questions about her. The questions were about, basic facts, age, birthday, physical traits, home, education, family, friends, relationships, pets, favourite food, travel, fav films, personality traits, strengths, weaknesses, emotional questions, memories, values, and morals. I found these questions extremely helpful to create her emotional connection to the piece and gave ideas of how to demonstrate her feelings to the audience.  

To make sure the audience could always see us and make them feel included in the story. We also included them in the vigil and cafeteria scene as Jay when he delivered his monologue to them as if they were in the scene. Their response was a standing ovation showing that we did a good job at delivering the story. 

Vocally, I did not speak much except for when I improved during some scenes. I used the improv to clearly demonstrate my characters part in the piece. For example, at the start of the vigil I was explaining to my friend how I knew Colm which was during.  

Physically, I used my stage craft well to make the scenes with ensemble look fuller and when I stopped in places, I made sure that the audience could see me and my character work. 

My contribution to ensemble scenes showed my character and the way they fit in the piece and with others. I was consistently in the moment as the character and responded and successfully used active listening to help create the group dynamic during the cafeteria scene for example.  

As this is set during school times, we all had school uniforms. The props I used was a bag, notebook and drink which are all things a six-form student would have. Real life props also help add to the realism off the piece and can make the scene look more interesting.  

My strengths during the show were clear storytelling, successful use of levels, good clear characterisation and I didn’t pull focus from the main plot. 

To improve, I could interact with other people more, keep a nice consistent pace and try to make the character’s backstory clearer but without pulling focus.  

I received feedback from a peer who watched me saying I had a clear consistent character and never broke focus. To improve she said that I could have more volume when talking.