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At the start of lockdown, it felt like all the fun stuff stopped. We couldn’t see friends, family or do any of the other activities we were used to. I missed this. I missed the friends I used to see, the family meet ups we used to have and the days where we went to the sea life centre or a zoo. But luckily there was a way round all of this and technology, in the form of Zoom, came to the rescue. It was a bit weird at first, having Young REP sessions online, it’s a different way of interacting and it’s strange not being in the same room as everyone, but you get used to it and luckily these negatives were countered out by the fact that the sessions were extremely fun no matter the situation we were all in. We did games, group rehearsals, different acting techniques, everything we would have been doing just slightly more on your own.

 

The time capsule was an amazing experience I will never forget. This was where each week we were given a task we could do optionally each week which let out your inner creativity and acting talents. I took part in most of these. These tasks could range from cooking a meal to learning a dance and were always fun. These tasks were made specifically for this current situation as most of it required you to stay at home and be creative with your surroundings.

 

The summer school was quite scary at first because it was my first social interaction I had had in ages. Initially I didn’t know half the people in the room and I only knew some of the members because they were in the Young REP but by the end, I felt like I knew everyone quite well. It was weird getting used to the social distance system, but I think it really worked well. I met some people I still socialize with today and it was maybe the best summer school I had ever been to.

 

The best thing about being involved in this group is that it is not just learning how to act, it is about making many different friends who share the same love for theatre and acting meaning everyone has something in common. This is also a very fun group and I wish lockdown was lifted so that we can all be in the same room again as it should be and put on a show!

Young REP Summer School Participant