“What studied torments, tyrant, hast for me?”

(William Shakespeare, The Winter’s Tale, Act III, Scene II, Paulina)

So, it’s been a while since I acted, what with the pandemic and all (though I won’t pretend that was the only reason.) But I’ve missed it, and today I’m very excited to be taking part in Class BASH’d, a two-week audition and technique course for Shakespeare, taught by James Wallis and Julia Nish-Lapidus, both prominent Shakespeare aficionados. 

“What wheels? racks? fires? what flaying? boiling?

In leads or oils? what old or newer torture

Must I receive, whose every word deserves

To taste of thy most worst?”

(William Shakespeare, The Winter’s Tale, Act III, Scene II, Paulina)

Acting and I have an interesting relationship. I love it. I resent it. I have so much fun. I put so much pressure on myself. It’s technical, but it’s also wildly abstract and messy. 

To be honest, I don’t know that I’ve ever been the ‘best’ actor in a room, and I’m not sure whether that’s something to aspire to, especially given how subjective the work is. I’d rather be the actor who’s having the most fun, although I’m not sure whether I’ve succeeded in that before either. I can pinpoint a few experiences where I truly ‘let go’ and had a blast – and they were the most successful moments of acting in my life so far. I had other wonderful moments of levity throughout my education and theatre experience but acting and I haven’t always gotten along.

Now, living in Ottawa, there seem to be far fewer opportunities than I became accustomed to in Toronto. Now, if I want to act, I have to really want it. I have to go digging for opportunities to audition and perform. It’s a far cry from having opportunities overwhelming your feed and having to choose what not to submit for.

If I’m being honest, I miss the wealth of prospects that Toronto had to offer, and the easy access to theatre in all shapes and sizes. That being said, I’m sure the scene has changed dramatically over the past couple of years, and things may not be as rose-coloured as I recall them (things rarely are, after all.) 

But I digress. The point is, things are beginning to move again, and this is the first chance I’ve had in a long while to act and perform for my peers and some very impressive instructors. I’m excited. And nervous.

My goal, truly, is to have fun. I want to enjoy this experience as much as possible and make the most out of a wonderful opportunity. I already love Shakespeare, so I have a good steppingstone.

So here’s to having fun!

Love,

Jules ❤