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Lucy Robinson: Nothing Scared me but this!
65 Plays3 months ago
Join me this month as I talk to Lucy Robinson.
We talk about how she got started in Acting, taking part in National Youth Theatre and her being part of the Actor’s Forge and DJW Talent.
We also discuss the work she’s done with Sure Look Productions, and on Jetpac Global’s Travel Virgin series.
Finally, we discuss How to get to Heaven from Belfast and I get in trouble for not having seen Derry Girls.
Theme Song: Adam Sams.
Show logo: Craig Pearson
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Transcript
Podcast Introduction and Guest Overview
00:00:19
Speaker
Hello and welcome to What Makes a This is an interview podcast where I, Ryan Watson, speak to actors, writers, filmmakers, and a range of other artists from the northeast of England and sometimes beyond about what they do, how they make it work, and the media that inspires them to do that work. On today's episode, I'm speaking with Lucy Robinson.
00:00:33
Speaker
Lucy is an actress who's been involved in short films like Jammy, Jarek. Yeah, that was good. Good pronunciation. And the Sergitate. She's also worked on stage, recently completing a run with the People's Theatre in The Mirror Cracked.
00:00:45
Speaker
She's one of the co-hosts for the Travel Virgin show and is also in the upcoming feature film Blood Right, which I've been instructed I'm not allowed to speak about.
Performance Experiences and Audience Dynamics
00:00:52
Speaker
Lucy, how's it going? Yes, I'm good. That was quite an intro. Did I miss anything important? No, I think you nailed it. Thank you for having us. And again, I love your plant. Oh, yeah. Yes, there's a plant in the background that I never look at. sometimes started dripping recently, actually. I don't know what's happening. I'm crying. But yes, it's nice to finally have you on the show. We've been planning for a good while. I wanted to just actually mention, we did a comedy showcase on Saturday. How was it? Yeah, we did. And the only thing good about is that I didn't get to see the rest. I've seen the Saturdays on the afternoon, but didn't get to see our lot. Like, obviously, you were in the same segment as us. But it was so fun. It was the first time where I'd actually not had...
00:01:40
Speaker
any of my family and friends or anyone in the audience that I knew of, and apart from obviously and our class and stuff. And it kind of took the pressure off. It was weird. I always have someone there and it was just so fun to just be like, just go and have fun, chill out, go have fun. And it was fun. Comedy was fun. Like it's so hard to get right when we're obviously rehearsing, but yeah, it was so fun. What about you? Did you enjoy it? I did, yeah. I think like the thing that really got me is I'm so used to performing in the Actors Forge studio and then suddenly having to do it in a different space and being like, whoa, my voice has to work differently. The thing I've just kept saying to everyone who said, oh yeah, I enjoyed it, Ryan, I've been like, could you actually hear me? Yeah. I was so worried no one could hear me. That is the worst feeling being like, am I loud enough? Like, oh yeah. But I think you did. you did i heard a lot of laughs, so that's good. Yeah, no, everyone said I was loud enough, but then I asked Dan and Dan said, I could hear everything. You could have maybe been 10% louder, but but it we're okay. And I was like, there's room for improvement, but we're fine. We're fine. it's fine we can tell dan we're gonna do some voice workshops things at the forge yeah um but yeah and like you say yeah i'm like i want to say i really enjoyed your your sketches but i didn't watch them or if i did i was probably still in like come down mode from doing mine so um i'm sure you did very well but i i just couldn't take anything in for a while yeah buts It's so weird, isn't it? It's like, it's like you are not even present. Like you're just so worried or so high from what you've just done. Yeah. Even like with the forge, I'm always like, i've I've got to this thing where I have to go near the beginning or I'm just not concentrating on anything anyone else is doing. Yeah.
00:03:22
Speaker
The worst is when you sit there and you're like kicking yourself, being like, oh, why did I do this? Why did I do
Travel Virgin Show and Career Opportunities
00:03:27
Speaker
that? But yes, I had ah i had a good time. and Yeah, oh were nice I had to leave early. I didn't get to bow at the end. You didn't bow? No, I had to um i had to catch a train back to Ashington.
00:03:36
Speaker
ah and Because i we're going to York first thing the next morning. So we had to have to make sure we got a decent time train. okay fair enough that is sensible i am i didn't actually party with everyone i just didn't drink and it felt nice so yeah i think you did the right thing it's nice sometimes sometimes you feel like i want to stay out but also like sometimes it's nice to just know like i'm i'm going home oh but i was sad that i missed the i was sad that i missed the bow i saw all the photos on instagram and i was like oh i thought that looks so nice Oh no, that's like, that's the best bit for everyone coming together as well. But yes, I'm sure, I'm sure one day it'll work out. Yeah, you'll get a bow someday. Yes, one day. um Yeah, um so I guess to start on the questions, I guess I i always just start asking about my guests' background. So is it is it only like 2024 you got into acting?
00:04:28
Speaker
Because I think I started the term before you and even in your first few classes, I were like, Lucy's been doing acting for years. oh my god it's here fake it till you make it man no um yeah it was 2024 it was weird um i'd literally started is i don't even know where i start uh it's always been something bubbling in is like since i was a kid and i've always like performed with like my friends and stuff in the back garden and stuff we had like a pop-up club thing doing like high school musical and all that And then in school, i don't know what happened. Like, I did, when I was 14, I did, like, Oliver Twist at school and things. And I was, like, just part of Fagan's gang. and And I loved the idea of it. And I always wanted it. always craved it. Loved movies. Loved stage. i Loved everything. But I just didn't do it. I don't know what was in it. It was, like, I was scared of, like, enjoying. I don't know. I did everything else. Like, I would throw myself into, like, netball, like...
00:05:19
Speaker
trying to do art and I was crap like I would do everything nothing scared us but this and it was almost like I probably knew that it was for me and I just kind of was like delaying it I don't know and so yeah fast forward I had a bit of a career in London and stuff and and things like that and then this feeling just didn't go away so 2024 I did like a bit of extra work in like the February And I met this guy and and he was like telling us about his journey and stuff. And he'd said like, oh, like I i work with this guy, and Baz. Well, I know this guy, Baz, in Ireland.
00:05:53
Speaker
and So that was like in the February. And and then like I didn't do anything. I was thinking, and what do I do? What do I do? Just kept working. I was working for my brother's business at the time. And and then in the...
00:06:05
Speaker
July, I'd booked a one-to-one with Baz, ah just off out the living. and I was terrified, man. I was like, this guy's gonna be like, you've got no clue. Like, what are you trying to be an actor for? And it was like the best hour ever. Like he just like, he just gives this drive and this push to be like, no, no, no, you can do it. Like, give it a go. I had Baz from the start as like a mentor. Like there's been a lot of people that have been influential, but he um he has massively shaped my career. I'm the actor that I am today, now a year and a half later. and So I booked a five-day National Youth Theatre introductory course. I went five days down in Bristol and I said to my mum, I was so scared, man, Ryan. I was like, oh, honestly, I was like, what am I doing, man? Like, actually, Lucy, calm down. Like, you've paid 100 quid or whatever it was. You're an adult.
00:06:49
Speaker
You're 24-year-old. If you go in there and you didn't like it, just walk out. Like, nobody's forcing you to do this. And within 10 seconds of stepping foot in that studio space in Bristol, i was like, Oh my God, I've found it. I was with Katie Carmichael and Gareth Warren and both actors and and working in the industry and stuff.
00:07:08
Speaker
And then we'd spend five days together. And National Youth Theatre is just incredible. Like, I just, ah had a taster five days of it. and And it was just amazing. I met some amazing people we worked on.
Acting Training and National Youth Theatre Experience
00:07:21
Speaker
I'd never done a monologue before. I'd never done duologues. I'd never done improv. It was so scary. And you were just, like, thrown right into it for five days. And then we got to perform in front of... Anna Nyland who runs a lot of them the courses and things at National Youth Theatre and got feedback and it was just amazing and I came out being like, I've found it. I remember my mum being like, oh my god, I've never seen you so happy. And then literally this September, The Forge, I got in touch with Dan who is my best friend's
00:07:52
Speaker
brother-in-law is it as it happens I didn't even know but like she was like oh yeah like Dan runs like an acting academy and i'm like he runs an acting academy he's got like a hundred actors like this is a big deal so i started The Forge and I started uh DJW Daniel John Williams in Stockton and I just went all in and I just was doing those two classes a week and still continue to work with Baz and yeah so that sorry that is ah a long-winded way of like how I got into it No, no, that's great. I guess um I have a few questions, actually. First is, can you just tell us, ah what what is National Youth Theatre? Apart from, obviously, there's some explanation in the title. Yes, so National Youth Theatre is, um so it's a charity.
00:08:34
Speaker
It's an arts charity. that and It's based in London, but they've got, like, bases across the UK, and they have a lot more. There's a lot of opportunities now, like, up north and things. So it's for, I'm sorry, I don't want to get this wrong, I know that 16 and 25 is like almost the age range. They might do a bit younger as well. and But the idea is is that you audition and and if you get accepted, you gain access to training. So it's all different forms. So I did three weeks. This is this is a follow-on from like this year. I got into National Youth Theatre after I'd done this five-day course. you You audition and you apply. So you do three weeks of training called Epic Stages. I was like in the older group.
00:09:16
Speaker
and And you work with directors that are in the industry. And and it's very theatre based. and The training that I'd had. So I can't even say it without being like, it's the best thing ever. you You do pay. It's a charity, but you do pay for the training. But it's like, it's drama training and theatre based. And what you do is once you do once you go through this training, in this three weeks training, you then have the opportunities to be cast in their productions and things. It's very well respected in the industry. And it is, I'm not saying it's an alternate route to drama school. People go there and then go to drama school. It's amazing to get into drama school and having done National Youth Theatre and things. But it's just and at the most positive experience.
00:09:57
Speaker
playful, encouraging, amazing environment. it's It's something that I've never, I mean, i've all I've had a positive experience of the industry and things, but there it was just amazing. So I did like a five day introductory course, and but then I auditioned just earlier on 2025 and I got in and did like a three week course and then they offer like a rep training that is almost like a year of drama school but it's not it's like a year in the industry you go through intensive training and then you're performing and work across London and stuff that then rep r rep is an alternate route to drama school and It sounds like quite a good, um almost like ah like a sort of career path, like some structure to, you know, instead ah just kind of going to a few acting classes, sort of trying to get into things, it seems like it offers quite a a strong structure to sort of, don't know, I often think like a lot of the time you kind of, you're doing the work on your acting, but you're also doing a lot of work on finding opportunities outside of acting. And i'm um I'm sure it's not completely getting rid of that, but it seems like a nice way to lift some of that stress.
00:11:02
Speaker
Yeah, no, it is and I think that like the the people that you meet, like you hear everybody's stories from it um when I've done it in the summer, is just, you're in a cohort of like, you've got like 30 people and then there's like five groups, there's 150 of you as And that in itself, like if you're in the same year as people, like so many people go on to do incredible stuff and and there's and there's so much, like you work together all the time. There are always people looking out for each other and these are the people that are go you're going to grow with, you know? um
00:11:33
Speaker
So it is, it's great for, it's young, it's like, it's between
Overcoming Fears and Passion for Acting
00:11:36
Speaker
16 and 25, it is youth theatre. But I was, I was obviously 25, so I was on the cusp of it. So I've got like one year worth of it after. and But I would recommend it to any young person, especially like, obviously, like in the North East and stuff, like the fact that it's accessible um is amazing. bob But did you say you had to go to, were at Bristol, you said for it?
00:11:57
Speaker
Yeah, so they do some courses across like Manchester, Bristol, I think Birmingham. the They might have done some in Leeds as well. um and And they do like auditions and open days and things in Newcastle. Yeah, I went down to Bristol because it was just the the dates worked for me. So I went down for five days. Because you've obviously you've done the Actors Forge, you've done the National Youth Theatre, you mentioned DJW Talent, and there's the stuff with...
00:12:19
Speaker
Baz, it sort of seems like from the start you've had quite a lot of different kind of perspectives. I mean, is that is that something you found helpful? I mean, I assume there's quite quite a bit of difference in each of those avenues. Yeah, no, that that's it. and I think there's no set way and there's no one way I actually should study acting more, you know, like with the different methods in the books things. We've touched upon it in class and stuff, but i would like that's something that I would like to do this year. But it was a bit of a concern at the start being like, oh, like, is it going to be too many different ways and things like that? And like, is it better to just have one direct and one way of working? But actually, I think it really helped because it just, and because I'd gone from not doing acting at all, never, ever, ever doing anything with acting, to then coming into it and being like, okay, like doing a lot of like, DJW, we did a lot of device work. You would get like improv, you would get and scenarios and things. and And we would do a lot of writing in and performing week on week. And you know like and it was more very much like working on the craft, but also like just complete creativity. And then the forge, like how different each term was and things. and and how like we're going through different methods and then we're doing script work and scene work and and working towards showcases and and it was just like i was getting all these different flavors and ways of work and it was just opening us up more and more and more but it's it's at the at the end of it is is that like there is no set way it's just like you hear all the time of people saying you're just adding to your toolbox and you're just adding the more you get under the belt the more that you know the more that you work with the the better really and um there is no set way and it's just about like i'm still figuring out god i am still figuring out of course i think we all are like i think that it's it it just something works differently and it and it it's um it's something that really excites us because i just don't think you have stop learning you mentioned how terrified you were when you first went to the national with the national youth theater you said is that something you still feel now or do you feel like you're kind of kind of over some of that like i assume it's changed in some way what what's
00:14:25
Speaker
Yeah, mean, that was a different film That was literally like, what are you doing with your life? like Are you literally having a midlife crisis of 24? What are you doing? You're going to and buzz about being an actor? But now, it doesn't like and I was so scared before about like you know like changing you changing your profile to to actor and And care on what people thought and things But now, I honestly am just at peace with this is what you're supposed to do um so that bit doesn't scare us it just like it it may it gives us a reason to wake up every morning but acting yeah god it's terrifying i mean you yeah i don't know about yourself ryan with like going on stage and things like that like it's it is it it's a terrifying but it but sometimes i can't remember i think i was speaking was speaking with an actor and we're saying like why why do we do it but it's because i can mean like because we love it like there's that feeling of after and
00:15:20
Speaker
and when you're saying coming off the show like that feeling of high you can't reciprocate that like in any other in any other dimension I don't think um but yeah I think I do get scared i have massive imposter syndrome and I worry a lot but um I wouldn't be doing anything else I think it's just always something I like to ask when it's to me I just see you you you did your travel virgin show when you're traveling the world to make films and stuff and it's like You know, i've I've talked to enough people now that I know that the people who seem confident do have those ah those sorts of worries. I just always think it's like important to hear hear about those things. Because like I say, a big lesson for me has always always just been like, there's no such thing as confident people and not confident people. It's like everyone's just here like these weird terrified balls that are just kind of projecting whatever they can out into the world.
00:16:07
Speaker
ah I like that. That is a really good question. I also, uh, when I were talking to Liam the other day, I kind of described the stage thing as a bit like I went, I went to all in towers last year and it were like, I went on some roller coasters and while I were on the roller coaster, I were like, why the hell am I doing this? This is terrifying. But then as soon as I got off, I were like, that were amazing. I want to go back on. and it they with the same feeling yes that is literally it like that is that is a great explanation because it is it's like those seconds before going on stage or those seconds and before like they're about to say action it's literally like what I get you Obviously there's not it there' not like you're in, red you're prepping as a character and stuff for the scene, but like there is an element of like, I read the other day, I think I shared it on Instagram where it's like, and you know, like your heartbeat when you literally like feel like you're going to have a panic attack before you're doing stuff. And it's like, oh, it's just like get anybody giving yourself like an inner applause. And I was like, that now is beautiful. So like anytime that I feel it, I'm like, that's your body saying, come on, you can do it.
Film Projects and Professional Relationships
00:17:11
Speaker
That's really nice actually. Yeah. I'm not taking credit for that, guys, but I did share it. i'm sure I'm sure whoever said it had seen it somewhere else anyway. Okay, it's so I guess I kind of just wanted to ask about some of the things you've actually been in. I mean, you know, oh I'll start with the travel version because I was watching it this morning. Really? Really? I was just having a quick flick through and a little little research. But you just got to go to it were London and then I only watched the first episode, but then you're going to Morocco. Did you go other places after that?
00:17:46
Speaker
No, we just went to Morocco. It was, Ryan, it was it was mental. Like, I still i still check myself. on I'm a bit like, I i am so excited for for my future and I'm working hard and and I'm so excited for what to come. But like, if anything was to happen, I always say this, I was like...
00:18:05
Speaker
I got to literally go to Morocco with the most craziest people. And that for me, if I'd said that to like five-year-old Lucy, like I'll, and even when I traveled when I was 19 and stuff, like you're going to go and travel with the crew live.
00:18:20
Speaker
do this series i'll be like nah get lost like that for me is just everything it was so much fun like and i am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have gone being flown out staying in some beautiful places with some real genuine people that were extremely talented like it's so quirky it's so how cool is the way that they filmed it and like it's it's so unique like There's one bit, where sorry, what's um what's the the what's his name again?
00:18:49
Speaker
Yeah, there's one bit on the one I watch where the phone comes out of his face and I'm all like, wow, this is they're really going go in there with some of the editing stuff. Yeah, and he kept saying, was like, when we do it, he's like, guys, this bit, you're just going to have like a phone come out of your head and stuff. And we're like, what? Yeah. But the art, the sort this style is amazing. like I love the work. Eye on the director is just amazing. and And it was just, we got there and it was every time we'd be doing stuff like this is just mental. Like what are we doing? They got us like milking a camel. and Which was really not like not fun at all. It was disgusting. And I didn't feel good doing it. And then we were just like ru belly dancing. it was just it was everything that you You probably wouldn't do some of the stuff as a you know as a tourist when you go on holiday. It was just adventure filled and so much fun.
00:19:45
Speaker
Oh my goodness. right there And like I say, the crew, that just makes everything. like would We would have so much downtime together and just got to know each other the really well. and I think that makes it. You feel so comfortable and it and you like you feel so authentic because you're being true to yourself and and the crew around you. Because at the end of the day, is me and Sean, although were like we're being filmed, it is us experiencing these things, which was crazy. Yeah. I'm kind of curious with it because the idea is obviously Sean, as he just not traveled before. it's all ah He mentioned in the one that i watched that he spent a lot of time. It was weirdly relatable, actually. like I have been to some places, but he was saying ah he works a lot on his his comedy and he's felt like maybe travel's a thing that'll come after that. And that is weirdly relatable. I did script writing at uni and I was like, I'm going to try and do script writing and then I can deal with nice things like that later. And I mean, over the years, I kind of just fell off of everything. Yeah, so his, ah so his I don't want to say like character because it's not like fiction, but sort of the way he's presented in the show is somebody who's not travelled and you, is that part of the kind of the casting process? You are sort of a more seasoned traveller. Yeah, exactly. It was, then yeah, the concept was really cool. So it was like, it was sponsored by Jetpack, which is like an ASIM, um,
00:21:01
Speaker
God, that sounds like that sounded like me doing the advert for them. Sponsored by Jeff guy. So yeah, they they wanted to do a fun and like a production with Ballsy, which VJ, who i know the guy who runs this agency. And they wanted they wanted to bring a travel virgin, so Sean, and they ran this big competition of like looking for virgins as such who've never left their country. And Sean has never traveled anywhere before, just never left the States. And like say, yes, he he's been focused on his career and stuff. So yeah, it was the first time he came to the UK and nevermind Morocco as well and left America. And I remember just meeting him and like within the first five seconds of landing, like he literally got scammed in like the airport getting money. I think he was transferring money, like changing his money over. And he got in, he was like, I was like, please, please, nobody leave him alone. Like nobody leave him alone. Because like I was then being like this expert, travel expert of like, I have traveled like a lot throughout since I was like younger and stuff. But I'm like, I still haven't done a lot of stuff. But yeah, it was meant to be me taking him under my wing. And then we got put and got all these different challenges and things like that through Morocco to get to the next step. And we had so many like, like Zach from Love Island, he like came down an alleyway in London and he's like, yo, this is what you need to do. And like we'd run in London dressed up being idiots. So there's all these different tasks and challenges.
00:22:24
Speaker
And it was just amazing for Sean because this was everything. It was first time from every single thing, like, that he did, stepping off that plane in London to then going back to America, like after Morocco was just first time for him. So we did have to watch him, like, oh, he got scammed so much in Morocco, like, so many times that we had to be like, Sean, like, do not go out of sight.
00:22:47
Speaker
um But yeah, I think he did enjoy it. I think it's ins inspired him to to want to travel more. But yeah, this is what happens with with us, doesn't it? with With wanting to be so focused on the career and and the creative and the arts and not wanting to take some time out. but travel is, um for me, is just the the best way to learn about anything and yourself. I always joke about like, oh I fell off all that stuff, but actually it's like leaving all that stuff behind and then doing something like acting a few years later. I feel like it's like you take the time to become like a real person and you can sort of, you can sort of bring that that back in and it takes a lot of the pressure off. Um, it's it's a really fun show i'm like i'm i feel like i might how many how many episodes is there is it is it four oh yeah i feel like they're not that long i feel like i'm gonna finish yeah they're only looking it and it's like give them just give them go there's something that is just really nice about like just seeing people have fun in a in a in a place that's not here yeah yeah
00:23:44
Speaker
uh so yeah i feel yeah it were ah it were a good good watch and i also enjoyed the is it called cyber dog i've seen i feel like i've been there before but i didn't really know what to yeah but and those make very raunchy at places yeah uh definitely uh get yourself in man ryan yeah you know you know ah um But yes, okay, so I guess I wanted to ask you as well about, um I'm not going to say it right, Jareg. Jareg. Jareg jere and ah Bloodwright. They were both with Baz and Emma.
00:24:23
Speaker
I guess obviously you can't talk too much about Bloodwright, but i guess can you just sort of tell us about Jareg and how that came about and did one sort of lead to the other? So obviously I started working with Baz in the July um and would have like weekly one-to-ones and things. and And I remember him saying like just one day, just messaged me like, oh, like the shame like you weren't in Ireland because like we need someone to come over to be a maid in Jared. And was like, Baz, didn't you worry about that?
00:24:51
Speaker
I'm flying over. He was like, what? i was like, I'll come over. Didn't worry about it. Like, and and I did. So lovely, Emma, at the time I hadn't met Emma, this is, so Baz and Emma are a man and wife. and and emma was directing it it was her baby she'd she'd written it and and then they were both producing it and yeah she she was like okay send a headshot and she took a look and said okay she can come on board and i just flew out i was like yeah get me there so i came on set and i and i and it was just incredible was my first ever time working in that capacity in it and it was in
00:25:25
Speaker
because it was Baz and Emma and the people that they work with it the the love working with like you know like the crew that they've like accumulated and it was just amazing like it was so Jarek is coming out this year and um it's a gothic horror and it was just insane like that where we filmed it what it was like and and it was my first experience of like really being on I'd done maybe like a bit of extra work and like in the North East and things but it was my first time getting a taste of of being on set in that capacity know it was just like this is insane and I felt incredibly grateful that they were like yes okay you can come on set like fine and I just loved it and I met some amazing people that um so yeah that'll be coming out uh this year and um yeah as a result obviously like built a very good relationship with Baz and Emma themselves and um Blood Right was something that came later on in
00:26:18
Speaker
Yeah, last year, where Baz again has written, directed and he stars in it. And he did the same for, the they did a film, Dublin Crust. That was their first feature film they did. And then would then they did Jareg and then Bloodwright. I'm in it which is just amazing and and that again i don't even know what to say other than like ah you probably I'm a bit insufferable being so positive but Ryan I can't help it like it's like I've had such a positive experience of the industry that that that I am on a high like blood right for me was just
00:26:53
Speaker
the best and I know that I'm saying that you think it's best everything's better like but it was just the most amazing experience and so it's a it's a feature film that is set to be released this year and it's a horror and it's about a family that have lost their grandfather and what that does to them and in terms of greed and things. So that's all I'm going say.
00:27:19
Speaker
And I'm going to say that we're, you know, we we flew out to Finland and we filmed this feature film and it was just incredible, like, amazing. And I...
00:27:30
Speaker
I don't know. I don't even know what it means. Like, I can't believe I've made a feature film. Like, and I've been part of making a feature film. I think that is just mental. So it is coming out this year. So we're going to keep our eyes peeled. But I'm sure, I'm sure I'll, obviously we'll keep in touch and you'll be able to see it all over me through the Instagram. But yeah. It seems like you have this kind of ability to just sort of, you get to have a lot of fun.
00:27:52
Speaker
Yeah. Like you get to go to Ireland and Finland and I don't know, like, I guess the sort ah the thing I'm sort of trying to ask is like, you seem to do a lot of these things that are just so big in terms of kind of commitment, but kind of like everything seems so like kind of monumental, like it's like, I'm going here and I'm going here. And it's like, Dia, is it just that you're good at talking to people and finding your way into these things? Or is there some kind of like specific kind of plan like to find these sorts of things? No plan, just utter chaos. And I think that is just maybe it's it's not about, I think maybe me as a person is like, I'm like,
00:28:34
Speaker
I just don't care enough in the sense of like, why not? Do you what mean? And I think that's the thing, that's why I kick myself about acting is like, why is this the only thing that I never tried until I was 24? Like, I literally would anything. Like, I went six months to be a holiday rep in Turkey and was just like, being an idiot for six months, like...
00:28:57
Speaker
Like, and and nothing nothing really scared us. Like, I traveled, i I tried different jobs, I quit jobs, ah I put myself out there, and and i always would... you know what I mean? Like, there all these things that i would just... And um and i I just didn't know how I would just make it work. So that's kind of my approach is now with with with acting and things is, okay, yes, it is costly. It is so costly, but I've spent the past six years since I left school, sixth form, spending so much money on clothes, partying, festivals, holidays.
00:29:26
Speaker
And now I get to work and all that money goes back into myself. Like for me, it's just like, I don't see anything stopping us. I'm just all go. And that is that it's just like, I don't like to try and make excuses for myself. And I think it's because I worked in something that I'm incredibly grateful for. It was a great opportunity down in London and things. And I met some amazing people and I loved it. It's part my life. But I now have found something that I truly care about. And I do work hard and I am just all in. So there's no excuses. There's nothing that stops us. And I'll make it work. And luckily, have got shout out to my beautiful job at Aiden's Kitchen because they are so flexible with us. I think on the money thing as well, I'm kind of like, you know, I'm in my 30s now and what you learn is the money goes anywhere. It goes anywhere. You might as well spend on something that is important to you and allowing you all these like amazing experiences to do something you want to do. Yeah, you make it work. If I look back and think about the money that I've spent on acting, like I never regret single term that I've spent on The Forge or anything I did with DJW or a running a shouting course or a one-to-one with Baz or an accent training, anything that you are literally paying for. And you're oh my God, where am I going to get the money from? And it's a struggle. Every artist struggles.
00:30:42
Speaker
Every artist struggles and I am struggling, but all I know is, is like, it comes back, you get a job and then it comes back. Like, oh or you, or you get extra shifts because it's a bit quiet. It just, you just keep going. I think that like, you just make it work. And if you want it, you'll really go for it and you'll do anything you can.
Stage Experience and Media Recommendations
00:31:00
Speaker
um But that's so easy for me to say Because I'm back living with my mum and dad And I don't have any financial responsibilities Or ah ah children Or anything like that like And I am very aware of that and So that's why it's like now feels at the right time To be able to throw myself into it If not I might have a bit of a different Outlook and approach Oh
00:31:22
Speaker
You've just been at the People's Theatre. Is that, looking through your spotlight, it seemed to be the main thing you've done on stage, but now I know more about the National Youth Theatre. Is that like, how much stage stuff have you done before? Yeah, I mean, like, National Youth Theatre, we did the three weeks training, and then... and We then did a play that was written by James Fritz, who's an incredible playwright. Like, it was mental that we got to work with him. And and he'd written us a play that we were able to perform at the end. It was, like, it's almost, like, a bit like a showcase. Like, we had our friends and families come, and we were performed in front of all all of all of the peers. So we did it in a round, like, in a theatre in a round. So I'd done that, and it was part of an ensemble piece. because So there was 30 of us. that was That was, like, my first time really being...
00:32:07
Speaker
in a stage capacity um well no it wasn't the ford showcase last year was so i did the ford showcase then did that was my first time ever on stage and then national youth theater and then um yeah the people's theater was um my first time ever doing a play and working on a play so uh the way they operate obviously they're charity community community ran Their productions are brilliant. They art a very, very good theatre. And it was great because it was like six weeks working on a play, three times a week, and then you perform it for like five night run, which is just an amazing opportunity. But yeah, it was Agatha Christie and Mirror Cracked.
00:32:46
Speaker
And I played Cherry Baker. She's a Cockney girl. I'm not going to, i don't know why I nearly started to do the accent. of I thought, don't do it. Yeah, of ah you know, there's always a curiosity where I'm like, I'll give the accent and go, but I've learned that it's not always polite to ask people to do the accent on demand.
00:33:03
Speaker
It's like when they i do the roar to Shrek. I once heard something about Jodie Comer and people would always ask her to do the accents from Killing Eve and she'd be like, I can't just do it. like i need I need to work up to Yeah, not performing monkey. So I think that's all the main questions I have for you. I was just wrap up by asking about um a film, TV show, piece of media that that you want to talk about. did Do you have such a thing?
00:33:31
Speaker
Yes, I mean I have loads. Just recently, like me and mum have been watching it, and up How to Get to Heaven from Belfast. Have we seen it? I don't think I have. No, I've not even heard of it. ah it's a It's a TV series. It's on Netflix. Give it a go. It's such an easy watch. But it's em the creator and writer Lisa McGee from Derry Girls because I loved that. like That was just amazing. I could watch that back to back. It's so funny. and and she's done this and and it's such a quirky drama mystery but comedy like right it's good crack I'm a big fan it and it just I love I love anything that's um Irish or Northern Irish and it kind of like it's not the same crack as us us Northerners but it's like similar like I just I think we all get along very well which I'm so grateful like that I've been out there work so much in Ireland and with Irish people because I just love them But yeah, definitely give it watch. It's just... I don't want to spoil it, but it's it's... Yeah, it's so good and it reminds us a lot of Derry Girls because of that style of writing and and then the characters she has. They're just very wacky, good. It sounds like a good one to to to give a look. You know, I've still not even watched Derry Girls. that's You know when there's someone on your list for years and you've just never you've just never got to it?
00:34:47
Speaker
Oh my God, if everyone could see my face right now, I am so disappointed, Ryan. I'm sorry. You know when you know it's good and you just have not... I'm sorry. Okay. No, it's it's so good. get i mean, you wouldn't be able to relate because of the whole old girls' school, but I think that's why it's set so much with me my mom because it was like setting an old girls' school, old Catholic girls' school. It's just like that in itself. But, oh, my God, the humor. ah Yeah, give it a watch because it's it's just so easy and it's just like it's ain't laugh out loud watching.
00:35:19
Speaker
Like laugh out loud laughing watching. Yeah. ah Yeah, I'll definitely i'll definitely give ah give it a look. I know an all-girls school is not the same as an all-boys school, but I did briefly go to an all-boys school. did you got but Did you go to Sydney? No, I lived in Bradford. I lived in Bradford when I were a kid. Yeah, I forgot about that I was like, yeah, I remember you being from Bradford. Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah, an all-boys school. No, but it's shared torture.
00:35:42
Speaker
ah um Well, I guess thank you for for talking to me. It's been really good to talk to you. And would you like to, is there anything you'd like to plug? And can you tell us where we can find you?
00:35:54
Speaker
um What would I like to put? I mean, yeah, keep your eyes peeled for Jareg and Bloodwright coming out this this year. It's super brick exciting. And if you want to follow us, I am happy to engage with other incredible creatives in the North East and everywhere else at Lucy F. Robinson.
00:36:14
Speaker
Thank you again. And I'll see you later. Thanks.
00:36:19
Speaker
What Makes You Tick is hosted, produced and edited by me, Brian Watson. Thank you to Adam Sams for the theme music and to Craig Pearson for the show logo. Thanks again to Lucy for speaking to me for this episode. Join me for next month's episode of What Makes You Tick, which will be available on Wednesday at the 6th of May. And keep an eye on at Makes You Tick Pod on Instagram for an early preview.
00:36:37
Speaker
Thanks for listening.