Performing on Stage: Can You Face the Challenge?

Many actors will admit that no matter how experienced you are, the fear of performing on stage never truly disappears There are always the initial nerves as you first step on, as the curtain opens and you are exposed to an audience who may applaud or criticise your work. For some of us, the initial adrenaline shuts us down. It overpowers our senses and stops us from being able to perform. For others, it only wakes them up and gives them an energy of excitement that flows into their work. I think last night proved that I was the latter of the two.

I have been attending drama classes since I was 10. I have never been a huge fan of the large drama companies who have many branches across the country- my friend's experience of a similar dance company was one that I would not like to experience myself. Instead, I have been dedicated to a small local group for 8 years and last night I was sad to take my final bow on stage. Last night was, sadly, our final show as the group is now having to close. It was an emotional night, especially for three of our group, including myself, who have been attending classes for years. Despite this, we were able to perform to our fullest and successfully performed the pieces we had been rehearsing for months.

But how is my drama group relevant to you, dear reader? Well, this is where I'll get to the point. For those of you who haven't really given drama much thought, I would highly recommend you try it. Performing in a play can greatly increase your confidence and allows you to escape the stress of day-to-day life. As you become a different person, the pressure and worries from your life tend to melt away until you are no longer yourself- you are your character. For me, some characters come more easily than others. Playing Grandpa Joe in our performance of Charlie and the Chocolate factory was difficult for me as I hadn't much insight into the elderly. As for last night's play, we performed a few scenes from the play Teechers, by John Godber. I played a chavvy (a british stereotype- google it) guy, completely unlike myself, but I found that he was much easier to portray as I have known people similar to him and so was able to draw from them to create a much more believable character.

For those shyer people amongst you, I would still recommend that you give acting a try. Believe it or not, I am usually quite shy around people. However, give me a script, put me on stage and I'm fine. I think a fear of being judged can often be a hindrance to people's lives but when you are on stage, you can't really see your audience- the lights are either too bright or you are in character and so can't pay much attention. Either way, you'll find that not being able to see your audience can actually help to reduce that fear.

Now that I have left my drama group, I shall be joining a drama society at university. It just goes to show... once an actress, always an actress.