Producing Dorian Gray

"Every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter." - 

Oscar Wilde.

Ever since the start of uni, I've been meaning to join a society, but I've always been too lazy to. Silly me. This year I finally forced myself to go along to a taster session (I've not been to one since the women's rugby in first year..it was a traumatizing experience, including me getting jumped on and squashed)...But anyway, this year I decided to do something different, and so I joined BEDS (Bangor English Dramatic Society) to do some backstage work. I've never had any experience with theatre before, other than my drama group when I was about nine, so I thought it'd be quite interesting, and a good way to meet new people.

I was offered the role of Producer of The Picture of Dorian Gray, the first play being performed this year. I was absolutely terrified (refer back to my lack of experience!), but I accepted. It's a challenge, right? Yep! A great one though, and I'm loving every minute of it.

Over the last few weeks, I've been working with the three great directors Sam, Georgina and Jordan, and well as the head of production Robin and the person in charge of costume Rachel, shopping for props and costumes (especially tricky as Dorian is being played by a girl). This week we've been preparing for production week by building the set (spending  hours wallpapering flats to look like Victorian drawing rooms).

So now Production Week is here. Day off tomorrow (although I'm spending the day working on my 60 page script, so it doesn't really count as 'off') and then from Sunday it's full steam ahead. I am also being trained up by the lovely Kathryn, head of BEDS, to become a Stage Manager. Daunting. But still fun. This means that basically, I will be in charge whilst the play is being performed. I have to be super organised and know exactly where everything is, and where everybody should be at all times. Organised, me?! Hmm...only time will tell I suppose!

So basically, BEDS is really fun, and I just wish that I had had the sense to join in my first year instead of leaving it so late! I think I'm gunna try and blog about Production Week as it goes along, but that depends if I have time! Wish me luck. Or, well, to break a leg :)

Graduation Bucket List

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” 

Theodore Roosevelt

I've been living in Bangor for nearly two and a half years now, and it occurred to me recently that I haven't made the most of my time here. The fact that I'm (hopefully) going to graduate in July has made me panic a little bit and think 'must.have.fun' before we all leave.


So during dinner the other night, Amie, Tasha and I decided to come up with a 'Graduation Bucket List', full of fun and interesting things to do (if that's possible in Bangor?!) before we graduate. I 'borrowed' the idea from my mum, who's in the process of making a '40 things to do before 40' list. Whilst writing it, we decided that along with the group list of things to do together, we should also have a set of personal goals that we have to achieve too. We've set up a group blog so that we can keep track of the main list, which can be found here...
 http://canwedoitall.wordpress.com/
and we've also set up our own personal blogs to keep track of our own personal ones (I thought I might as well just use this one!)

So over the next few days, I'm going to be thinking of personal goals to add to my list. So far, I have one thing on my list, haha!

• Be an extra in a BEDS play. 

Clearly, I am yet to be inspired! If anyone has any good ideas, feel free to comment and let me know! :)