Why Am I So Single ? More like: Why Am I So In Love With This Show?

 To a casual observer, the idea of love and rejection in a musical may be seen as a bit of an overplayed concept. It is not everyone's cup of tea to have two and a half hours spent watching a couple go through the motions until they reach their ultimate will-they-won't-they moment, before either something goes tragically wrong, or they reach their happily ever after.

This is why the musical "Why Am I So Single?" is a breath of fresh air. It actually encapsulates a lot of people's internal struggles around the dating world. It asks a lot of difficult questions, such as "Is it me, or is my perception of the very notion of love just so skewed?", or "Am I pushing love away on purpose, or is it my own behaviour, my own attitude, that's pushing other people away from me?" 

The story is centered around Nancy and Oliver, and was penned by the same writers as the hit musical, "Six", Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss. They are two best friends who are trying to write a musical about love, but end up reminiscing about their own dating failures, which leads them to trying to work out just why is that they are both so single? 

The production itself was cleverly staged, with the ensemble members not only doing a lot of performing and reacting, but also doubling up as props, which was just a delightful and quirky touch to an equally delightful and quirky show. The show numbers were on two extremes, one end being absolute bops that lifted the entire theatre with a sense of community and joy, and then on the other end being absolute heart wrenching ballads that touched your very soul. At one stage there was even a song that, on paper, sounded like it was all going to be happy and joyful, but then actually unleashed a powerful internal struggle of one of the characters, the unravelling of which made the entire audience just thunder with applause when it reached the end, because you knew the message of the song, and you knew it would resonate with people not only on stage but in the audience as well.

I was lucky to have seen a preview of the show at Musical Con 2024, with the leads Jo Foster and Leesa Tulley, who both did an amazing job showcasing the songs "Why Am I So Single?" and "Just In Case" but when I saw the show later on that day, it was a treat to see an understudy take on the role of Oliver, and this was Jordan Cambridge-Taylor, who absolutely nailed their part. I saw an amazing chemistry between both pairings, and in both cases it felt like they had cultivated off stage a beautiful friendship, as it certainly manifested itself so purely on stage. 

What I liked especially about the show is that it was playful when it needed to be, but when it came to delving into serious topics, such as around how queer and non-binary people navigate the world of dating, in a world that is too often unkind and uncaring, it went for those hard hitting lines, both in the music and in spoken words, that I think actually helped me understand a little more the different ways a person can be rejected, and what defenses a person has to rely on and build up to help navigate the cruelty of the world. I actually found myself holding my breath at times until it felt like a safe place to release and relax.

I have always thought a good musical theatre show makes you forget about the world but a really good musical theatre show makes you remember what the world really is, and what good and bad can bleed from it. 

This was a delightful piece of theatre and one I hope extends its run so it brings hope and laughter to more people. For now, I will sign off by saying I hope if there's one thing theatre teaches people, is that love and acceptance are the best things we can bring to the world as human beings, and with the right people in our lives, the question is no longer "Why Am I So Single?" but "Why Am I So Lucky?"    

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The Art of Being A Solo Adventurer

 To a casual observer, and for a certain period of time, going to places on your own, particularly places that you would normally deem a group activity, was more for the oddball of society. Now, however, and thankfully, it is becoming more and more popular for people to do things and go places alone. 

I honestly cannot recommend it enough, and I find it is a lovely adrenaline rush when people compliment me on the bravery of going out alone. This is a post long overdue, because I want to share some tips and tricks for those who want to try going out somewhere, or doing something on their own, particularly in an ever changing world whilst some things may be safer than ever, it is still a relatively unsafe world in places, but for someone who once was convinced she would never go to places like London on her own, take it from : you are brave just for being yourself, no matter what that looks like.

So, without further adieu, here are my top ten tips for starting your own solo adventures, whether you embark on an entire voyage alone, or if you just want to have the courage to go to a theatre show alone. 

1) Start small. People have different comfort levels. If you are too nervous going out of town on your own, start simple. Go to the end of the road on your own. Go for a walk on your own, to an area that is familiar to you. Once you conquer your own back garden, so to speak, you can then venture as far or as close to home as you feel comfortable. You'll be surprised how, over time, the boundaries of your own comfort zone start to stretch to encompass more and more of the world. 

2) Set goals. Work out what it is you really want to do on your own, and create smaller goals that help you build up to achieving your bigger dream. If you want to go abroad on your own, for example, start visiting cities in your own country, and venture further and further out until you have the confidence to move on a step. If you want the confidence to dine out alone, start by cooking yourself a meal and setting yourself up in an area that looks and feels like a restaurant, maybe put on some background music. Create the ambience of a restaurant. You'll be surprised how quickly, over time, your little steps evolve into big leaps. 

3) Plan for adventure, but leave room for spontaneity. Make sure you plan, plan, plan for the basic things, such as getting to your destination, booking tickets for the activities you want to do, etc. but don't book yourself into such a tight box that you can't fit anything else in. Sometimes the biggest surprises come from spontaneous experiences. If you still need that organised structure to your adventure, then block out an hour or two for miscellaneous activities, and don't put any other label on it. Use that time to explore, learn a new skill, or meet new people. 

4) Don't be afraid to stop something if it doesn't feel fun anymore. Don't put pressure on yourself to try new things for the sake of trying something new, particularly if doing so is going to set you back mentally. Your mental health comes first. Even if your halfway through something, give yourself an out. I would even say before you do anything, make sure there is a stopping point, or an escape route if you need to leave and take some time to gather yourself. Money can be replaced, you can't. No new experience is worth it, and you can always work up to trying again in the future. 

5) Speak to other people. People, for the most part, want you to succeed. If you have got something you want to try, you might know someone who can give you tips or tricks to help you. If you're going on a solo trip, people may know good places to visit in that vicinity, or they may show you places to get discounts. There are only a handle of activities that only a small number of people will have ever done, so there is always a wealth of knowledge and experience you can draw upon to get you the most out of whatever it is you want to do. 

6) Don't worry about what other people think of you. A good thing to remember is that doing things alone doesn't make you a weirdo, or a loner. Only you know yourself. If you always worry about what other people think, you'll never get anything done, and it is exhausting managing your own thoughts, let alone the thoughts of everyone else. Be proud you want to take control of what you want to do, instead of arguing about it in a group of other people. 

7) Take photos/videos. Document your experience, whether it's taking one photo, or a hundred. You may end up discarding them after, but it's a good thing to look back on and see what you've done, and who you've become. I still look back at all my photos of my many adventures, and sometimes it strikes me that I have visited so many places, seen so many shows, that I can't quite believe I'm the same girl who used to be so shy she could barely look a person in the eye when talking to them. 

8) Always give yourself something to look forward to. In a world where it's easy to despair or feel scared of what is going on around the globe, we have to create our own victories, our own moments of glory in just being alive. Take advantage of opportunities to create your own happiness. Once you plan one activity, the rush will compel you to plan many more and it takes a new life of its own. 

9) Keep your phone charged, but disengage from it whenever you can. By this I mean, make sure you have a way of contacting people if you need help, but don't sink into your phone and forget to take in the world around you. Enjoy just being part of the fabric of the world. 

10) Encourage yourself. You are your own cheerleader, and if you believe you can do something, you can. The more you encourage yourself to take risks, experience new things, the more likely you are to grow as a person, and you may even one day share your own knowledge with other people in the hopes of encouraging them to do as you have done. 

We may not get a lot right as a species, but when we believe in ourselves, we can light a fire in ourselves that doesn't easily get put out. All we have to do is keep fanning the flames. 

I Was "Enchanted" to See Her - A Taylor Swift Eras Tour Retrospective

 To a casual observer, when you hear the name Taylor Swift you will likely have an impression of her, good or bad. Even if this is not the case, you will no doubt have an opinion on her music, whether you've heard one song, or twenty of them.

I have been a Taylor fan for years, and knew this was going to be a special show, particularly as this was the first time I was seeing her live, but this concert was to redefine the concert experience for me, in all the best ways. 

Whether you're a casual fan of something, or know every inch of the folklore behind the art / artist itself, I think there's a beauty in people being united by a love of the same thing. The Eras Tour was a stark reminder of how wonderful humanity can be, and how united we can be, if we only realised our similarities as humans far outweigh our differences. 

I went to night one of the Eras Tour in Wembley Stadium, London, and the whole area was in full Taylor Swift festival mode, with a venue dedicated to playing all of Taylor's hits being the perfect spot to get the party vibes going in preparation for the concert itself. There were songs of hers blaring out all the way to the stadium from speakers, so that even the journey up to the venue felt magical, and everyone was adorned in the most creative of outfits, some of which mirrored the aesthetic of some of her albums, or may have been a copy of an outfit or dress Taylor wore at one of her shows, another clear sign that creativity breeds creativity, and this is always something to be celebrated. 

Taylor had some incredible guest performers, from a fabulous singer called Mette, to the already well established and well loved band Paramore. I enjoyed both performances immensely, and it made me feel so much more appreciative for any opening act, whether it's in comedy or music; it is never an easy feat to open for any name that is not only well known for the art they produce and craft, but for having easily the most passionate, and slightly insane (in the best way), group of fans. Paramore, of course, are no strangers to the limelight themselves, and many of their well known hits such as "Misery Business", "The Only Exception" and "Still Into You" were still well loved, which just goes to show how music never really goes out of style, no matter the genre or the creator.

Then, we come on to the fabulous Taylor Swift herself. There is a reason this woman, despite the critics, the naysayers, and the haters, draws in the crowds and keeps a loyal fanbase: she knows how to command a stage, as well as write songs that can make you feel every emotion under the sun, sometimes all just one album. 

Forevermore, this night will be engrained in my memory, not just because the sheer scale of the night, and the venue, blew my mind, but because it was so surreal to see her in person, adorned in different outfits of varying degrees of colour and style. She was effortlessly fearless in commanding her audience's attention at every given moment, and it was absolutely lovely to see her genuinely enjoy her job. Being an artist in this day and age, having to tread carefully on the line to be true to yourself but also true to your fans, is no easy feat, but Taylor still walks that line beautifully. 

Her set is over three hours in length, an almost unthinkable amount of time to spend at a concert for just one artist, but you quickly lose track of the time, as this show celebrates all the different eras she has cultivated in her time, and the songs that have enthralled and hooked audiences across the world over the years. She proves time and time again her songs have made their stamp on culture, and she dances through genres like it's as natural as breathing. You can be dancing one minute to the "sick beats" advertised in her classic hit "Shake It Off", and then the next you are bawling out the painful words echoing a past heartbreak in "All Too Well". 

I think it's impossible to have a discography like Taylor's and not have one song that you sort of like, or find yourself dancing to, even if it's against your better judgement, but I think it's still equally to state that not everyone will or does like her, and that's okay. Music is not a one size fits all type of medium. Music is an art form designed to move you, inspire you, and be a companion to you in hard times. It is there to be joyful with, or cry alongside, or to escape from reality. 

When the final notes of "Karma" blared out over the stadium, signalling the end of the show, there was an odd feeling of being bereft of something, and it was strange how a concert, even one of this magniture, could cultivate this feeling of loss after such a fantastic evening, but it did. In some ways, this was the great compliment I could give the show; that it gave so much of itself, and fed you so much, that when the last crumbs were gone, you were left satisfied, but longing for more. 

It was a fantastic show from start to finish, and the whole technical crew, the dancers, and the venue staff must also be praised for how visually spectacular everything was. So many things could've gone wrong but didn't, and whilst Taylor may have been the reason we were all there, her crew and dancers and the venue staff were all the reason we got to see her elevated in the way that she was, and hear her music blast through the stands and beyond so that even the people positioned on the highest seats could not feel left out.

I will just say one last thing to sum up how I feel about Taylor, and why I feel my appreciation for her will never cease to exist: she's a star, but a star that knows and appreciates the magnitude of the sky that she's in, and all that help magnify her shine so that she can be seen and heard around the world. 

Musical Quote of the Moment

 "Seems you get to live your life just once, and if that's how it's gotta be, then I'd rather breathe in life then dusty air." - Bonnie from Bonnie & Clyde the Musical. 

How Acting Saved My Life

 To a casual observer, acting may be considered a hobby, rather than a career. Yes, it may be a career, but not a career to particularly aspire to, and this is because of the many misconceptions people have of acting, and its purpose in the world. 

It seems unlikely I will ever act full time and as a career, but I can tell you one thing: we are all acting in this world, whether it's acting like we're okay, acting like we enjoy something when we do, or acting like we don't care about something, when actually it's our biggest passion and we are having to suppress it in order to fit in. The difference between those people, and those that do acting as a career and / or hobby, is that playing pretend actually has a benefit, a purpose to us.

Let me paint you a picture of an eleven year old me. 

She's quiet, unsure of herself, and worries constantly that she's going to fail in the world. She doesn't have many friends, and sometimes the world scares her. Well, it scares her a lot actually. Still does even now, if we are being brutally honest. I dare you to look at the state of play the world is today and not be a little frightened, no matter what political, scientific, or environmental issue is you consider to be more central in your world. 

This girl needs a hobby other than just reading books, and she knows this. Her mum has tried coaxing her into social situations, with some successes, but also a lot of failures, and this isn't down to her mum being pushy - far from it in fact, as her mum is her number one supporter in everything - but down to her own crushing lack of self-confidence. This has not been helped by a history of being bullied for the sole crime of being a bit quiet, a bit on the fringe of everything. 

Call it happenstance, call it fate or chance, but thanks to the suggestion of a friend of one of her mum's, she is steered into joining a local amateur dramatic group. On paper, this does not sound like a hobby she would enjoy, even with her previous theatre experience, but there's something about this particular group that makes something inside her make sense. It may be the people, it may be the type of shows this group performs, it may even be the fact her first role with this group is a singing role, something she always has shied away from doing in front of people before; whatever the reason, this group lights a fire inside her that still, to this day, burns bright. 

I am not exaggerating when I say this group is a big part of how I've become the person I am today. Of course, there are other reasons, and other important influences that have shaped my personality, and I think we can all agree that no one person has ever had just one event, or person, or group solely influence who they are. You are more interesting as a collection of ideas and opinions, experiences and events, than you are as a solitary figure revolving around just one theme. 

Now we come on to why and how acting has saved my life.

I suffer from anxiety and, sometimes, a crumbling sense of self-identity. Even though I am more sure of who I am today than I have ever been, it doesn't mean that sometimes I don't question why I'm here, what is my purpose, what am I even doing if I'm not doing something meaningful? I sometimes worry I'm not making a big enough mark on the world to justify my presence here, that I'm not progressing enough in life to justify me being the age that I am, which is ridiculous. We are all competing in the same marathon of life, but not everyone has the same targets, and not everyone has the same obstacles or hurdles to try and overcome, so why should we use the same benchmarks for ourselves as other people use? 

If I allowed these thoughts to make me spiral, I know every day would be a struggle. I wouldn't get anything done, and life would be far less enjoyable. I used to panic that I didn't have a passion, that if I did find one what if I wasn't any good at it, and that life would be pointless if I didn't find one. I can't tell you the amount of hobbies I started but never finished, sometimes out of boredom, sometimes because it wasn't the right fit for me at that time.

What I love about acting, is that it's an art of self-discipline. It teaches you to hone all the energy you have into a character often so different from yourself. It teaches to look at the world at another way, sometimes a sillier, more playful way, but it gives you a different sense of perspective, and I think this is part of why theatre is so important to me. 

As much as you can lose yourself in a theatre piece, be it musical or a strictly performative piece, you also can find yourself as well, or even discover a new skill or talent that can lead on to more exciting paths.

In Trinity Players, I found a girl who not only loved the spotlight, but thrived in it. She wasn't just a part of the laughter, she helped create it. She didn't just read words, she breathed a new life into them. This girl found a family in a place that could've made her or broke her, because the theatre can be just a cruel a place as the rest of the world if you don't have the right people at the heart of it. 

This is why my biggest message to anyone who is struggling to find a place in the world, even if theatre isn't your place, you can find a space anywhere to grow and flourish. Find people who make you better, and who you make better just by being there. It may take time and energy, but the best environments only flourish with the right light and care. The moment something becomes toxic, then you need to step away; not every happy place is a happy one forever, but the world is wide enough for you to create and thrive in new spaces. 

There are different ways to save a life other than physically stopping you from dying, just as there are other ways to live other than just existing and breathing. 

Acting saved my life because it gave me a reason to love myself, it gave me goals and challenges to set myself to grow and develop, it gave me a whole new set of characters in the book of my life to laugh alongside and enjoy the company of. I can't pretend as well that it wasn't the perfect place to foster the love of musical theatre I have today. 

Thank you to all who have shared my acting journey, whether it's by supporting me on stage (sometimes getting me out of sticky spots with my lines!), or watching and cheering me on from the audience, or just giving me a stage to try and make people laugh on. 

You are more appreciated than you will ever know, and I hope if this post does nothing else, it reminds people of why acting is an important art form, and why it will always have a place in this world.

Come From Away - A Musical Worth Coming From Away To See

 To a casual observer, when you think of musicals, rarely do you think that they can be born from tragedy, or from a corner of history of so dark it is still remembered every year without fail. You think of corny songs, of big opening and closing numbers designed to get you talking long after the show is over, of big, beautiful sets that glitter and shine under the spotlights. 

Come From Away is a unique musical as it doesn't strive to tick those boxes. It still manages to, but the goal is undeniably to showcase an extraordinary tale of community that I hope is a sentiment we can echo around the world. It is a musical that truly showcases the best humanity has to offer, and is why no matter what the world throws at us or, indeed, what we throw at the world, I do believe we are amazing creatures when we want to be.

It tells a tale of a town called Gander, in Newfoundland, that had to host a great number of displaced passengers when planes had to be grounded in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks in America. It was a wide awakening for me that, even as a Brit watching this show, there is actually a shocking amount I didn't really know about the aftermath of that horrific day beyond the initial media coverage, and what television shows and films have carved stories from. 

I went to watch the musical at The Curve in Leicester, as it was the first stop this particular cast and crew were hosting their terrific show at. This venue is always a fantastic place to visit, but as with every show I go to see, I am always interested to see how a show with such a following adapts to each theatre it visits.

What shocked me most about this performance, was how simple and stripped back it was. You had the chairs and tables that formed most of the set, and quickly became everything needed to tell you the story, from the seats of a restaurant, to the aisle of a plane. The movement from scene to scene, from song to song, was phenomenally done, and fit the pace and tone of the overall story that was going on.

The cast were also phenomenal, and the fact that there was no single person that stood out more than the others speaks to how brilliantly everyone worked together, in a community effort that was a beautifully fitting tribute to the real life heroes this story was based on. 

"That's how we started speaking the same language," I think was the most hauntingly beautiful line of the whole show, because it summed up how even though we have much to divide us, we have just as much, if not more, that unites us. We forget that sometimes, and it's why sometimes it is dispiriting to see how much hatred and vitriol exists in the world, and certainly on social media spaces. 

There were fleeting moments that felt genuinely uncomfortable to watch, but it was exactly what was needed, and that included moments when one passenger was met with such mistrust and fear all because they were a different colour and nationality to the rest. I think this was handled beautifully, and I think it teaches us that uncomfortable moments in a musical can be vital to selling the story. You can't buy into a musical, unless you feel something in the moment, good or bad. Feeling something for someone or something within a piece of theatre, negative or positive, tells you that you are connecting to something that either mirrors a memory of your own, or ignites knowledge that makes you see the world in a different way. 

I could go on and on about this musical, but it had everything, from love and laughter, to heartbreak and loss. When a musical covers a news story or event that took away a lot from the country affected, it has to make you care, and it has to have a message that doesn't just leave you depressed and hopeless after. For me, I can't watch or consume media that just showcases the worst of humanity. It is important to be aware such horror and travesty exists in our world, but I think if we don't showcase the best of humanity, it is easy to believe it is the worst, and then you think, why do we bother at all?

Come From Away is a well needed boost to the system, and I hope it finds a permanent home somewhere. Until then, I wish it safe travels, and hope every community it visits welcomes it as much as the communities of Newfoundland did for the misplaced passengers it rescued and gave homes to back in 2001. 

This is a show you are going to want to come from away to.

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Some Musicals Were Born to Follow, This One Was Born to Lead

 To a casual observer, a musical comedy about a world war sounds like an endeavour doomed to fail. After all, particularly in this day and age, what humour is there to derive from war? 

Operation Mincemeat is a theatre show unlike any other. It has a cast of five, who change characters as easily as day turns into night. What this cast do is something extraordinary. They take a dark, fearful period in history, and a plot that had all the potential to fail and cost us the war, and turn it into a piece of theatre that is side splittingly funny, but also isn't afraid to tap into raw emotion every now and then. 

The plot is around a scheme devised by the British to fool Hitler and his armies to divert them away from Sicily, where we planned to invade, and direct them to Sardinia. How do they plan to do this? Well, I won't spoil it, but it does involve creativity and genius that we forget sometimes the army, MI5, and other intelligent agencies build their strategies from. 

It's not necessarily the strategy and how it's enacted that makes this such a wonderful piece of theatre, however, because what really needs to sell a piece of theatre about the war is the humans in the thick of it.

You can't, after all, do any piece of theatre about the war and not focus on the human side of it, not just the decisions made in the name of protecting our lands and our freedoms, but what was lost along the path to victory.

Dear Bill, for example, was a poignant song that could've sounded very silly in the wrong hands, but the way it was sung it quickly became clear that whilst the intention was to initially demonstrate an example of a letter a loved one may write to their partner fighting in the war, it drew from experience and that made it a thousand times more powerful. The fact the audience held their breath all the way through the song is testimony to how emotional and moving the song was. 

The forces behind the musical were Natasha Hodgson, David Cumming, Felix Hagan and Zoe Robert. I think the fact there is such a thriving fandom behind the musical is a testimony to how their brains and creativity work. A new musical can either sink or float in this industry, and this musical has already taken on a new life of its own, with each performance a new take on the script, and with the difference range of characters and cast combinations, you are never likely to see the same musical twice. 

The cast I got to see was Natasha Hodgson, David Cumming, Claire Marie-Hall, Christian Andrews and Zoe Roberts, and each of them shone spectacularly in their roles, encompassing each new character with as much ease as it took to slide on a new piece of costume. Each comedy line went down a treat with the audience, and the rawest moments equally were treated with due care and respect, as, after all, it was a theatre show born from one of life's most difficult periods. 

Songs like Born to Lead and A Glitzy Finale opened and closed the show in spectacular fashion, summarising the start and end points of the characters in this period, whilst paying respectful tribute to the real life people behind the roles.

There is a danger sometimes if we make a musical about a real life event, it takes something away from the reality, because real life is not a song and dance, it isn't a string of silly quips and quick costume changes.

War as we are seeing every day in some part of the world or other, is brutal and sad and tragic and desperate. We don't always see the heroes behind the scenes who draft the battle plans, who make the life and death decisions, who weigh up ethical conundrums against the preservation of life; we just see the men carrying out the orders. 

What Operation Mincemeat does well I think is that it brings these heroes in the shadows forward, and makes sure they are recognised and appreciated. I think musicals can spark life into history, as is proven by the success of the musicals Six and Les Mis, even if you have to insert some fiction to give it that little spark. We just have to recognise the reality behind the story as well as enjoy the amazing performances the cast give us.

After all, real life war, real life history, is not something to sing or dance about, but even in the darkest of times, hope is a prevalent force, and that is something to celebrate and give a stage for. The moments of victory in between the struggles and defeats, is what life is truly worth living for. Operation Mincemeat not only showcases this point, but it does its best to educate and enchant its audience from the very first note, to the last bow. 

The cast, creators, musicians, directors and all other creative forces should be very proud. Their own little operation, Operation Putting On An Amazing Show, was a triumph. I cannot wait to see it again and again and again. 

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