In Conversation With… The Young Company

This summer, the Robin Hood cast welcomed nine members of our Young Company to their ranks. Their parts have been written especially, as part of our on-going commitment to nurture the talent of tomorrow.

During a break in rehearsals, we caught up with some members of the Young Company to ask them what it’s like to be a part of the cast…

What were your first reactions when you found out you could be part of Robin Hood?

Sybil: I was so excited! I loved the idea of working with the adult cast members and it’s a great opportunity to get to know other members of Guildford Shakespeare Company.

Molly: Me too. We try to see most of the professional productions and a lot of our friends enjoy seeing them, so to actually be in one is awesome!

Mallie: We are so lucky that GSC have their own playwright. It makes me feel really special and lucky that we are able to perform parts that have been written especially for us.

How have you found acting with the professional cast?

Logan: It’s really fun and it’s good to get tips from professional actors.

Sybil: I thought, when we rehearsed, there would be some kind of barrier between The Young Company and the adults, but we’ve all become one united cast.

Molly: Definitely. The cast are very welcoming to us – they are kind and funny and we are learning so much from them.

Mallie: I was impressed at how well the professional actors knew all their lines – some of them were off book at the first rehearsal. It’s also good to see them laughing and enjoying the rehearsal process, as well as working hard.

What’s it like working with the directors, Richard and Indiana?

Sybil: Both of the directors have been so friendly and always keep rehearsals light-hearted. Even though we’re a lot younger, they still take in our ideas and are open to anything we have to say.

Molly: They are very precise about what they want us to do, too.

Mallie: And they really follow through their direction and don’t let it drop if we don’t get something right.

Sybil: They definitely help us develop our characters in our scenes, which leads us to becoming better actors and understanding our roles in depth.

Have there been any interesting or funny moments in rehearsal?

Sybil: Too many to count! The mood in rehearsals is always upbeat, and the cast are always cracking jokes that make us all laugh.

Logan: It’s really good fun. Everyone is enjoying themselves.

Mallie: Two of the actors were challenging each other to leave the stage a different way every time they went off – using a fireman’s lift, giving each other piggy backs, doing the moonwalk, wheelbarrowing, doing the Morecombe and Wise dance.

What’s the biggest difference between acting in Robin Hood and your Young Company shows?

Sybil: I would say, being able to step into the world of professional theatre, and to observe and learn at close hand. To see what it is like to put on a professional production is something not everyone gets to experience.

Molly: More is expected of us to be professional but it’s also great being treated like grown-ups, even though our characters are children!

Mallie: It is nice to be involved in the song and the dance, as well.

What’s the biggest benefit of this experience for you?

Logan: I’d really like to be an actor one day so this is great experience of how a professional production works.

Molly: I am thinking of a career in the theatre, too, so this all helps me to understand the different roles that put a production together.

Mallie: Getting to know the professional cast and working with them is a great mentoring experience for me.

Sybil: And for me. The dedication, work, effort and time they put into what they do is truly inspiring, and to be a part of it all is even more special.

Mallie: Working with the professional cast is really bringing out the best in me as an actor. It has made me even more determined to follow acting as a career.

For the Young Company performance schedule please see our Robin Hood Company page.

For more information on the Young Company please see our Education Pages.