Conversations, dispatches and ideas from the Bush Theatre.
In the weeks leading up to my work experience placement, I was very excited. Even at this age (14), I know that working in theatre is something that I want to do. I love the atmosphere in theatres and the people who work there. Theatres these days are so welcoming and accepting and this is extremely important.
On my first day, I arrived to see Holly, the community manager. We sat down for a while in the play text library and Holly told me about what I’m going to be doing in my week. Holly took me on a tour of the building, detailing how it functions. I was then introduced to the team, in which each and every person was kind and had a smile on their face.
After my tour and my induction, I was with Holly working in the community department. The community department in the Bush Theatre is amazing- I have never seen anything like it. In other theatres, the community is crated through the activity and socialisation of the people who get involved. At the Bush, the fact that there is a department that creates the community means that people who are quite shy or not extremely confident can still be part of a community. The first thing I did was learn all about the Bush’s community associate companies project, which helped elderly people become more active and social and provided families which are homeless or on the lower end of the income scale with help and support. This community project had a massively positive impact on people’s lives and improving the quality of their lives. Hopefully, more theatres will be able to start doing the same. After learning more about this, I created some documents for some of the upcoming classes, groups and events that the Bush is offering.
Tuesday started in the bar, where I learned to make coffees and how to work the till. I especially enjoyed this because I love interacting with people. It was really fun chatting to the bar staff and some of the customers. Melissa, Simon and Isabel were really nice, and it was great to talk to Melissa about working in the theatre and how it helps with an acting career. In the afternoon, I worked with the theatre producer, Jess, and I learn more about the production side of theatre. This was something that was really interesting and I learnt a lot about what it takes to put on a show in a theatre. I did some research about the reviews of a play that the Bush might put on soon, and I also made a list of possible places to which we could advertise one of our upcoming shows.
“The best thing about this work placement was the fact that throughout the week, you get to work in every department”
On Wednesday, I worked with the Deidre in the literary department. Deidre’s job is very important, and I didn’t know it even existed! The literary team works with writers of the plays that are being produced in order to make the play as good as it could possibly be. This includes highlighting concerns in the plot or the way in which some lines are written, or also answering questions and making suggestions. Another very important role in the literary department is being a reader. Whenever a play is applied to the Bush to be considered for production, it gets sent to a reader, who writes a bit about the play and decides whether it should be raised up and read by a different department. If it gets raised up high enough, it will be read by a member of the literary team, who decides whether it would be suitable for the Bush and then communicates with the writer if their play was accepted or not. All plays on at the Bush go through the literary department.
The best thing about this work placement was the fact that throughout the week, you get to work in every department so that you can get the full experience of working here. This allows you to make a decision as to what career you might want to go into. Also, at the Bush, the jobs that you are given throughout the week aren’t just to fill up the hours until you need to go home; you are given jobs that the staff actually need to get done and you are given a responsibility to carry out the job.
Today is Thursday, and I’m working in the marketing department, writing this very diary. If you are someone who thinks that they want to go into a career in theatre, be it producing, writing, acting, directing, or anything else, I would 100% recommend the Bush. The way you’re treated is amazing and everybody is so welcoming and kind. This week, I feel as though I have been treated as if I was another colleague. Thank you Bush Theatre!
