Steph very kindly selected me as June's Actor Spotlight in the Both Feet newsletter. Here's a poor quality screenshot of the feature:

Exciting news! Last Friday, I was in short play, Curtains, in the first heat of Short and Sweet festival Yorkshire in beautiful Harrogate. We were somehow selected by both the audience and judges for the final which is taking place this Saturday 29th at the same venue. To bring this script to life with the talented Abdul Rahman Chunara and Meg Terzza has been so much fun and we can't wait to see everyone else's work onstage! The event is sold out so fingers crossed we get lucky :) 

On Saturday I was lucky to share another extract of my debut solo show, Service with a Smile, as part of Freedom Studios' Writers Group Showcase. Hearing the work of the talented writers I've had the joy of meeting every week from October-February to develop our plays was an absolute treat, and I can't wait to see how they progress in the future. Also a huge shoutout to the other actors who brought the text to life on stage in such a short period of time! 

Tune in to BCB Radio (106.6FM) at 3pm on Thursday 2nd May to hear myself and Marie from 509 Arts host the first Lost Mills Radio Show! It's a jam packed hour of interviews from former mill workers about their experiences in Bradford's textile industry and music from the 60s-90s 😁 You can also listen live online by clicking here...

I'm over the moon with these new headshots, taken by the headshot legend James Melia. It was a fantastic shoot day and I can't wait to apply for projects with these in my marketing pack for 2024. Also grateful to the weather for supporting not sabotaging the curly hair that day! 

Wow what a night!

On Sunday, I shared an extract from my solo spoken word show, Service with a Smile, for the first time. Freedom Studios hosted Bradford Voices Showcase at Mind the Gap and I was so lucky to share the stage with incredibly talented performers and writers. I am still overwhelmed by the positive feedback and support for my piece, especially as this is the first opportunity I've had to explore this script up on its feet with movement and props. 

If you missed the chance to see my piece, good news: it was filmed! Please find it below:

November has been so busy as on top of my medical role play, presenting work and editing together my new showreel, I was also accepted into Freedom Studios' Writers Studio Group! Every Saturday afternoon, I am lucky enough to be surrounded by local playwrights in Kala Sangam, all developing our own plays for a showcase in March. I am finalising Service with a Smile to perform in 2024! 

I've been wanting to update my showreel for a long time and have finally had the footage back from various projects to edit together my new acting showreel for November 2023. I believe this is my strongest showreel yet as it showcases my brand the most accurately and involved working with some very talented actors, writers and directors. 

Some exciting things to share from the past couple months!

1. I submitted a first draft of my deubt script, Service with a Smile, to 509 Arts' Wordsmithery competition and it was shortlisted! I not only have a full script to work on further but also some great feedback from the judges on how to improve it. 

2. My showreel scenes with Both Feet have been edited and I'm just waiting on some last minute ADR before I can share the scenes in full!

3. A short documentary filmed at the Industrial Museum with members of the Sangat Centre, Keighley, that I presented in September, is nearly finished in post production. 

4. This month is full of open mics, writing workshops and more Lost Mills and Ghost Mansions interviews!

It's been such a busy summer juggling multiple projects I've been unable to update this blog! Firstly, I had lots of medical role play throughout June and July taking me down to London for different exams and workshops:

I also received a Spare Bob grant from Bradford Producing Hub in June to develop my spoken word poetry into a solo show to submit to 509 Arts' Wordsmithery competition last week. It was a bigger job than anticipated, especially with my laptop breaking for 6 weeks, but I'm really proud of how it turned out! Here I am reading my first draft at a Both Feet stretch for feedback: 

I've also been working with 509 Arts on their legacy project funded by the National Lottery, Lost Mills and Ghost Mansions, interviewing those who worked in Bradford's textile mills and hosting events to celebrate the long-term impact they've had on our landscape. I'm so honoured to be in this team developing long-lasting content to educate future generations. 

In July, I also traveled down to Bodlondeb, Wales, to film some new showreel footage. We worked for a week on two different scenes, improvising them and developing unique backstories. It was such an incredible process and I can't wait to see the final edit in the next couple weeks!

Overall, it's been an exciting and busy few months! I'm looking forward to applying for more funding for my solo piece now I have a full script written, getting back into the medical role play as the new academic year has begun, plus a trip to Florida in October to have a well earned rest!