A Showcase of talent

Last week was the first of a new term, and the return of the student body to campus has been greeted by some glorious weather and fresh, eager (well, more or less!) faces ready to take on the weeks ahead – it’s finally summer in Southampton, and not a snowflake in sight!

So, with all eyes on the looming mass of deadlines and examinations on the horizon, what better way to open the final chapter of the academic year with something as hectic as, say, another show?

Yes, this week witnesses the arrival of Theatre Group’s annual original writing Showcase, a series of diverse and enrapturing short plays completely devised, scripted, directed, produced and performed by students – most of whom are taking on such roles for the very first time!

Showcase features a night of varied and hugely entertaining original theatre, 

for a fraction of a normal show’s ticket price! (Credit: Joe Buckingham)

It’s strange to consider that, entering the final term of my second year at the University of Southampton, I’m almost halfway through my degree programme and thus my overall University timeline but, simultaneously, I can honestly say that the two years have been, quite frankly, brilliant!

Academically, course content has, at times, presented difficulties, but however dense it may seem it almost always proves rewarding, inspirational and exciting in the end, as anybody who was lucky enough to attend the recent lectures on robotics as part of my Artificial Intelligence module might tell you (although we’re not quite up to building Skynet yet)!

As I’ve previously written, it’s been eye-opening to expand my awareness and knowledge of the various fields encompassed by the degree title “Software Engineering”, be they skill or theory based (or a combination of the two). At the same time, I feel I’ve managed to identify subject matter I’d like to delve a little further into and, who knows, potentially specialise in as a career – although for now I’ll be sticking to just highlighting these areas in preparation for the monumental task of undertaking next year’s Third Year Project (the ECS equivalent of a dissertation – eek!)!

But my favourite thing about the whole student experience so far, if I haven’t repeated it enough already, has to simply be the availability of fresh, enticing opportunities on a daily basis; there truly is a ubiquitous, thriving buzz of activity throughout the whole University, producing a constant stream of occasions in which to get involved with something you hadn’t previously, and always rewarding you for doing so.

From a personal perspective, last semester saw plenty of individual milestones, achievements and successes, such as visiting Shakespeare’s Globe in London, attaining a First classification across my modules, making a stand-up comedy debut (I definitely heard a couple of laughs here and there at one point, surpassing my expectations!), acting in the Nuffield Theatre and dancing on stage for the first time with Parade (whether or not actually in time is an entirely different matter!), and being selected to represent the Theatre Group at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this summer.

It’s certainly been a wonderful year for me so far, packed with novel and enjoyable experiences which I can recount keenly, and which I am extremely fortunate (and grateful) to have been granted the opportunity to grasp. It’s just proof that, with so many chances at University to immerse yourself in the things you love, your student experience really is the best days of your life!

Showcase is one such opportunity for anybody aspiring to get involved with theatre in any capacity. Be you an aspiring scriptwriter seeking an artistic interpretation of their work to play to a supportive audience, or a would-be director who wants to stage one of the short sketches, or even just an actor wishing to test themself against original writing, the show offers valuable experiences to all (with a lesser time commitment necessary due to the reduced rehearsal period), and continues to attract significant numbers of newcomers to the society, crafting strong friendships in the process to boot.

The considerably large cast of Showcase 2013! (Credit: Joe Buckingham)

This year, I’m involved in a segment named Three Kinds of Silence, written by the gifted Dan Tovey, which tells the story of a burgeoning, and later faltering, boyfriend-girlfriend relationship, doing so by interweaving modern-day scenes with flashbacks and emotive monologues. It’s the first majorly serious individual role I’ve played in theatre – comedy is definitely my strongest suit! – but I’ve appreciated being taken out of my comfort zone and given a different test to those posed by other productions, although I’ve had to restrain myself from throwing in jokes during rehearsals!

Acting in “Three Kinds of Silence” has been a challenging but wholly enjoyable 

experience – although I might stick to comedy in future! (Credit: Joe Buckingham)

But one of the most astounding things I’ve found about last year’s Showcase which also rings true this year is the level of quality of every snippet. Writing is often perfectly tailored to conduce atmosphere, direction is frequently inspired (although often challenging for StageSoc, the stage technicians’ society responsible for implementing the show’s technical aspects!) and acting, as ever, impeccable. Showcase really is a beacon of talent and a production for all involved to be proud of.

So if at any stage you’re not sure about putting yourself, your work or your passion on display, all I can advise is that, at the University of Southampton, there are opportunities to get involved and get yourself out there aplenty – so go for it, and have confidence in your ability to showcase your talent! (Although if you do happen to attempt stand-up comedy for the first time, it’s always a good idea, despite inevitable nerves, to make sure you deliver the punch-lines to ALL your jokes, as I learnt the hard way!)

SUSU Theatre Group’s “Showcase 2013” runs Friday 19^th and Saturday 20^th April, starting at 7.30pm at the Annex Theatre, Highfield Campus. Tickets are £6.50 for Adults, £5 for Students and Concessions, and £3.50 for Performing Arts Members, and can be purchased on the door, reserved in advance by emailing workshops@theatre-group.com or bought online at http://www.boxoffice.susu.org/.

We look forward to welcoming you there!

Robin