Welcome to Downstage Drama!

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Hi! My name is Tilly. I'm 17, in Year 12, and studying for my A Levels. This blog is where I'll share my thoughts on everything theatre and Drama. You'll find reviews for scripts and shows, as well as articles on theatre-going culture. I hope to go to University to study Theatre/Performance Studies and start my career in the industry. My dream is to be a director but I aim to dabble in as much of the theatre world as possible, including acting, producing and writing. 
Location: London, UK

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"Did you hear the story..." Blood Brothers at Theatre Royal Windsor: A Review

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Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers is just over 40 years old and still continues to amaze me. I first saw this musical a decade ago, when I was just 7 years old (the same age as the boys at the beginning of the show) and even then, having very little idea of what the actual story was, I remember being completely captivated. Back then, I understood almost nothing about the historical context of the story, the nuances of each character or the technical marvels of the musical. And yet it dug itself into the deep recesses of my brain and, for the most part, became one of the founding pillars for my love of theatre. I’ve seen it twice more since then, the latest being just a few days ago, and was lucky enough to see Sean Jones (Mickey) and Joe Sleight (Eddie) for both. I find these two actors fascinating. I have never met more lively, fresh characters and, under the actors’ guidance, the sparkling chemistry between them became such a character itself.  Sean Jones is particularly interest...
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Bad Drama Angers Me

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What is “bad drama”? Probably the most logical answer would be theatre that we hate, right? Drama, directing, acting and design that elicit a negative reaction, one of disgust or disappointment. And, in the moment, this can cause audiences to scoff or to roll their eyes, tell-tale signs that what they are watching is not good . But I don’t think this is entirely true. Perhaps, yes, the drama might be “bad” but aren’t those feelings, those full-body experiences of fury and scorn, theatre in itself? I believe that dramatic, theatrical desires and emotion run through the veins of all of us. Any ideas that come from deep, repressed parts of our humanity is, in my eyes, what theatre is. And so, in that sense, the wide spectrum of reactions in response to “bad drama”, the ones that come from a buried recess in the body and psyche, can be called drama itself, allowing it to act as a reprise of the production that warrants such strong feelings.  I find reading negative theatre reviews fa...
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A Mid-Century Modern Macbeth: Review

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Richard Twyman’s adaptation of Macbeth at the Lyric Hammersmith has left me feeling rather  curious. I now ask myself the question: “did it work, or was it just good acting?”. Whilst the set is stunning: a floor to ceiling construction of a mid-century urban mansion. Dark oak panels, a full kitchen and mystifying details such as working shower, giant mirror and disco ball, each having their place in the story, feature prominently and leave a resounding impression in my mind. There are many choices I agreed with. One of which being possibly the most striking addition: the element of live video recordings. Some made to look like security camera footage, some streaming directly from an actor’s video camera on stage, some playing the role of Banquo’s ghost. Because the three witches were not exactly played by a member of the cast, I interpreted this to be a representation of the pressure Macbeth felt from the witches’ prophecies and their omniscient nature, ultimately leading him and h...
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