Performance Project
TASK
The Gloucester Welcomes Refugees Charity has once again commissioned the HE Performing Arts group to create an entertaining Christmas play.
Last year’s production was a great success, raising a significant amount for the charity. This year, we will again operate as a devised theatre company, staging a show in which students collaborate with professionals, taking on all roles, including acting, directing, costume design, makeup, advertising, lighting, and more. Our goals are to raise money for the charity, deliver an excellent performance, and gain valuable experience across various theatre disciplines. We will ask the audience to contribute £10 each for the charity by purchasing tickets in advance. The play is family-friendly, with no restrictions on attendance.
I began the year feeling anxious. As a senior student, I felt I should be confident, but after just one year at college, it didn’t quite feel that way. Meeting the new HNC group was nerve-wracking, especially since some members might be returning students whom I didn’t know. We also welcomed a new tutor, Spike, who had previously worked with us on our end-of-year production, “Two.”
This play will be a devised piece, so the dynamic between our tutor and the group will be different this time.
Devised theatre has its origins in 16th-century Italy with the rise of Commedia dell’arte, which translates to “Comedy of Art” or “Comedy of the Professional.” These travelling troupes performed improvised shows, featuring actors, acrobats, and street entertainers. The focus was on the skills and performances of the actors rather than the subject matter of the plays.
In devised theatre, the team collaborates to create a new work without a pre-existing script. The creative process involves experiments, stimuli, and improvisation. Today, the final production is usually fully or partially scripted. When the group is newly formed, icebreakers and creative introductory games help the performers get to know each other.
Last year, our work was inspired by practitioners like Stanislavski, Frantic Assembly, and Commedia dell’arte. This year, we are expanding our knowledge by learning about different practitioners.
Click the picture
to learn about them
.
Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol
THE WRITER
Charles John Huffam Dickens
February 1812 , Portsmouth– 9 June 1870, Higham
Charles Dickens was an influential English novelist, journalist, short story writer, performer, playwright, and social critic. Widely regarded as a literary genius, he authored 15 novels, five novellas, and numerous short stories. His works often addressed pressing social issues, such as poverty, inequality, and child labor, contributing to significant social reforms. Dickens created some of literature’s most iconic characters and even helped shape the way we celebrate Christmas today.
Dickens was born into a working-class family. When his father was sent to prison during Charles’s childhood, he was forced to leave school and work in a factory, sticking labels on shoe polish jars to support his family. These difficult experiences strongly influenced his writing, especially in novels like “Oliver Twist” and “Hard Times.”
While working as a reporter at The Morning Chronicle in Fleet Street, Dickens met Catherine Hogarth, the daughter of his boss. They married and had ten children together. Catherine, originally from Scotland, was a writer and well-known cook who published a recipe book, “What Shall We Have For Dinner,” under the pen name Lady Maria Clutterbuck. Many of their children developed interests in the arts, writing, and politics. Their eventual divorce was highly publicized, tarnishing Catherine’s reputation after Dickens accused her of insanity and attempted to have her institutionalized. Some biographers suggest that Dickens’s traumatic childhood experiences led to lasting issues with trust and relationships, particularly with women.
Dickens also had a pet raven named Grip, who appeared in his novel “Barnaby Rudge.” Many of his works were published in weekly magazine installments, allowing readers to provide feedback and suggestions for future plot developments.
A believer in the paranormal, Dickens claimed to have encountered ghosts in his own home and maintained an interest in time travel, haunted houses, and hypnosis. These fascinations likely influenced his beloved novel “A Christmas Carol,” which has been adapted for film and stage countless times. He was especially preoccupied with the idea of “Nancy’s murder.”
He died in Higham, Kent but his grave lays in the Westminster Abbey with the following description:
“To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England’s most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England’s greatest writers is lost to the world”.
Charles Dickens
Catherine Hogarth, Dicken’s first wife
Nelly Ternan, Dicken’s lover
Dickens and two of his daughters
Dickens with two of his daughters
THE PLAY
To understand the play in detail, we are exploring a variety of approaches. Most of us had at least heard of the play before and had a vague idea of what was expected, but we knew that wouldn’t be enough to truly engage our audience. Our research began with finding a summary of the play to establish a foundational understanding. Next, we identified the main characters and read about them in depth.
Armed with this information, we were then asked to introduce the characters in a short and entertaining way (I discuss this in more detail in the videos below). We also received our own copies of the book so we can read it at home and refer back to it whenever we need clarification. However, we’re also learning the story in a more engaging way by listening to the podcast version of the play while acting it out. This practice, inspired by Theatre Complicité, worked wonders for our group—helping us devise without realizing it.
This technique has really helped me become more creative and has strengthened my bonds with the other actors. It’s also useful for identifying which characters are the most interesting, which can be omitted from our adaptation, and which roles best suit each actor. Rather than assigning roles forcibly, we let the process unfold naturally, trusting that, as a company, we can recognize each other’s strengths.
Synopsis/ summary of the
story of A Christmas Carol
Character sheets
Getting to know the characters -
Wise Children exercise
THE BEGGINING
Devising, knowledge refresher
Warm up / focus exercise
Listening to the story and acting it out
Challenges of a small cast
Suggested speed 1.25 x
CHARACTER SHEET
MISCHIEF THEATRE
Mischief Theatre is a British theatre company funded in 2008 by students of the London Academy in London. This fact itself is incredible and gives me great hope that a handful of friends can become as successful as they are. Their genre is comedy and they first started doing improvised comedy shows but in 2012 they expended them into choreographed routines, jokes and stunts and developed their own style, the play that goes wrong. Several of their plays been shown on BBC and the West End theatre and travelled across America and Europe.
Their most famous works include, The Murder before Christmas, Peten Pan Goes Wrong, The Comedy About a Bank Robbery, The Comedy About Spies and their newest, A Christmas Carol goes wrong. Interestingly, same year we are playing A Christmas Carol.
THOUGHTS ON THE FIRST DAY
NOTES
Skills needed to show professionalism
BEING THERE DESPITE ALL CHALLANGES AND KEEPING UP TO DATE
Unfortunately, I had to miss a week at college due to a severe illness with COVID-19. This was particularly disappointing because it happened during the early stages of our play, when we were laying the groundwork, getting to know each other, and learning how to collaborate as a team. Despite this setback, I have been making every effort to catch up by working from home.
On Thursday, I had a phone call with my tutor, Sonia, who gave me a detailed explanation of my units. While she spoke, I took notes and even made a few suggestions, such as asking Tom to design a website for our play and making it easier for the audience to leave feedback. I proposed that after the play, we could send an email to audience members with a link to the website and a feedback page. As the company manager, all feedback would be sent to my professional email address, and I would then share it with the team in person.
Additionally, I suggested creating a poster or logo for the play. I asked Mike if he could blend one of his own drawings with AI-generated elements to create something unique for us. To stay updated on everything discussed in my absence, I have been watching the pre-recorded videos my team shared.
Even though being away from college was challenging, I am determined to stay involved and contribute as much as possible, ensuring I remain up to date and connected with the group.
We recently had a discussion and a recap about what “devising” means. What stands out to me this year is that we will be exploring the work of different practitioners and theatre companies, so the style of our play is expected to be quite different from last year. We were introduced to Wise Children, Mischief Theatre, Abridged Comedic Productions, and the Reduced Shakespeare Company. A common thread among these groups, in my opinion, is their use of humour, modern twists, and fast-paced storytelling, which creates a mood that is cheerful and entertaining.
We also discussed how stage adaptations and films often shorten books. By writing a shorter script that focuses on the most important events and characters, the story can still be told in a way that is easy for the audience to recognise and understand. For instance, Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol is 92 pages long and takes about three hours to read. If we were to stay completely true to every word, it would make for a very long play, and the language might be difficult for younger audiences to grasp. Our challenge is to find common ground and create something enjoyable for teenagers, critics, and grandparents alike. Humour serves as a great connector—everyone loves jokes, playful mockery, bickering, and pranks, which are familiar in both friendships and family life.
In addition, adding visuals and sound effects is a powerful way to fill gaps left by condensing the script. Not every word needs to be spoken; atmosphere can be created with costumes, props, lighting, and sound. For example, rather than saying “it was a cold day,” we can show it by dressing actors in hats and jackets, having them shiver and blow warm air on their hands, using white and blue lights to create a chilly effect, projecting snowflake shapes, or using wind sounds—either from computers or by having actors make a “shooo” sound (onomatopoeia)—and even placing a fan on stage to blow air around. These techniques help bring the play's world to life in a dynamic, engaging way.
Declan Donnellan - The Actor and the Target
In this video, we discussed an excerpt from Declan Donnellan’s book, focusing on a common challenge actors face: getting stuck on stage due to excessive self-consciousness. When actors focus excessively on themselves—the “I”—they can shut down and become trapped in their own thoughts. This often leads to internal pressure, with thoughts like “I have to move” or “I need to solve this problem on my own,” and a feeling of being burdened by the audience’s expectations.
Donnellan suggests that instead of focusing inward, actors should always have a target—something to move toward, both physically and metaphorically. The motivation to act should come from an external objective, not from internal anxiety. For example, a verb or state like “dying” can’t be played on its own; we need to know how the character feels about dying. Are they peaceful, happy, sad, or angry about it? Even an action like dying requires a target.
I applied this technique last year when I played “The Other Woman” in our production of “Two.” My character’s lover leaves the pub, so her initial target is to go after him. But then she realizes she has left her shoes behind, and her target shifts—now she’s motivated to retrieve her shoes. This approach helped me stay motivated and connected to the scene, rather than becoming stuck in my own head.
A SLICE OF HISTORY
As I mentioned earlier, we are taking various routes to understand Charles Dickens’s work and to help us create the world he describes. To do this effectively, it’s essential to recognize that the play is set in the Victorian era. Through our research, we explored how life during that period differed greatly from today and examined the many challenges that British citizens faced.
We investigated different aspects of Victorian society—including prisons, workhouses, homes, and the legal system—and discussed how these environments affected people’s physical health and mental well-being. As part of our process, we created mind maps to organize our findings, which I later digitized (see above).
I also watched a documentary titled “Hidden Killers of the Victorian Home,” which highlighted the dangers posed by the new technologies of the time. Although many of these inventions were the forerunners of modern conveniences, they often proved rudimentary and hazardous in hindsight. I discuss this further in the video below.
Victorian era discussion
The video I watched
My thoughts on the video
PUTTING IN PRACTICE EVERYTHING WE READ
It was time for us to demonstrate our understanding of everything we had learned, and of course, we did so in a creative way. While we work as a devised theatre company, I am proud to say that I took the lead on this project and directed the short piece.
Our tutor challenged us to create an exhibition-like room, with different stations representing various aspects of Victorian life that we had studied. The idea was for him to walk around in a circle, encountering something new at each station. Although he wasn’t expecting a full story or concept, I proposed that the main character could guide him and the audience on a journey through different experiences.
Mike, who played the protagonist, began the performance as a wealthy man at home with his servant, whom he treated poorly. Suddenly, two gentlemen arrived, took all his belongings, and threw him out of the house. Mike’s character then became homeless, begging on the street until the police arrested him and took him to prison. There, the police officers were violent with him. Alone at night, he read the Bible by candlelight and prayed for redemption. The next morning, he was dragged to court, found guilty, and transported to a workhouse. The story left the audience questioning whether there was any escape for him.
At the end, we glimpsed the home of a high-class couple who also mistreated their servants, foreshadowing that they might share the same fate as Mike. This couple had earlier kicked Mike’s bowl while he was begging and laughed at his misfortune, and they were recognisable by their laughter at the end of the piece. I played several roles: the high-class woman, a prison officer who dragged Mike to court, and the servant at the beginning, who, after spilling a drink and being scolded by her master, broke down in tears and became just a tool to hold a mirror for him to admire himself.
This exercise brought us all much closer together, and it turned out to be very successful. We were proud of our short performance, especially in how creatively we used costumes and props. Boxes became the judge’s stand, tables, and shelves in the wealthy home, decorated with simple elements like present boxes and flowers. Most of these props and costumes were kept for possible use in our main show.
Creating the world of the Victorian era
First production meeting
Meeting minutes
02.10.2025.
Chairing the meeting: SF
Present: SF, FM, JJ
Apologies: None
Agenda:
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Will there be an audition held for the Christmas show?
2. Decide the type of ticket sale: traditional sale via website, bucket sale on the door/ bucket sale during production/ pay what you can/ give a pound per head for big classes/ bake sale.
3. WIN 2 free tickets game - give 3 clues to the play and announce winner from people who answered correctly.
4. Professional headshots for our theatre company/ visiting Cheltenham campus or welcoming their students in our theatre. FM to contact MS , leader of the HE Photography course
5. The date for the show is likely to be 12 December and the theatre should be available for us to perform on 11 December as well if needed.
6. Source sewing pins for costume designers.
7. Ask SH a copy of the audio book of A Christmas Carol.
Areas that have been addressed 04.10.2025.
Sewing pins have been sourced for costume designers.
No auditions going to be held for the Christmas show.
Ticket sale type will depend on the style of the play but we are leaning towards a longer, 40-60 minutes entertainment.
Therapy day
A well-needed therapy day.
We began our morning with meditation to calm our minds, take a pause, appreciate what we have achieved, and prepare for the months ahead. Although I find meditation extremely challenging, I focused on myself and my body instead of letting my thoughts wander, and I was pleased with my progress.
I love using blue lights during these sessions. They are calming and relaxing, reminding me of the night sky when everything feels peaceful and quiet. We continued using the blue lights for our next exercise: a movement practice inspired by Mary Steadman, leader of the Dust Ensemble in Bristol. Our teacher, who also participated, shared several movement elements we could incorporate at any time.
Though I usually dislike dancing, I genuinely enjoyed this movement session, especially the elements of “spin,” “stare,” and “mirroring.” Spinning felt liberating and uplifting. Staring into each other’s eyes was excellent for building concentration and learning to maintain a straight face on stage. Mirroring allowed us to focus on one another and resonate with our scene partners. I noticed that with slow, controlled, and fluid motions, I could anticipate my partner’s next move without constantly watching their hands.
This practice was also useful for stage movement—helping us portray pedestrians or fringe characters more naturally. It gave us a toolkit for handling simple walks on stage, which we can now use in our play.
Finally, we reflected on the exercise. I shared that participating felt great, but my critical thinking made me wish for more fluidity while observing others. This led to a meaningful discussion about self-confidence, the pressures actors face, and how people often expect us to be extroverted, always cheerful, and ready to perform. For more on this discussion, please listen to the video above.
TIME TO SIT DOWN. WE NEED TO TALK.
REHEARSAL SCHEDUEL
Now that we’ve finished listening to the story, it's time to sit down and start gathering ideas. I compiled everything we discussed below, covering the play's style, the characters, and more.
At our next meeting, we’ll dive into the scenes themselves and decide exactly what we want to present, as well as what emotions and thoughts we want the audience to experience during and after the performance.
The end of our Complicite workshop.
Production meeting
10.10.2025. Meeting minutes
Chairing the meeting: SH
Present: YD, MD, FB, FM, JJ
Apologies: TD
1. 13.11 Potential date for taking minibus to Cheltenham Campus to have our headshot and character shots taken. Wear neutral colours: black, white, brown, earthy tones. And bring costumes for character shots. Emily (in-house MUA) to help-out with basic makeup e.g. foundation and powder, if needed.
2. Rehearsal dates:
10 Oct, 17 Oct, 24 Oct, 7 Nov (move room from 1.30 pm). 14 Nov (half a day due to graduation from 1.30 pm), 21 Nov, 28 Nov, 5 Dec.
3. Performance day: 12 December
Open dress rehearsal 11 December - visit from Level 2,3 PA students and HE Art students maybe?
4. After finishing the book of A Christmas Carol, start collecting the main points (already done, JJ to print it out for us). Agree on the style and length of the performance. Start working out who plays which character then start going through the scenes one by one, fixing down scenes, scripting them.
10.10.2025. Actors meeting
Present: YD, MD, FB, FM
Apologies: TD
1. Style of the play is drama with a positive tone / comedy drama.
2. Era to stay in the Victorian times. We already have many props and costumes for it in the costume cupboard or in our own wardrobe.
3. Show historical moments /workhouses/scenes at court perhaps.
4. Write a script.
5. Partial narrating, either 2 girls narrating the show (sisters at Christmas Eve reading a nighttime story or the characters narrate the beginning of the scenes then fluidly transition into their own role. Or use pre-recorded narrating.
6. More focus on Tiny Tim and his relationship with his dad.
7. Experiment with alternative ways to show the three ghosts e.g. light, projection, puppetry. This will maximize the amount of citizens and families actors can play to portray the Victorian world accurately and to show contrast between the wealthy and the less fortunate.
8. Characters that actors are interested in playing:
Mike - fathers e.g. Bob Cratchit, Fred, homeless/sleazy characters, Jacob Marley.
Yana- Jacob Marley, 3 ghosts, mum characters e.g. Mrs. Cratchit, Fred's wife.
Fru - children and female characters e.g. Scrooge's sister, Belle, Fred's wife, Cratchit girls.
Faith - Scrooge and fringe characters.
Next steps: Everyone to browse the printed version of the book (in our folders) , read the printed paper of Notable events , take notes, suggestions, highlight ideas so on 17.10. we can discuss what parts to keep, which scenes we want to show on stage, how we are going to do it and start writing an easy to understand version of the script.
With our production date fast approaching, it’s time to turn our reading and research into an actual play. I’m really excited about this show, not just for my own ideas and vision, but because the whole team is constantly bringing fresh perspectives and building on each other’s thoughts.
One of our biggest challenges is having a small team: we’ll need to play multiple characters, which means carefully planning so an actor’s different roles never appear on stage together. Someone suggested hiring more actors, but I see this as our challenge, a creative obstacle for us to overcome. We’ll be working with minimal props and quick costume changes, perhaps using stage blacks as a base and layering with hats, jackets, or skirts to distinguish characters.
We’ve almost finalised the character assignments. I’ll be playing Belle, Mrs. Cratchit, and a few fringe characters. I have a clear image of what these characters look like and how they move, but I haven’t fully visualised myself playing them yet. I think watching a few film adaptations will help me see how others have brought these roles to life.
SCENE BREAKDOWN
We went through each scene one by one, discussing what we wanted to show and achieve. As usual, I took notes during our meetings and later converted them into digital files. You can read our plans here—these notes will guide us as we rehearse, reminding us of our intentions for each scene. As we start working them out through play, I’m sure that even more ideas and new dialogue will emerge.
I’m really excited that we’ve begun acting. It’s incredibly motivating to see our words and plans come to life on stage. Being a visual person, I’ve noticed that whenever I have an idea, I need to stand up and act it out for the group. Moving on stage helps clarify my thoughts, and having a clear target or motivation always leads naturally to the next movement, driving the story forward.
FLOOR PLAN
Characters and actors, scene breakdown
Please, click on the photos to see them in bigger.
Location and set pieces/props list
Quick character building exercise
Summary of what we achieved so far and how I feel/ +1 to 1 meetings
SCRIPT WRITING/ RESEARCH
Mike, Faith, and I wrote the first version of the script, which was approximately 32 pages long. I was initially concerned it might be too long, but during our company read-through, we discovered it took only about 20 minutes—much shorter than our target of 40–60 minutes. This led us to sit down and brainstorm additional ideas and topics to include in the next version of the script.
I find it essential to maintain accuracy and consistency throughout the script, and I’ve begun to focus on historical accuracy and uniformity as well. For example, I noticed inconsistencies in how Tiny Tim refers to his mother in the script, so I messaged Mike to clarify. We agreed that Tiny Tim should consistently call her “mummy” to avoid confusing the audience and to ensure the script feels cohesive, not as if several people wrote it without collaboration.
Another point of confusion was the family’s Christmas dinner. Many references were made to turkey, but in Dickens’s original story, the Cratchit family actually has a goose. I researched whether turkey was available at the time and found that, although it was, geese were more common and affordable, which is why Dickens wrote it that way. If Scrooge wanted to make a grand gesture, he would buy them a turkey, which is true to the story’s spirit.
I also learned about the Christingle orange and its symbolism, something I hadn’t heard of before but believe will resonate with the audience and evoke memories of childhood. I genuinely enjoy this research process; it helps me feel more confident in the world we’re creating for our production.
SOUNDS
WARNING! Please ensure your volume is set to minimum, as these clips are quite loud, with machinery and crying sounds. They can be triggering, and they can jump scare you.
Sound effects will play a crucial role in our show. I’ve created two soundscapes by editing and layering various sound samples to tell short stories that enhance the onstage atmosphere.
The first clip represents the prison environment. It features a background alarm, the chaos of inmates arguing, and the tension broken by police using their firearms. Whips crack, signalling punishment, while the cries of men and women and the slamming of prison doors heighten the intensity before everything suddenly goes quiet.
The second soundscape is set in the workhouse and focuses on the children’s experience. Here, the sounds of factory machines, objects falling (which could also be interpreted as punching), whip sounds, and the cries of two different children all contribute to a harsh and oppressive atmosphere.
These sound effects turned out quite graphic and realistic. I experience sadness and anger simply by listening to them. In our show, these are the sounds the Spirit of Christmas Present forces Scrooge to hear, hoping that confronting reality will spark a change of heart. Scrooge is overwhelmed and pleads for the spirit to stop the noise; I can relate, as listening to these clips is emotionally intense. I hope that even in just 20 seconds, these soundscapes will have a powerful impact on our audience.
CORRECTED PRISON SOUND EFFECTS
I shared the prison scene sound effect with two people, and both gave positive feedback, but noted that the machine gun sound made it feel like a modern prison. Historically, the first machine guns appeared in 1884, approximately 40 years after the period of our play. Initially, I thought this detail might go unnoticed, but when a second person raised the same concern, I realised that historical accuracy really does matter to the audience.
Fortunately, it was a quick fix to replace the machine gun sounds with single gunshots, making the soundscape more authentic to the era. This experience reminded me of the importance of small details in creating a believable world on stage.
Additional sound effects I have made
You may notice there are two versions of the “ghost lash-out” voice file. The first version I created sounded quite demonic, almost as if another spirit possessed the ghost. While I found it interesting, most of the cast found it frightening, and the actor playing the ghost was uncomfortable with the effect.
To address their concerns, I removed the intense voice-deepening and instead introduced a robot effect, gradually increasing it from 60 percent in the middle to 80 percent toward the end. This new version should be less shocking for the audience while still sounding otherworldly and impactful. Although I personally liked the original, it’s essential to consider the comfort and reactions of the cast and audience.
Our next task was to record the show's narration, and the process went surprisingly quickly—just 19 minutes. Mike had been practicing and developed a raspy, old-man voice for the narration, which allowed us to move efficiently. I sat with him in the recording room to ensure he was comfortable with the recent script changes and could adjust as needed.
After the session, I edited the voice files at home, reducing the 19-minute recording to 11.5 minutes. The result is a slow-paced, clear, and well-spoken narration. I removed any unnecessary pauses or hesitations to ensure the narration flows naturally and remains easy for the audience to follow.
MY MAIN CHARACTERS
Belle
Key features:
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Compassionate and gentle: She shows deep emotional understanding and kindness.
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Moral and principled: She refuses to stay in a relationship built on greed rather than love.
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Symbolic figure: Represents lost love, missed opportunities, and the emotional consequences of materialism.
Belle embodies warmth, generosity, and emotional richness—the very qualities Scrooge later lacks. Through her, Dickens contrasts the human cost of greed and the loss of love that accompanies moral decay. In one of the most poignant scenes of the novel, Scrooge sees Belle years later as a happy wife
and mother, surrounded by a loving family—an image that highlights what he sacrificed for wealth.
Mrs. Cratchit
Key features:
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Loving and devoted: Deeply cares for her husband and children, especially Tiny Tim.
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Strong and hardworking: Manages her household with pride despite having little money.
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Outspoken and protective: Not afraid to speak her mind, especially in defense of her family.
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Warm and festive: Finds joy in togetherness and the spirit of Christmas, even in poverty.
Despite their poverty, Mrs. Cratchit is cheerful, proud, and fiercely devoted to her family. She works hard to make Christmas special, serving a modest feast with great care and excitement. Her pride in doing so much with so little shows her resourcefulness and strength. She also has a spirited personality — when Bob defends Scrooge, she’s quick to express her anger at how poorly Scrooge treats her husband, calling him “odious, stingy, hard, unfeeling.” However, her love for her family always softens her heart again.
Mrs. Cratchit represents the Victorian ideal of family love, loyalty, and resilience in the face of hardship. Through her, Dickens celebrates the dignity and warmth of the poor, contrasting her kindness and gratitude with Scrooge’s cold greed.
INSPIRATION
The character of Belle reminds me of the late Princess of Wales, Lady Diana Spencer. I am currently watching the series The Crown on Netflix, which is based on the British Royal Family's life, and I have found similarities between the two women. They are both charming, kind, and gentle, yet they also have strong opinions and are not afraid to express them. They both place charity work, children, and people in general at the centre of their lives rather than business and money, and both endure considerable suffering from the men they love. My focus will be on this character to be likeable, I want the audience to feel sorry for her and her breakup with Scrooge and want to see her back, so when she reappears at the end, they will be happy to see her and feel that the story of Scrooge`s redemption is complete with her. Therefore, I need to adopt a soft, elegant approach.
The character of Mrs. Cratchit reminds me of Mrs. Weasley from Harry Potter. Both women live modest lives, giving everything they have to their children despite limited resources. They are devoted mothers, loving and caring, always putting their families first. Whether cooking, worrying, or disciplining, their actions are rooted in deep affection.
Mrs. Cratchit, like Mrs. Weasley, is firm and sometimes loud, but always out of love. She shares a warm, supportive relationship with her husband, and though they may bicker, there is clear appreciation and love between them. Both characters, heartbreakingly, understand the pain of losing a child.
In my portrayal, I aim to capture Mrs. Cratchit’s firmness while ensuring that her humour and warmth remain evident. I picture her with hands on her hips, brandishing a wooden spoon, her voice shifting quickly—stern when talking about Scrooge, gentle or worried when addressing Tim. My goal is to make her a memorable and endearing presence, balancing strength and love in every scene.
PHOTOSHOOT DAY
This was a fascinating day for me. I had been looking forward to it because I love photography. If I hadn’t chosen performing arts, I would have pursued a photography course.
We visited the Cheltenham Campus, where two photography students and their teacher photographed us. We shot two scenes: one high-key (light) and one low-key (dark). We also took new professional headshots for our websites and plenty of character and action shots for our portfolios and show promotion. I arranged with the photographers to receive the edited photos within a week, as our show is approaching and we need them for advertising. The three photos above are just behind-the-scenes snapshots I took myself.
As company manager, I made an effort to spend time with everyone, offering advice on posing and channelling emotions. While I’m not an expert model, I do have more experience than most of the team, so I wanted to help everyone look their best and keep the atmosphere upbeat. I also worked closely with the photographers, reviewing some shots on the spot and suggesting adjustments, knowing some team members might be too shy to speak up.
I will share the final edited photos once I receive them.
PHOTOS AND CAST REVEAL
MUSIC
I’ve always loved music, singing, and songwriting, so I had the idea of performing a Christmas song live with a musician. Initially, we planned to work with a violinist, but we were introduced to Corryne, who plays the lyre. Her talent is unique and perfectly suited to the Victorian era, so we were excited about the possibility of including her.
During our first meeting, Corryne didn’t play for us, as she’d only been invited two days before, so it was more of a meet and greet. We showed her the scene and invited her to join us, suggesting that when the time comes, she could play music for our singing and even sing along if she felt comfortable. We’ll meet with her again in a week, by which time she’ll have had a chance to practice the song and decide if she’d like to be involved. Her initial reaction was positive, and she thanked us for the opportunity.
I’m a bit nervous about incorporating live music because it’s a challenge for our group. While it’s realistic for friends at a party to sing imperfectly, it still needs to be strong enough for the audience to grasp the melancholic message we’re conveying. We’ll keep practising, and if it proves too difficult, we may have to cut the song from the show, though I’d be disappointed if it came to that.
Music Update:
In the world of devised theatre, plans often shift, and not every idea makes it to the final show. This was the case with our musician. We ultimately had to let her go because we didn’t have enough time to synchronise the instrument with our singing properly. Surprisingly, though, every cast member still wanted to sing! We decided to perform an a cappella version of “Silent Night,” with some of us singing the melody and others humming the tune.
I’ve noticed that we’re all more confident doing it this way, and it actually suits the group well. Perhaps for our next production, we can explore adding an instrument. For now, our a cappella approach brings a simple, heartfelt quality to the performance.
BLOCKING 1.
Now that the extended script is ready, it's essential for us to get a rough sense of each scene, so we began blocking and rehearsing. It was an overwhelming but highly productive day. We managed to work through the entire script, and I’m hopeful that with each practice we’ll become more familiar with the play and can start refining the details.
We set a date, the 27 November, for everyone to be off-script, so we all need to learn our lines by then. There’s also “Silent Night” to learn, for which I gave the group a week’s notice. Working on the song together was a lot of fun and brought us some much-needed laughter, strengthening our bond as a cast. I’m happy to see everyone enthusiastic about singing and contributing their ideas.
During rehearsal, I sat with the script and a pen, taking notes, updating lines, and suggesting stage directions. I aimed to approach this from both a logical perspective and an audience-centred perspective, drawing on everything I’ve learned from our tutors. Although we agreed not to have a formal director for this devised piece, I believe some guidance is still necessary to keep us on track.
I also edited some of the narration, shortening sections that felt too long. We agreed to sing the first verse, pause, and then sing the first and second verses together, simplifying the process after realising how confusing the different versions could be.
My next task is to learn my lines for six characters. I’m determined to improve my stage presence this term, so I’m considering using distinct voices for each character.
FAMILY TIME
While some of the cast attended the graduation ceremony, Mike, Yana, and I took the opportunity to rehearse our intimate Cratchit family scenes. I feel really positive about these moments—we generated lots of new ideas and made several important changes. Throughout, we kept questioning whether our actions felt realistic and worked well on stage.
For example, when Bob and Tiny Tim enter, and Mrs. Cratchit rushes to comfort Tim, I kept bumping into a chair, which created a physical barrier. We realised we needed to reposition ourselves for a more natural interaction. Another adjustment was making sure I could see Tiny Tim while talking about him, so we shifted to face both the audience and Tim. We also noticed we were standing too far from the audience, especially during quieter moments like prayers or when Tim whispers in his weak, sickly voice. Moving closer will help those moments land emotionally.
Mike and I also worked on our emotional breakdown scene, in which Tiny Tim dies and the Cratchits must burn their last memory of him because of poverty. I experimented with different ways of expressing grief: crying, coughing, heavy breathing—to capture the heartbreak authentically. Even though none of us have experienced the loss of a child, we’ve all known loss, and we’ll draw on those emotions to make the moment real. This scene will sharply contrast with Stave V, when Tiny Tim returns, offering relief to both the audience and Scrooge.
Finally, we rehearsed our morgue worker scene, debating whether to portray the characters as professional, well-spoken doctors or as snappy, sarcastic grave diggers. Ultimately, we chose the humorous, rough-edged approach. It felt more believable for the era, given the lack of health and safety regulations and the prevalence of unqualified workers. Plus, given Scrooge’s reputation, it made sense for the morgue workers to be indifferent, even mocking, about his death—they see this every day in Victorian London.
PRACTICE VIDEOS
LIGHTING
We spent two half-days programming the lights for our show—a process that can be tedious for actors, since it often means standing in one spot for extended periods. Personally, I didn’t mind it, knowing how much effort the lighting designer and operator put into creating compelling visual effects. This stage, to me, is all about layering and adding detail to the production.
Lighting plays a vital role in setting the atmosphere, guiding the audience’s focus, and concealing unused parts of the stage. Given that our show is partly supernatural, we were able to experiment with some striking effects. For example, we used flashing or red lights when the ghost became angry, warm yellow for dinner table scenes, deep blue for nighttime, and a pink spotlight to highlight Belle’s entrance. These choices add depth and help bring the world of our play to life.
ARTICULATION AND PROJECTION WORKSHOP
During our rehearsals, someone approached me to express concern about how some of the actors delivered their lines. The feedback concerned speaking too fast and not articulating clearly. My idea was to hold an articulation and projection workshop rather than singling anyone out, since we all needed a refresher. I was surprised to see how positive and passionate everyone was about the workshop. We read about the importance of the diaphragm, the distinction between projecting and shouting, the correct and incorrect ways to deliver lines, the importance of staying healthy, chest voice vs. head voice, and more. We also conducted a few exercises together.
1. I provided a few light stretching exercises and warm-ups. At this point, everyone has their favourite ones, but I thought I would suggest a few that help open up our lungs and ribcage, which helps with volume.
We also did tongue stretches, which I really struggle with because it makes me feel uncomfortable, as I have sensory issues regarding noticing the existence of body parts.
We practised diaphragmatic breathing, and I demonstrated an exercise from Tara Simon, a well-known American voice coach. The exercise focused on fully filling our lungs by taking a deep breath, then another. This demonstrates the amount of space remaining in the lungs and the disadvantages of shallow breathing.
2. Then Mike showed us an exercise that helped him with projection: standing close to a curtain, whispering the words, and increasing the volume every time we stepped back. This exercise didn't really work for me because I didn't know what volume level was expected of me, and it confused me that everyone used a different one.
3. Next, a tongue twister story where I asked everyone to slow the monologue down and articulate each word, trying to sell the story for us, even if it did not always make sense. The story was about a parade of penguins. It was hilarious, and I really enjoyed doing this, and I believe everyone understood the task and did really well. This exercise helped us with delivering a monologue that has a calm energy and less emotion.
4. With the next exercise, we practised how to keep articulating while telling a fast-paced story.
This was my favourite exercise because, many times, I start telling a story and get lost in it until I realise, from observing others' faces, that they can't follow me. This was also very funny and a great team-building experience.
Then, in the second half of our session, we performed movement exercises. Starting with the seven levels of tensions by Jacques Lecoq. I think if I had the opportunity, I would reduce it to 5 levels of tension because I seem to struggle with the subtle changes between the levels.
The second one was finding our stock characters from Commedia dell'arte. This exercise focused on exaggerated movements. I couldn't find my stock character, but we agreed that Scrooge could definitely be based on Pantalone. I ultimately performed exaggerated movements of Mrs Cratchit to convey her caring yet firm side. I did this by showing that I was upset when others damaged the bedding and that I rushed to fix it. Similarly, I became upset when I had to push the chairs back to the table. When I saw the others fight over a pillow, I took it from them. I believe these are all things Mrs Cratchit would do.
Workshop document
DOCUMENTARY
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An unexpected event occurred during our production: HE Media students filmed a documentary about our show and about us. At first, I felt a bit negative about it, worried it would just add extra pressure when we were already so busy. However, the students worked around us seamlessly and never disrupted our rehearsals, even when they were on stage filming with us.
They also conducted interviews, asking me extra questions as the project lead. Now, I’m delighted we participated and grateful for the opportunity. The documentary will be a valuable addition to my portfolio and a lasting memory of this experience. It’s also a unique form of feedback, allowing me to see myself and our process through the eyes of the Media students. I’m looking forward to watching the full version and will be sharing the videos once I receive them.
The importance of the lead role
/CHAOS. A GOOD CRY AND RESTART./
Two weeks before the show, we faced an emergency recast. Mike, who had been playing Fezziwig, Morgue Worker 2, and my stage husband Bob Cratchit, stepped into the lead role of Scrooge. This was a difficult transition for everyone, especially for Mike, who had to quickly learn not just the lines but the character’s depth and presence. I did my best to support him, using humor to lighten the mood, and we even video-called over the weekend so I could read in for him while he practiced his lines.
It was tough on me as well, since I lost my stage partner for the Cratchit scenes, which I had really enjoyed. However, I knew we needed to stay flexible and move forward. I immediately began looking for replacements for the roles Mike had vacated. I reached out to Ryan Thornton, an HND graduate from last year, to play Bob Cratchit, and he agreed without hesitation. This was a wonderful surprise, and it reinforced my belief that treating people well encourages them to return and collaborate again. I admire Ryan’s talent. He played the landlord in “Two” last June, so I knew he’d be a great fit as the hardworking father caring for his sick child.
We also needed someone to play Fezziwig and the other Morgue Worker. We contacted Sam Gwilliam, another recent graduate, and he accepted both roles. I’m thrilled that he’s willing to help us out, and I’m confident he’ll bring energy and humor to the stage, especially since both characters are comedic, and Sam excels in that area. Thanks to everyone’s willingness and quick response, we managed to recast the show rapidly, and things feel much more hopeful than they did just a few days ago.
This experience taught me an important lesson about casting: it’s not enough to pick someone who “can play the character.” The actor's personality and presence matter deeply, especially in a lead role. The lead isn’t just the focus for the audience. They set the tone and confidence level for the entire cast. Choosing someone who is committed, enthusiastic, positive, and adventurous is crucial, as their energy inspires everyone else. If the lead is hesitant or uncertain, it can demotivate the whole company. While this realisation was difficult, it’s a valuable lesson that will inform our future casting decisions.
SET
This was our pre-set/ first scene and most of the big and bulky furniture remained on stage throughout show. They either got repositioned or hidden in partial blackout.
Bed:
Stayed on stage. It was kept in blackout when Scrooge wasn't in his bedroom.
Fireplace and rug:
Stayed on stage, it was hidden
with blackout when it wasnt needed.
Chair next to fireplace:
It was moved to the table on the right
for dinner scenes.
Headstone:
Used in two scenes, the opening scene, and Scrooge's breakdown point, moved in blackout. The headstone had two sides, one with Scrooge's and one with Marley's name on it.
Chairs and tables:
Used for every office and dinner scene
The two tables were pushed together for the morgue scene when we placed "Scrooge's dead body" on it.
Candle and book on the table:
Reused for other scenes and collected by the "flower girl" in the market scene. The actor hid them in the bottom of her basket, then took them off stage.
PROP MAKING
Turkey:
I helped making almost all the props, apart from the turkey. All I did for that was to source some packing peanuts to give it a fat leg and a pillowcase, which was cut up, glued on and stained with teabags to give its crispy baked colour. The chest was made out of a hard builder hat, bone on the chest and legs were thing metal hangers. It turned out brilliant, many students and teachers came to see it who gave their praises how realistic it looked.
Headstone:
I made the headstone from 3 produce boxes from Tesco. The base is just one box turned downwards. Then a rounded headstone shape on the other 2, cut it with a safety knife and paired them together. I used a hot glue gun to fix all pieces together. However the base has come off when I first lifted the object and I knew it will be picked up and carried on stage so I ended up stapling and screwing the base to the two walls. It never came apart during rehearsals or on the show, it was sturdy. Then, to make the writings, I printed out the names and scratched the box with the safety knife and I drew around my scratched lines with a marker pen. This way, the writing turned out a lot nicer then it would have if I had to handwrite it. Then at the end, I just glued some scrunched up newspaper on Scrooges side, trying to show that his grave is disrespected and neglected.
Scrooge's dead body:
This was one of the easiest prop to make as I only had to duck tape the bottom and top part of the mannikin together. I tried to use a lot of tape because we had to carry it around and it could have just come apart and fall on stage, which would have created chaos. The tape held surprisingly well. I am very happy about it. The dummy was covered with a large brown blanket in the morgue scene.
Christingle orange:
I have considered using fake orange, perhaps an orange coloured ball but I figured it was easier to use a real one. Yana sourced the wooden sticks and the red ribbon for me. I tied the red ribbon around the orange, pierced its skin with the 4 sticks, then pieced the wine gum sweets and attached it all to the orange. However, I couldn't figure it out how to attach the candle to the orange. I couldn't tape it on because the bottom had to be turned to make the flame come on but luckily Mike managed to carve a hole in the top of the orange, where the candle cut sit, after being turned on.
Canopy bed:
My husband put the bed together. We collected a single bedframe from someone for free and we were quite suprised to realise how heavy and sturdy the bedframe was, it was made out of hardwood. The college already had a mattress. My husband came in for a day to put it all together. Then for the canopy piece, he took apart an old phone box and reused the long wood, these are the posters of the bed. Yana found red curtains for us that we placed on the curtain pole screwed to the front of the bed. Then I painted the new wooden pieces added because they were all different colour, some of them red, some of them pine colour. We used the paint from the production, Two. We painted the bar in June with a dark brown colour and had plenty leftover.
This was a very cost-effective show, which was important to me. In real-life as well, I find it important to reuse and recycle. The only things we had to buy was the orange (30 pence), wine gums (1 pound) and the curtain pole (5 pounds). Everything else, we or the college already owned. We also swapped around a lot of clothes for costumes between us, or found them in the costume cupboard. Makeup and hair products we already owned at home or at college as we just recently purchased brandnew of everything.
So, if I think about it, the whole show came to 6 pounds and 30 pence, which I didn't claim for because I thought, this was my gift to the charity.
My costumes
In our production, I played four characters on stage—each requiring a costume change—and provided voiceovers for two additional roles. With five quick costume changes throughout the show, there wasn’t time to change my makeup or hair between characters. To keep things efficient, I wore black leggings and black boots as a base for every role.
Initially, I had planned to wear brown high heels for Mrs. Cratchit and white sandals for Belle, but after my first quick change, I realized that wouldn’t be practical. In the end, I stuck to simple solutions that allowed me to transition smoothly and focus on the performance itself.
Belle
When I first heard the name Belle, my mind immediately pictured her in a blue dress. At first, I hesitated, wondering if blue would stand out enough against the wintry, cold setting, and considered choosing a warmer colour like pink. However, my teacher encouraged me to stay with blue, reminding me that it represents the sky and that if I felt a connection to that colour for my character, I should trust my instincts.
Ultimately, I chose a blue dress with a corseted waist that felt true to the period without being overly fancy. I wanted Belle’s costume to reflect everyday home wear rather than something suited for a ball. The dress received many compliments, especially from younger girls who stopped me to say how beautiful it looked. I’m glad I stuck with my original vision and found a look that fit both the character and the play's world.
Morgue worker
For the Morgue Worker, I relied on my basic costume pieces: black boots, black leggings, and a brown top, which stayed on for most of the performance. To complete the look, I added a long black coat, aiming for an appearance appropriate for someone working in a funeral home and around death. Due to the quick changeovers, there wasn’t time for more elaborate costume adjustments. However, we agreed that these morgue workers likely weren’t very professional, given how they spoke and behaved, so a simple, unrefined look suited the role perfectly.
Mrs. Cratchit
For Mrs. Cratchit, I wanted her costume to reflect her hardworking, practical nature, so durability and comfort were my priorities over fashion. I chose natural, earthy tones, mainly brown and beige, for her look. Her outfit included a long, button-up linen-style skirt, a brown long-sleeve top, and a brown scarf. While I initially envisioned brown high heels for her, quick changes between characters meant I stayed in my black boots throughout the show.
In Mrs. Cratchit’s final scene, after Tiny Tim’s death, I had to adapt the costume for safety and practicality. I removed the long skirt and wrapped a brown blanket around my upper body instead, since kneeling kept my boots from catching on the skirt, which was both a tripping hazard and visually distracting. These choices helped keep the performance smooth and true to Mrs. Cratchit’s character.
Party guest 1
For the role of Party Guest 1, I repurposed one of the dresses I had originally considered for Belle. Choosing between the two was difficult, and I found it hard to let go of this subtle pink dress, so I was glad I could still use it in the show. The dress suited the period well and effectively conveyed the image of a middle-class woman on stage.
BEHIND THE SCENES
ON THE DAY
These are the videos of how I felt on the day of the show, and feedback on what I think went well for us, and just looking back at the whole project from the very beginning.
The videos are most enjoyable on 1.25 x speed.
PERFORMANCE
Extractions
The Cratchit family
Felicia Mills as Mrs Cratchit
Edited by Felicia Mills
Party scene
Felicia Mills as Guest 1 (lady in pink in the middle)
AUDIENCE FEEDBACK
As promised, I kept the feedback secret until we met again. I wanted to share it with everyone in person because it is much more meaningful to read it together than to read it alone in our rooms. Most of the feedback was highly positive and supportive. The only negative comment we received from 2 audience members concerned volume and projection. This is something everyone will continue to work on this year.
Research materials