Guest blogger, actress and award winning writer Dani Moseley says if put yourself out there, you’ll find out.
Last year summer my best friend had started acting in short, one off theatre showcases and going on about how great they were and how I should get involved. I turned my nose up at the idea, thinking: ‘I don’t need to do work like that anymore’. I know, right, who did I think I was? Lol. But, work was getting quiet and I, wanting a change from just doing youth theatre tours, trusted her so, when director Alice Bonifacio, offered me the opportunity to take part in Whoop ‘n’ Wail Represents….The Launch, I slightly reluctantly took it.
Dani taking notes from director Alice Bonifacio with actress Lizzie Bourne in Three Women in a Music Box by Dan Horrigan
I was cast in an all female three-hander, Dan Horrigan‘s Three Women in a Music Box. The experience was great. I got to work with talented, hard working actresses – Lizzie Bourne and Thea Beyleveld – an inspiring up and coming director and Whoop ‘n’ Wail were really accommodating and approachable with anything we needed to help support the piece. It was great having a tech/dress rehearsal beforehand and having two nights to perform was so nice to learn from. Excitingly, I also received my very first review, which got 5 stars, and that was crazy for me, as I’d never been reviewed in any of the other stuff I’d done.
I hadn’t really thought about inviting anyone to see the show as it was my first time, but amazingly, a director from one of the other plays in Represents… scouted me for The Story Project at the Arcola in Dalston. I performed in The Bird Woman of Lewisham by Chino Odimba, directed by Emily Bush. And from the Arcola, one thing lead to another: I got scouted by a director there for a sight-specific piece in Leicester Square, Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch, directed by Eva Sampson. It was awesome and all from Whoop ‘n’ Wail Represents…, the very thing I had turned my nose up at originally.
So, when I heard Whoop ‘n’ Wail were doing another one, Represents…Desire, I was intrigued and then when the same director, Alice, sent through the Nice Jumper script by Daniel Page, I was on board, no hesitation!
Dani and Lizzie Bourne in Nice Jumper by Daniel Page
The process and experience was even more enjoyable and joining the team was actor Anyebe Godwin. Again we got to see the other plays in the showcase, which is always nice for actors. Again the performances got reviewed and again our play got 5 stars – I even got a double personal mention for my performance!!!
So, for any actors, directors and writers sitting there reading this, thinking that small scale new writing showcases would be of no benefit to them, THINK AGAIN!
Opportunities come from any and everywhere as a creative in the entertainment industry and the fact that you get good writers, directors, actors, reviewers and the chance to invite people to come and see you, what really is of no benefit here?!
So, get off high horse or out of your comfort zone and get involved with Whoop ‘n’ Wail Represents... It all adds up to you putting yourself out there and it’s all experience on the ladder to success.
Dani Moseley is an actress and writer, winning an award for the screenplay of The Forty Elephants. She’s appeared in various TV shows such as ITV’s The Bill; BBC’s Eastenders; Sky1’s The Runaway; and London Live/web series Brothers With No Game. She has appeared on stage at the Arcola, The Cochrane, Leicester Square Theatre and The Catford Broadway. Dani’s showreel can be viewed here.
To see the 5 star reviews Dani refers to, please click here: Three Women in a Music Box and Nice Jumper
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