Pocket Size Theatre and Liza Heinrichs (Captured by Liz) have teamed up again and created our new series 'Coming Home'. In this new piece, we look at the reopening of Theatres in London and around the country and celebrate our industry coming back. We got together some performers who will be some of the first to return to theatres and created this piece to bring some positivity to the theatre industry which has been through one of the toughest years in our lifetime. Whilst it is important to acknowledge the hardships we've all gone through, it's important we pull together as a community and celebrate our beloved industry finally coming back!
One of the most anticipated West End shows of the season and one we’ve been waiting for the longest time is Frozen. This hit 2013 film broke so many records in the box office and reached the stage in 2018 on Broadway, now the West End premiere will soon be opening at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on the 27th August 2021.
Emily-Mae will be appearing in the production as Bulda and in the ensemble. Before lockdown hit, she was appearing in the West End transfer of City of Angels covering the role of Donna/Ooile and Angel City 4. Her other credits include the title role in Pippi Longstocking at the Royal and Derngate, Paradise in Brooklyn the Musical at the Greenwich Theatre, Ronnette in Little Shop of Horrors at the Storyhouse in Chester, Ulla in The Producers at the Royal Exchange in Manchester and she played a Dynamite and covered Motormouth Maybelle in the National tour of Hairspray.
Talking to Emily-Mae about how she’s coped over the pandemic, she tells us she’d like to think she’s grown as a person throughout this, “I had lots of time alone to reflect on the world and how I navigate through it to make it better. Always leading with kindness and humour cause life is short and it’s too precise to take it too seriously.” She also mentions two books that made her look at how she’s judges herself, those being How to fail by Elizabeth Day and Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo.
Chatting further about the pandemic with Emily-Mae, she tells us how this has made everyone look at what’s really important in their lives and pointed out the things that we must be grateful for. Regarding the performing arts industry as well, we spoke about how this has affected how we look at the performing world too. “I think it’s vital moving forward that the stage represents everyone in our community. Theatre is such a joyful way to inspire and reflect back to future generations.”
This period of time has thrown some challenges at everyone, one of them being financial. With the majority of the performing arts industry working as a freelance that meant a lot of lost work and money for most. Emily tells us about her challenges, but how she switched it to be positive, “I found myself in a clothing warehouse back at home in Barnsley. I loved my time there and working a 9-5 was a welcome change in some respects. I made friends I would have never met and had time with my family that I’m so grateful for.”
The return of the industry is happening right now with shows popping up and restarting their runs or new ones opening and being welcomed with open arms! Emily tells us that the pandemic made her appreciate her job like never before, “It’s so much more than a job and not being able to do it really brought home the love I have for what I do.”
Whilst Emily-Mae tells us that she is “so excited for everyone to get back to what they love and to create magic for people every night”, she also tells us how important it is for people to take it one day at a time. “It’s been a long time away from our jobs and it’s going to be an adjustment to get back in the swing of things. Comparing yourself to others is bad in a normal situation; But mid pandemic, when everyone has been dealing with very different circumstances, it’s really not worth your time.”
Emily-Mae tells us how important it is to “be kind to yourself”, and there isn’t a kinder thing to do than book yourself a ticket to see Frozen at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. It's sure to be a magical adventure and one of the must-see shows of the year. After this difficult period, a bit of Disney magic is exactly what everyone deserves in their life!
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