Your 2020 Christmas List: Supporting small businesses in our community

This year has been a rollercoaster for us all, but no more than our creatives and performers who have been failed by a system that is there to protect them. However, as natural hustlers, people have popped up with small businesses all over the place and we wanted to celebrate that. Over the past month, I have been taking note of some businesses that are definitely worthy of being on everyone's Christmas list. Take a look at some of the people who we have found, and why not have a little search around social media to see if you could buy any gifts from people in our industry, helping them out could really make a difference. This list we have created is a start, but please actively search for not only independent and small business but also those that have been set up by people who have been left without work in our industry. 

Banner artwork by Justin Williams.  

Shieldsy Sketches 

These stylish and stunning digital custom portraits are truly one of a kind. With a background in Ballet, Jamie Shields has also appeared in musicals like Cats and We Will Rock You. He creates these fabulous minimalistic sketches that are super stylish and would fit into a modern design home perfectly. Get an icon to add some unique art to your walls or perhaps slide into Jamie's DMs to commission a personalised portrait. 

View Shieldsy Sketches on Instagram

Kierography 

With credits such as Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, Titanic, Les Miserables, The Barricade Boys, Pipe Dream, Chess and many more, Kieran Brown is no stranger to the West End stage. What you may not know about him is that he is a very talented photographer who has taken this one step further. He has set up his own website where you can purchase any of the gorgeous images he has taken, but why not go the extra mile and get the pictures on facemasks, on a mug or even on a coaster?! What makes purchasing one of these images even better, is that 10% of every sale goes to Acting for Others. All information can be found on his website. 

View the Kierography official Website 

The Corona Diaries: Francesca Pim

These recent times have been some of the hardest challenges we've faced and as a community, it hit us pretty hard. However during these difficult times, here at Pocket Size Theatre, we wanted to spread a little positivity and share some peoples experiences because we are all in this together. Each day we'll be speaking to our friends in the industry to share their experiences with you all so take a read and see how people are getting through these hard times.

Let's stick together, share the love and get through this as a community!

*Some information mentioned in this article may be out of date due to the progress of the current situation. Please keep that in mind when reading* 

Francesca Pim was most recently seen as Soufflé in Beauty and The Beast at Exeter's Northcott Theatre. Her other credits include Zelda Zanders in Singin' in the Rain (Showtime Challenge, Adelphi Theatre); Lady Dolly in Twang!! (Union Theatre); Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland (UK Tour); Fiona/Helouise in Salad Days (UK Tour, Union Theatre); Lucinda in Into the Woods (Cockpit Theatre); Sammie-Sue Miller in 110 in the Shade (Ye Olde Rose and Crown Theatre); Helen in Wonderful Town (Ye Olde Rose and Crown Theatre) and Brenda in I.F the Musical (Waterloo East). 

On Monday 16th March 2020, The Society of London Theatre announced the closure of all Theatres in London. This followed suit with regional venues. Where were you when you found out and what was your initial reaction? 

At the time I was at home in London. (I am currently at my family home in Jersey as I made the decision to come back pre lockdown.) I had just had a phone call with a likeminded friend about our concerns for theatre and everything related to Coronavirus, I put the phone down and saw the news on social media and just kept thinking of what this meant for our Industry and the impact it would have on so many livelihoods. The Showstoppers were meant to have a show at the Lyric that evening which they had to cancel, but they did a Livestream improvised musical on their Facebook page so I watched that. It was brilliant, the last night that cast and many others will be together for a while and it felt reassuring to be reminded that creativity has not and will not stop.

Can you tell us anything productive you’ve been doing? 

Just before lockdown, I had started teaching myself the Ukulele. I am by no means great, but I'm enjoying the process and have already used it in filming for the charity Spread a Smile. I have worked for Spread a Smile for a while now and they are a wonderful organisation. Usually they employ performers (singers, magicians, artists, poets and more) to entertain terminally ill children and their families in London hospitals. Unfortunately, the weekly visits had to stop due to Cornonavirus so we have had to adapt and find ways of entertaining virtually. In addition to this virtual entertainment for Spread a Smile, I have been learning Makaton which is a language programme used to aid the development of speech in children with learning difficulties. Learning this is very similar to learning choreography in that the more you practice it the easier it becomes to recall.