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!
Kayleigh McKnight was most recently seen as one of the Vocalist in the Hugh Jackman World Tour. Her other credits include 1st cover Rhonda in Tina - The Tina Turner Musical (Aldwych Theatre); Soul girl & understudy Mary in Jesus Christ Superstar (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre); Factory Girl/Whore in Les Misérables (Queen's Theatre); Harrier/Cover Jules in Bend It Like Beckham (Pheonix Theatre); Ensemble in The Mikado(Charing Cross Theatre); Henrietta in The Dreaming (The Union Theatre); Anna in 14-18 A Spectacular Musical (Studio 100 Belgium); Lucy Westerman in Dracula (The Canting Crew).
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*Some information mentioned in this article may be out of date due to the progress of the current situation.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*
Kayleigh McKnight was most recently seen as one of the Vocalist in the Hugh Jackman World Tour. Her other credits include 1st cover Rhonda in Tina - The Tina Turner Musical (Aldwych Theatre); Soul girl & understudy Mary in Jesus Christ Superstar (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre); Factory Girl/Whore in Les Misérables (Queen's Theatre); Harrier/Cover Jules in Bend It Like Beckham (Pheonix Theatre); Ensemble in The Mikado(Charing Cross Theatre); Henrietta in The Dreaming (The Union Theatre); Anna in 14-18 A Spectacular Musical (Studio 100 Belgium); Lucy Westerman in Dracula (The Canting Crew).
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?
I was actually already working from home (when I'm not in a performing job, I'm lucky to work for a theatre company in their marketing department). Needless to say, it was a stressful day as we knew this meant we needed to reschedule all of our upcoming shows for the entirety of spring. Quite a task but we all got through it and I'm dead proud of us. Doing this job at this time has actually made me see things from the other side and shows just how much producers are going through right now too which I think is super valuable. We are all in this together, actors, producers, creatives, technical, front of house and everyone else I've definitely missed. It's an anxious time for us all but in that week that followed our little team pulled together to get all of our shows rescheduled which shows just how resilient us theatre folk are. I'm strangely proud of how well everyone is coping with what hasn't been easy at all! I was initially gutted, not just for the company I work for, but for so many friends who's shows had been cancelled, or who's new jobs weren't starting. It's horrid. But seeing how people have responded since has been nothing short of phenomenal!
