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: Kieran Brown

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*

Kieran Brown last appeared in the UK and International tour of Titanic the Musical. His other credits include understudy Phantom in The Phantom Of The Opera (Her Majesty’s Theatre); Elphaba’s Father and understudy Dillamond and Wizard in Wicked (Apollo Victoria); understudy Raoul in Love Never Dies (Adelphi Theatre); Feuilly in Les Misérables (Palace Theatre & O2 Arena); Doc in the European première of Pipe Dream (Union Theatre); Phantom in UK première of Maury Yeston’s Phantom (Rose & Crown Theatre); The Actor in The Woman In Black, Algernon Moncreiff in The Importance Of Being Earnest, Don’t Dress For Dinner, Beyond Therapy (International Theatre, Vienna) and the Three Phantoms (Macau & Singapore).

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 in town and had been for an audition, then had a wander through Soho. Decided to grab myself a cheeky drink then saw the news. It was bizarre walking through Theatreland seeing all the fab front of house staff dealing with confused punters, having to explain and send them away. Hats off to them all. Was a very strange vibe - decided quite quickly it was probably best to head home. Instincts were telling me that a further lockdown was coming.

DREAM CASTING: Friends the Musical

If you're like me or the majority of people on my timeline, you'll have watched the entire series of Friends on Netflix a number of times. I think I may be on my 6th rerun of it?! But it got me thinking, If there was a musical who could be in it? So I took to the internet and made my dream cast list. Tweet us and let us know who you would like to see in the musical version of Friends! @PocketSizeBlog

Rachel Green | Emily Tierney 

Ross Geller | Gerard McCarthy 

WICKED 10: Kieran Brown

Firstly, tell us what part you played and what year(s) you were in the company! 

I played Elphaba’s Father, Frex, Wiz Guard, Professor Niccidick, and was understudy Dillamond and the Wizard! So I was kept busy!

Do you remember seeing WICKED for the first time? When and where was it?

I saw if for the first time in 2009 and was just blown away. I mean its a proper Broadway spectacle, though I fell in love with the cast recording when it first came out so by the time of my audition, I knew every word! 

Did you ever think you’d be in the show one day?

No! I don’t dance really, so I didn’t think there would be a track suitable for me! Too old (and ugly!) for Fiyero, too young for Wizard and Dillamond so it was really a shock! 

What is your best memory from your time at WICKED?

I can’t think of one specific memory, I just remember the energy and banter we had backstage. Very often, it is the people you work with who make an experience memorable. We had plenty of laughs.  In thinking that, one does spring to mind one; a particular show Rachel Tucker did, and when she did the end of Defying Gravity, I was almost glued to the ground because I was so blown away with her power and passion. I almost forgot to run off in the blackout!