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*Some information mentioned in this article may be out of date due to the progress of the current situation.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*
Reece Kerridge is currently in the German cast of Starlight Express, playing Brexit and covering the role of Rusty. His other credits include ensemble and cover Lord Farquard in Shrek (UK Tour); Ensemble in The Book of Mormon (Prince of Wales Theatre); Ensemble in Our House (Union Theatre); ensemble and cover Muddles in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Yvonne Arnaud Theatre); Ensemble and cover King and Jack in Jack and the Beanstalk (Wyvern Theatre) and Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again.
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 in Bochum in Germany as I was out there rehearsing for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express. I remember sitting in my studio apartment when I received an email saying that rehearsals were cancelled for the next day and we were to await further instructions. I mean that email itself was enough to know that things were getting real and serious. I didn’t quite know what was going on at the time and I remember calling my parents back in the UK and saying what is going on? Again, they were none too wiser because it hadn’t really hit the UK as badly as Germany had been hit. I decided to sit tight for a while and a few other castmates had said the same. Little did we know it was going to be a global pandemic.
Can you tell us anything productive you’ve been doing?
I remember sitting in the apartment a good few days after we were told not to come to work and I was so bored. I spoke to a very dear friend of mine who told me to write a song. I laughed so hard I spat my drink out! Low and behold that night I actually started writing a song about chicken nuggets. It’s actually not bad, it’s being composed as we speak! And then came the children’s book and a musical adaptation of it! So yeah I’m loving the creative flow I have found and a new love for another area of the industry.
