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*Some information mentioned in this article may be out of date due to the progress of the current situation.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*
Rhiannon Chesterman was most recently seen playing Julia in The Wedding Singer at the Troubador Theatre in Wembley. Her other credits include Wendy in Peter Pan (Lyric Theatre Belfast); Regina in Rock of Ages (UK & Ireland Tour); Frenchy & Cover Rizzo and Sandy in Grease (UK Tour); the title role in Cinderella (Bristol Hippodrome); Susan in That Man (Hippodrome); Ensemble & Cover Maureen in Mrs Henderson Presents (Theatre Royal Bath & Noel Coward Theatre); Shelley & Cover Tracy in Hairspray (UK Tour); Maggie in Lend Me A Tenor (Vienna's English Theatre); Swing in The Lion, Witch & The Wardrobe (Kensington Palace Gardens).
Can you tell us anything productive you’ve been doing?
Well. I won’t lie. I have been busier in this lockdown period than I have been in a while. Trying to suddenly adapt and make things work has been stressful but necessary. As with most actors living in London paying extortionate rent, we don’t have emergency funds stored away for a when a global pandemic hits. Between acting jobs, I teach and gig mostly but with those options out of action, I needed to get another job. Luckily my local supermarket was looking for new staff and so myself, along with many others in the theatre community, have started to work there.
I work nights mostly, restocking shelves and also doing online shopping for people. Occasionally I work a checkout shift which is a major throwback to when I was little and set up shop in the living room with my Fisher-Price till. It’s been a lifeline money wise but it’s also nice to feel like we are helping the community during these uncertain times.
I also work for a company called Baby Broadway (@babybroadwayuk). We normally do gigs all around London for children and their parents but obviously those have had to stop too. Thankfully we have now developed a format to get those concerts online! It’s the highlight of my week as I get to sing banging show tunes and also get to see lots of smiley little faces dancing away on Zoom. The shows are every Tuesday & Friday at 11am and I do every other week. If you have little ones, please do come along. It’s an injection of joy for me and hopefully also for everyone watching at home. All info is at babybroadway.co.uk.
