Frequently Asked Questions

Here they are... all the answers to all the questions you could ever think to ask.

Do the actors ever forget their lines?

Sometimes actors do forget words here and there, and sometimes entire lines! However, as professionals they can (mostly) cover their mistakes and no one would ever know! In films, the director can just shoot 'cut' and re-shoot the scene but this is not possible in theatre - so theatre actors have to work really hard to learn their lines.

How long does it take to rehearse a play?

The actors had 3 weeks to rehearse. This means learning their lines, where to stand on stage, developing their characters, getting fitted for their costumes, and learning to play new instruments... like the penny whistle and concertina.

What sort of bird is an albatross?

An albatross is a large seabird - one of the largest in the world! They have huge wingspans so they are highly efficient in the air, and feed on squid, fish and krill by either scavenging, surface seizing or diving. They range widely in the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific.

Where do the trap doors lead to?

Nowhere! When Anna who plays Mary disappears through the trapdoor she has to crouch on her knees and keep her head down.

Where do the costumes come from?

We have a designer who makes the costumes for us. Tomasin also designed and painted the set, made the poppets, and parts of the ship like the wheel and sails.

Why do you use lots of red lighting?

We do this to convey the themes of fantasy, gothic and the supernatural. Red often means 'danger' and co-ordinates in this show with the costumes, makeup, and sets so they all work well together.

I want to join an acting class, do you know where I can go?

Well, we run Swindon Youth Theatre for 7-11 year olds on Mondays and Thursdays from 4pm - 5pm. If you'd like to join, all you have to do is get your parent / guardian to send in an application form which can be downloaded from our website. We'll contact you when the waiting list is cleared - we try to do this very half term.

We also run classes for 12 - 15 year olds and 16 - 18 year olds - see our website for info.