ACTORS TOOLBOX

This toolbox is designed for actors, actors in training, directors, and facilitators to support their well-being while on the job, outside of work, during rehearsals, and in between jobs. 

It was created by an actor and trained dramatherapist who has worked and provided support for both adults and young people within the NHS and in private practice. This project wouldn’t have been possible without the invaluable support and guidance from fellow actors, actors in training, directors, facilitators, and counsellors.

Theatre requires actors to be the vehicle, to create the seeing place to shine a light on and into humanity and the world itself. 

Acting, at times, can feel lofty; at other times banal. If you've ever spent two hours waiting in a casting lounge to audition for an advert where all you have to say is 'yum,' you can often start doubting all your career choices up until that moment. 

It can be joy-filled, mundane, hugely sociable, and deeply isolating by turns.  It's a job that requires stamina – and that is hard to acquire.  

This has been designed to help!

Throughout this toolbox, I will use the term Director when referring to the person leading the rehearsal space – please note this could be facilitator, teacher, company manager or cast member.

Where We Are and Where We Are Heading

As we emerged from the global pandemic, we were moving swiftly, almost as if trying to outrun its memory. The pandemic brought with it a multitude of challenges: uncertainty, loss of control, social isolation, fear of infection, grief, and existential threats, among others. It's a lengthy list, and we have scarcely allowed ourselves the time and space to truly acknowledge its impact.

Our eagerness to return to 'normal' has impeded this acknowledgment, and now we are beginning to witness the repercussions, spanning from the educational system to mental health services. This rush is causing considerable cognitive dissonance among people, as we grapple with stress, anxiety, and loneliness without fully recognising, or being able to fully articulate, their link to the enduring effects of the Covid-19 period.

The pandemic has left its mark on us as individuals, as a society, and on the foundational systems of our key institutions. 

For actors, returning to an industry fraught with uncertainty, navigating a cost-of-living crisis, and rehearsing in environments where discussions about the mixed emotions and anxieties that the pandemic caused have led to struggles.

However, amidst the challenges, there are opportunities for reflection and growth. The industry has been afforded a moment of reflection, enabling a critical self-examination regarding how it treats actors, their agency, their needs, and work expectations, as well as how to better support their mental health within this complex profession.