Remote: What it’s like as a Youth Company member
Fri 11 Feb 2022Introduce yourself!
My name is Eli, I’m 16 and my pronouns are he/him. I’ve been part of the Youth Company since 2019 and I’ve loved every part of it. I really like musical theatre and ever since I was 5 years old, I really wanted to be an actor, particularly in films.
What is Remote about? Can you describe the plot to someone who hasn’t ever heard of it before?
Remote is an amazing play by Stef Smith about a group of teenagers whose lives collide and change in one evening. It’s about protest and being young. There are this bunch of kids in a park and there’s one girl who gets sick of life so climbs a tree in protest. Everyone tries to get her down and goes on their own journeys across one evening. It’s so good – I love it – it’s just about being young, and how stupid it is, and how pointless it seems to be a teenager. I honestly love it so much. I love it so much because I relate to everyone in it, because each character in it is almost like a different emotion.
What do you find interesting about the play?
It’s incredibly realistic, I don’t want to spoil anything but there’s a certain thing my character, Skin, does at the end that I absolutely love performing and am so excited to do onstage!
Photo by Steve Gregson
Eli performing as Skin in Remote
What have rehearsals been like so far?
Rehearsals have been amazing, working with so many other people my age on a project that I enjoy so much has been super fun. I remember the first ever rehearsal I was so nervous about meeting new, scary brilliant actors, but, while they are all scary brilliant, they are all so nice and easy to talk to. I’ve made friends with so many people, normally I struggle to make friends, so this has been a great opportunity for that. Honestly, I never want rehearsals to end.
Why do you take part in the Youth Company?
I take part in youth theatre to act with and meet other people my age and to learn new and interesting ways to improve my acting. I’ve been wanting to be part of a project like Remote for years and now I finally am, it’s so much better that I could ever have dreamed of. I started in the Youth Company to be in a show like Remote.
Why should people come and see Remote?
I am genuinely upset that I don’t get to see the show because I am in it. It’s quirky and genuine and pretty much my favourite show now. I love it and I’m sure you will too. The cast is full of talented young people and it’s not often you get to see a show with a full cast of young people performing. And it’s just so well written!
What are you most looking forward to about the performance?
Being on a stage. I haven’t been on a stage in front of an audience for about three years now and I’ve missed it so much. Of course, lockdown was important and had to happen, but I am so happy that we’ve opened up enough for us to do this again!
Photo by Steve Gregson
The company of Remote
Remote, performed by The Marlowe Youth Company, is playing in The Studio on Friday 11 & Saturday 12 February and tickets can be purchased here. You can also find out more about our Youth Company.