C&D Productions Take Two

   So, it's been six months since my last interview with C&D Productions, and with an incredibly busy summer coming up for them, I thought it was about time I interviewed Chris again to get all the details on what the company have been up to recently and what they have planned for the rest of the year.

Hey Chris, welcome back to my blog! It sounds like you and the theatre company have been pretty busy since you last appeared here, what’s been happening?

   First of all, thank you so much for having me on here, it’s always a pleasure! Regarding theatre and life in general, it's more like what hasn’t happened?! It’s been a busy few months since the start of the year and it’s seen C&D Production solidify itself as a growing staple in the local theatre community here in Northants. We’ve already performed two plays this year, The Picture of Dorian Gray and Sleeping Beauty, and next week we embark on our latest and biggest adventure, Macbeth.

So that brings you up to seven plays since the theatre company was established last year? What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced putting on so many plays - finding a cast?

   Surprisingly that hasn’t been an issue at all. I’ve seen groups suffering that issue with productions being cancelled last year and this year due to lack of cast. We’ve never had that problem as I think we cater to a very different group of performers. Typically we haven’t had many musical theatre performers come along and audition which is a mix of two things in my opinion. First of all, they enjoy singing and that’s their main focus of enjoyment when performing and they want to replicate shows and musicals we’ve seen online or on the West End. Secondly, I think that ‘just acting’ can seem quite daunting when you’re used to singing as with a song you’re given a way of singing it via the music that accompanies the piece. With acting you’re given words on a page and it’s down to you to interpret what to do with the script. Of course you need to do this too with lyrics, but you do have a helping hand and also you’re typically told what to do physically via chorography. Also our audition process is very transparent and I’m purposefully not auditioning for any of our shows this year - with the except of maybe Dracula -  to put that point across and establish the right working ethic.

You mentioned Macbeth earlier, what’s happening with that? Seems a far cry from Frankenstein and A Christmas Carol which you did last year?

   I think the right opportunity came across our path and the right time, which is so often the case in life when things go your way. I had floated the idea of Shakespeare mid last year and we agreed it was far too early and we should probably look at it in 2016-2017. Then a contact we made from the Camden Fringe passed our details to someone in Brighton and the next thing we knew we had the chance to perform at the Brighton Fringe Festival 2015. I wanted to take something that would be a challenge to the production team and especially the cast as you have to remember Shakespeare just isn’t done much locally at all. I had gained a good level of directing experience since starting the company but I had the sense to realise I needed someone on board who knew Shakespeare. John Whitney had approached us not long before offering his services and after an email exchange and several meetings I offered him the job of co-directing with me.

Casting a Shakespeare play sounds like a very different beast to the usual productions you've staged?

   Very much so, but I think we’ve established ourselves as the straight acting theatre company in Kettering to offer open auditions. As soon as I started mentioning the project to people the reaction was unanimous excitement and that wasn’t just from people interested in auditioning, but from people happy to see the group moving full steam ahead. We held two audition days which is our standard practice and after some tough decisions we picked our cast which even includes several people out of county. We had people from 50-60 miles away come to audition and that is a testament to our reach online and the portfolio of varied productions we’ve done since our inception.

The Brighton Fringe has already begun and seen a sleuth of productions being staged across the city. Looking online the sheer scope and scale of the festival is enormous, how have you approached preparing for next week?

   In the same way we do for every other production, in a professional way. We’re very strict on being off-book early on in rehearsals as clinging onto a script acts as a barrier to the character being fully realised. We are also blessed with having one of the most dedicated and talented casts I’ve worked with and it really has turned into a collaborative project as I think gaining cast input and suggestions is key to any rehearsal process. Neither John or I will be on the stage with them, so they really have to take charge of their characters and get into their own skin so that the movement, lines and performance is theirs and not them simply following a predetermined route. I purposefully don’t do a great deal of setting early on in rehearsals as I really do encourage actors to think for themselves on stage but instead help them make decisions about what their characters would do at any given moment.

I remember us speaking a while back about your last experience of fringe theatre and you telling me that pushing ticket sales was much more difficult due to heightened competition. How have you fared so far with Macbeth?

   This experience has been a revelation on that front. A month before the festival started we had nearly sold out one night and with a week to go before our first performance we’ve entirely sold out that night and have 10 tickets left for another, with the other two dates selling well too. You have to bear in mind that with Camden we were bringing new writing to the table which is always a risk, be it locally or at a big city festival. We’re fortunate that we’ve always made a profit on all of our shows to date and that trend will definitely now continue with Macbeth and also Sherlock Holmes – A Study In Scarlett, which is being performed locally at the end of May. We’ve broken our own record for pre-sold tickets with Macbeth and our aim will be to break a few records at the Rialto Theatre too!

What does the rest of the year hold of the theatre company? Are you going to slow down and have a well-received rest?

   Not a chance! We’ve already auditioned and cast our next play which will be a series of three well-known stories performed July 9^th-11^th in Kettering. The stories are Alice in Wonderland, which sees me carry on working with Abbey Scrimshaw who I’m co-directing Sherlock Holmes with, Hansel and Gretel, which sees a joint C&D directing debut of Trisha Lynch and Scarlett Jordan and lastly Red Riding Hood which Liv Norris is heading up after her success with Sleeping Beauty. John Whitney is directing The Seagull, by Anton Chekov in September, with an assistant director soon to be announced and for October and Halloween we’ll be performing Dracula. We’ve also got some fantastic new schemes starting over the summer and our first ever contracted engagement too.

It really sounds like you’ve got a great team around you at the moment?

   None of this would be happening without the truly amazing and dedicated people who make up C&D Productions. The theatre company isn’t about myself or Dan, who will be looking to start a Manchester branch at the start of 2016, it’s about the people that make up the fabric of the group. We work hard and play hard, which can clearly be seen by the quality of productions we produce and by the retention rate of keeping people involved with us. I’m always in touch with Dan to bounce ideas off and he’s usually the voice of reason when I come up with any ideas that we quite aren’t ready for, though I am pleased to say this has become less and less as we’ve grown and our ambitions balance with the talent we’ve amassed. The family we’ve formed is very unique in that we continually welcome new people into the fold and everyone is always accepting of them, whether they are a new director, someone new to acting or an addition to the backstage team.

Anyone in particular you’d like to give a mention to, or is that putting you on the spot too much?

   There would be far too many people to name who have had an impact on me personally and on the theatre company and I’m sure I’d end up missing someone! I can summarise some of the people who have helped and make C&D what it is, but if I miss anyone I’m sure you’re in my thoughts! My mum Trisha is an absolute rock and has done wonders sorting props for all of our shows and helps tremendously online getting our posters in front of people, and I’m really proud that she’s taking her first step with us in directing H&G with Scarlett. Pete Bing is an utter C&D warrior and does far more than most people realise, with us discussing ideas and options throughout the rehearsal process. He’s done everything from recommending lighting for us to get or fixing swords! We’ve got a great backstage team that has featured Tyler, Jade, Molly, Dani, Naomi, John, Damien and many others, some of our best costumes have supplied by Steve Lack and then there’s the directors..

   Liv Norris who I met doing my first ever theatrical show and has been a welcome addition since moving back to the area, John Whitney who has been a great asset with Macbeth and who I’m sure will continue to deliver with The Seagull and beyond and the new directors coming up through the ranks. Abbey has been great to work with on Sherlock and who I think has a great future ahead of her in whatever she does. Scarlett, Georgie Cunningham and Tom Heritage are going to be coming into the foray this year and I can’t forget Becky Hawksbee who is an amazing support and is an asset to me personally and professionally, and who is making a great return to the stage as Lady Macbeth, having occupied a smaller role in Dorian. I won’t name the 80+ cast who have been in our productions, but I have honestly enjoyed working with all of you and look forward to the doubtless years ahead still working with you. 

Very quickly before we finish up, you mentioned some schemes starting over the summer, care to elaborate?

As most people know I am very passionate about theatre having no barriers or obstacles to entry for those wanting to get involved. These of course vary from group policy to membership fees to groups using the same directors for 5-10yrs on the bounce. That's their choice and they are of course entitled to it, I however want to ensure anyone locally wanting access to theatre has that chance. This is why over the summer the first of the initiatives we'll be launching is 'New Voices', which will focus on new writing, mainly aimed at the theatre, but also just generally about encouraging people to write as it can have so many benefits to people's well-being too. The idea will be to get some short plays written as the process develops and then the theatre company will put them on and those received well will be transferred to the various fringes we'll be visiting. I was careful to give it an open name as this scheme will be open to anyone, regardless of age, so it will be exciting who gets involved. The other program which we are starting will be 'Future-Proof' which is aimed at developing new talent in other elements of the production process. The main focus will be on directing and other elements of backstage, with people teamed up with experience individuals to give them support. The ideal situation would be for a new director would get to work on some of the new material coming out of 'New Voices' and build up relationships with others learning their trade. Again this won't be age restricted so if there's a 17yr old coming through the ranks like Abbey or people who retired and want to take up a new interest.

It certainly sounds like the future is looking bright for C&D and for theatre locally to you in Northamptonshire. What's the plan for the next week in Brighton? We're travelling down early on Tuesday, book into the hotel and get to work selling the remaining tickets, which as I said earlier aren't many. I've got a few interviews to do with various reviewers and bloggers in the Brighton area and I'll be looking to meet up with Ditch The Label, an anti-bullying charity based in Brighton which we will be supporting while we are down there. The important thing to focus on though is to put on some quality theatre and have fun while doing it. We're there for six days and it's important to make them memorable and gain as much from the experience as possible, as well as seeing other shows that are on too. The family feel that you get from performing at a fringe festival is very different to the feeling you get when performing locally as no-one knows you but the support is a great pure passion to encourage each-other which agendas or motives. Someone comes to your show and sees it, if they liked it they will tell you, if they didn't like it they'll tell you, that level of honesty rarely exists at an am-dram level. Let's hope for some favourable reviews and a fantastic experience for the cast, John and I, and everyone else performing down there throughout May!

--

Chris Lynch

Artistic Director

C&D Productions Ltd

www.cd-productions.co.uk

www.facebook.com/CDProductions.theatre

Salford Varsity and SUBC 50

   Last Saturday saw the annual boat race take place at Salford Quays between our university boat teams and Manchester's. It's one of the most hyped about events for the university, and its safe to say that we were all pretty nervous when it came round.     Despite plenty of training and early mornings we weren't fortunate enough to win due to the strength of the Manchester crews, but it has made us all the more determined to train even harder to ensure our victory next year. It was still a huge event for the university, and it was lovely to see the amount of people who had come to support us, even though the weather was appalling and there was very little shelter! It definitely reminded us that despite being the underdog university we work incredibly hard, and can only keep striving to achieve what we know we're capable of.    The evening brought with the annual rowing ball, which was particularly important this year as it was the celebration of our club having been running for 50 years. I wasn't sure what to expect at first, but it was a spectacular night and I'm incredibly grateful to have gone. It was a very formal event, and everyone looked incredible, and it definitely made a pleasant change to seeing everyone half asleep in their training gear at 6:30 in the morning! It was an opportunity for us all to celebrate how hard we've all trained over the past nine months, as well as to be able to give something back to the club. It also reminded us of how far we've all come, particularly us freshers, as many of us only started rowing in September, but it's such a huge part of our lives now.     Throughout the night there were various awards, allowing our captains to reward us for all our efforts. I was fortunate enough to get a gift for being part of the senior women's WeHORR crew last month, which is an event I will never forget, for both good and bad reasons!     It's safe to say it was emotional having to say goodbye to a lot of the crew who we've become so close to as they are now graduating, but we all know they'll be there with the supporters at the varsity next year! It was a day and night full of reflection on how far we've come, which is actually a pretty scary thought! It's crazy how huge a part of my life rowing has become, but I definitely wouldn't have it any other way.

Faryl Smith

   So it's been a while since I last managed to get round to writing a new blog post due to the stress of assignment deadlines and January exams! Thankfully that's all out the way now, so I can get back to blogging! I've decided to take a slightly different approach with my blog to make it more blog like, so expect lots of interviews, reviews and my opinion on events happening around the world!
   As my first post in a while, I knew that this one had to be a pretty big one, so therefore I incredibly grateful to be given the chance to interview Faryl Smith! I used to sing with Faryl in Masquerade before she auditioned for Britain's Got Talent, as well as singing in concerts since we got her recording contract and for backing on her first solo album. Therefore I grabbed the chance to ask her about what 2015 is going to bring both for herself and for her career!

Who have been the greatest influences on your singing journey so far?

   Lots of great classical singers gave me valuable advice at the start of my career, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Lesley Garrett and Bryn Terfel. They were all people that I admired and looked up to. They all advised me to take my time with my career and to enjoy myself. 

What is the one thing you hope to achieve above all else?

   I hope to one day have the main role in an opera. It will take a lot of time and hard work, but that would be my final goal. 

Who are your favourite contemporary singers?

   I love all of Beyonce’s songs. Not just her voice but the way she performs because she owns the stage.

Will there be another solo album?

   Not at the moment as I currently want to concentrate and put all of my efforts into developing my voice and performing. However we will see about maybe doing another album in the future!

What advice would you give to young singers hoping to follow in your footsteps?

   I would say try to get as many experiences in performing in front of an audience as you can. Maybe join a choir as it brings out your confidence. It also makes the experience enjoyable as you will make lots of friends.

You were incredibly young when you entered the industry, how did you manage to keep grounded?

   I think having a close family around me at all times made me grounded. My mum definitely made sure that it didn’t affect me in any way.

What’s been the most challenging moment for you so far?

   The most challenging thing was probably trying to balance both my full time career and also GCSE’s & A levels. I thankfully got through everything with good grades, but it was very difficult to balance.

What’s been the most rewarding moment of your career to date?

   I don’t think I would be able to pick just one thing! I have had some amazing experiences that I will never forget. Performing in front of the Queen several times and having the chance to meet her was probably one of the most rewarding moments of my career. 

What would be your advice to anyone hoping to break the industry?

   Always do what you feel is the best thing for you. Enjoy and try to appreciate every experience that you have and make sure that you take lots of pictures. I now have albums full that I love looking back at, as there are so many lovely memories. But most importantly, enjoy it!

What can we expect from you in 2015?

   I have been accepted into several music conservatoires in London and I am currently trying to make the difficult decision of one to choose. I plan to study hard, achieve a degree in music and still perform regularly. I have many events coming up that I am really excited about, for example performing for Royalty and Wembley again.

Infinity Dreams Award

   I haven't really got a clue what this award is all about, but I've been nominated by Olivia, so I'm going to follow the rules and see if someone ever tells me what it actually is! 

The Rules

• Thank and follow the blog that nominated you
• Post 11 facts about yourself
• Answer the 10 questions set by your nominater
• Choose 3-10 nominees and set them 10 questions

11 Facts About Myself

1. I'm diabetic
2. I'm quarter Irish
3. I'm an only child
4. I wanted to be an actress up until the age of 17
5. Singing is my biggest passion
6. My aim is to live in either Chesire or Chelsea when I'm older
7. I aspire to be like Fearne Cotton - her career is my dream!
8. I'm obsessed with American Horror Story and Fresh Meat
9. I've recently become a pescetarian
10. I used to be a hurdler
11. I hope to travel the world

My Nominees

Katie

Orla
Antonia

My 10 Questions

If you could pick 5 guests of your choice who would invite to a dinner party?
   I'd actually probably invite a ridiculous amount of people, so this is pretty difficult having to choose my top 5!

• Alex Turner - I have the most ridiculous crush on me and he could serenade me and it would just be absolutely perfect
• Barak Obama - he reminds me of an overexcited puppy, I just love him!
• Ed Sheeran - he's the most down to earth celebrity ever and he's just so lush! 
• Meryl Streep - she is my absolute live aims and I just find her so so amazing
• Evan Peters - HE IS JUST PERFECT.

Why did you start blogging?

   Originally I started blogging to show people in year 13 or a similar situation to me that you don't need to get into your first choice university to be able to make something of your life and still achieve your dreams. However, nowadays it's become more of a lifestyle blog, and that's the direction I want to take it in. It's also an opportunity for my friends to be able to know what I'm up to, because we're scattered all over the country now! 

If you could only use 3 products on your face at one time what would they be?

• B&B cream - it moisturises and gives foundation coverage so it's a good all-rounder!
• Nars Volumising Mascara - it's my absolute favourite mascara, for someone with dark eyelashes it's perfect!
• MAC Ruby Woo - red lipstick is by far my favourite, and this is by far my favourite one

Do you have any hobbies?

• Singing - like I said in a previous post, I've been doing it since I was 3, properly since I was 7, and it's my biggest passion
• Rowing - a new hobby since going to university, but I absolutely adore it and I've realised surprised myself!

What would you wear if you could only have one outfit for the rest of your life?
    For New Years Eve 2014 I bought a black playsuit from Topshop and it's become my new favourite item of clothing. It can be dressed up or down depending on how I do my make up and what I pair it with, so I'd definitely choose that alongside my black Chelsea boots! It's so simple yet sophisticated and it's a definite all round winner in the style stakes. 

What do you want to achieve from your blog?

   I honestly don't have a clue. I already have achieved more than I ever thought I would - I have so many followers and views and people who are genuinely interested in my blog and what I get up to in my crazy life! I just hope it carries on going up and getting more successful and that I give people various ideas as to what to do about university both before they go and once they get there.

What is your biggest achievement so far?

   My school expedition to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands without a shadow of the doubt. Being 1 of 30 chosen out of over 400 students who applied was just such a surreal experience and it was by far the most amazing and rewarding month of my life to date. It made me realise how much we take for granted back home - seeing the childrens faces when we gave them our old clothes just made you realise how lucky we are to have the security that we do. I'd recommend it to anyone and I'm determined to go back one day. It was a life changing experience.

If you could be any character from any TV show/film who would it be and why?
   Rizzo - Grease. I'm obsessed with the film, knowing all the songs and dance routines and having been in a production of it. I love Rizzo's sass and her no-nonsense attitude, I feel like I should start channelling my inner Rizzo a bit more! Yet she also has a soft side and is ready to admit sometimes that she puts on a bit of a front, she's just such an amazing character! I'd never ever be able to do Stockard Channing justice though! 

What was your first ever make up item?

   I can't even remember when I started wearing make up, let along my first make up item! Knowing my obsession with magazines when I was younger though it was properly a tacky sparkly bright pink free lip gloss. 

What is your favourite fashion trend? 
   My all time favourite fashion trend is a classic block print cocktail dress with black or nude court shoe Louboutins. However, I'm aware that's a rather expensive trend, so if I had to go for a cheaper one I'd probably go for black skinny jeans, chelsea boots and a pretty shirt or blouse.

Questions For My Nominees

1. If you could have a one way ticket anywhere where would it be?
2. If you could meet any famous celebrity of your choice who would it be?
3. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
4. What are your go to shoes?
5. Where is your favourite local place to visit?
6. What do you hope people achieve from reading your blog?
7. Who are your favourite bloggers and why?
8. What's your number one way to relax after a busy day?
9. What is your favourite item in your wardrobe?
10. What is your go to album for long car journeys? 

Well there you go - you now know a little bit more about me! Be sure to talk a look at Olivia's blog seeing as she nominated me! If I nominated you then pop the list in the comments below so I can check out your answers!

Masquerade Choir

   Even since the age of 7 I have been lucky enough to sing with international award winning choir Masquerade. I've been singing, or attempting to since, since the age of 3, and before I moved to Manchester the past 4 years saw me singing 4-5 times a week without fail. Having grown up with a pretty musical family on my mum's side, it was inevitable that I was going to inherit the musical genes. After trying, and failing, to play the violin and the saxophone, I stuck to singing and let them become my passion.

   I've also been a member of Belcanto Ladies Choir, another international award winner, various school choirs, and Stagemasque Theatre Company - but Masquerade is the choir that will also have my heart. Not only have I sung with them in the BBC Children's Choir of the Year, which we only went and won, and various competitions at the international choir awards in Llangollen, I was also lucky enough to have the opportunity to go to California with them for 10 days when I was 13. The trip was packed with singing at various theme parks, including Disneyland California and Universal Studies, as well as chance to shop and enjoy the theme parks.
   Growing up with singing being such a massive part of my life, it was a massive shock coming to university and realising that I couldn't really afford to dedicate 5 evenings a week to it any more. Plus I wanted to try new things, such as rowing, and so I decided that singing could take a bit of a back seat after 12 years of hardcore training. I definitely have missed it ridiculous amounts, but it's nice to have given myself a break because amazingly it can be pretty exhausting after a while, especially in the lead up to competitions!    Spending so much time doing something I enjoy over such a long period of time definitely built strong friendships. I have the closest group of friends at choir, my lil Masquerade family, and it was incredibly difficult having to say goodbye to them. My hardest goodbye was definitely Laura, because she's been my main choir girl since day one! We've grown up together and we're ridiculously close and we have millions of memories together, so having to leave her was so difficult! Last year we got into the routine of having monthly Nandos meals as a chance to relax and have a proper catchup after practices seeing as we're not allowed to talk during rehearsals, so it was difficult having to accept that I wouldn't be doing that as often any more as well!
           
   Therefore when I was home over Christmas it was compulsory that I made the effort to see the girls a few times! We realised that it was going to have to be a major catchup, having not seen each other for 4 months, so the first time we decided to have a night in at Katie's with plenty of snacks, pizza and drink. It was such a lush night catching up and having a laugh together, I think it reminded us all how close we are! Despite the fact it had been such a long time since we were all last together it wasn't at all awkward, it was as if we'd never been apart!    I also decided to go and surprise my choir conductor by turning up at a rehearsal last week. All the choir girls knew but we all agreed to keep it secret from Barry so it would be a massive surprise for him, and it's safe to say he absolutely loved it! It was so amazing being able to see all the girls and Barry again, and of course we went for a Nandos afterwards for old times sake! Going to a rehearsal also worked in my favour, as not only have I been asked to go to Disneyland Paris with Masquerade this August, but I've also been asked if I'll sing at Llangollen with Belcanto! It means my summer will be incredibly hectic but I honestly can't wait for all the training to get me back to singing to that professional standard!     So there you go, you now know all about my second family and my lifelong passion for singing! 

New Year, New Blog!

   Seeing as it's a new year I decided it was about time I started making my blog a bit more professional. However, after playing around for hours trying to get a new theme that I liked, I realised I had absolutely no idea what I was doing and that I should some proper help. Therefore, I recruited the help of Sarah, a blog designer, to create the perfect theme for my blog.
   I would definitely recommend Sarah to anyone wanting their blog revamping - she's so lovely to work with and the end results are amazing! I was in awe of how quickly she took my ideas onboard and created the perfect theme for my blog. Within 24 hours she transformed it from an amateur blog to a much more professional one that I'm proud to show of! The price is so reasonable for the end product, at only £20 you'd be silly not to go for it! Definitely go and check out her website - http://www.trisarahtopssmiles.co.uk/p/home.html - she offers so many different things from blog designs to company card designs, and she can quite literally create anything regardless of how in detail your ideas may be!     For those of you who know me, you'll understand my obsession with elephants and therefore it was key that I had them in my design somewhere, and I honestly think my new blog design represents me well!     Alongside getting a new blog design, I've realised it's time I started being a better blogger and taking more photos, as they liven up posts and it'd be better if I showed you what I was up to rather than just telling you! So I promise that this year there'll be plenty more photographs in my blog posts. I've also realised the importance of social media, so I've now got all the links to my various different social media sites on my blog, so you can easily find me! But just in case I'll pop them below as well.     As the title says - new year, new blog!
Twitter Facebook Google + Instagram Pinterest Bloglovin'

2015

   It's with a huge sigh of relief that I wave goodbye to 2014. It's crazy to think how fast it's gone, but it was full of ups and downs for me, and I think I'd be right in saying I had far more than my fair share of downs. Therefore I couldn't be happier to see 2015, which I am determined to ensure is a much better year for me.
   I always create New Year's Resolutions but I am prone to giving up on them after about three months. However, this year is going to be the year that I follow my resolution through to the end. Usually I go for something stereotypical, like to eat more healthily and lose weight, and although this is part of my resolution, my overall resolution is much more important.

   My best friend sent this to me this morning, and I decided to make it my resolution. To be selfish. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm always worried about upsetting and hurting people, so I let people walk all over me and I apologise for everything in an attempt to keep the peace and to avoid losing people. However the last few months of 2014 made me realise I can't let this happen any more. I can't be expected to take the blame for things that aren't my fault just because the other person doesn't want to have to accept that they're in the wrong themselves. I know this may sound clichéd, but 2015 is 100% going to be my year. I'm going to spend it focusing on myself and developing myself into a healthy, happy, successful 19 year old. Most importantly I'm going to love myself and realise my own self worth. I suppose in a way you could say I'm going to find myself. I've let my confidence be knocked so much that I think I deserve to be treated like rubbish, and no one deserves that! I'm going to become the best version of myself I can be and I won't be letting anyone walk over me or stand in my way. It's a hell of a big resolution, but I know I'm capable of achieving it.
   Thank you for sending me this Beth, here's to 2015!

New Year's Eve Surprise

   For the past few months my parents had planned a surprise day out for the three of us, and despite all my begging they refused to tell me what we were doing. Much as I love surprises, I hate not knowing at the same time! All I was allowed to know was that we were going to London for the day and we were eating two meals out - the rest I was to wait and see when we got there. I only took one photo because I was so absorbed in the day, so apologies for that!

   Our train got in at 11:30am and we headed straight for Covent Garden. The station was absolutely heaving! I've always known that London is an incredibly popular place to go for New Year's Eve due to the fireworks, but seriously it was ridiculous. We were early for our table for lunch so we had a wander through Covent Garden to pass the time. Covent Garden is one of my favourite places to go in London. I love the atmosphere it has with all the stalls and the street performers and just the general hustle and bustle. Everyone was just so excited and happy and it just lush! For lunch we went to Brasserie Blanc. We've been there a few times and I absolutely love it there. The food is amazing, the cocktails are insane and the interior of the restaurant itself is just so classy and sophisticated. For my starter I had roasted butternut squash and pumpkin, which was served with soured cream and toasted almonds. It was absolutely devine! I will definitely be attempting to recreate it at uni, it was so simple yet so tasty! For my main I had fried chicken which was stuffed with herbs of some description, which came with sautéed potatoes and a tomato and vegetable sauce. Again, it was so simple but so delicious! I can't remember what my dessert was called but it was a chocolate sponge filled with rich chocolate mousse, served with coffee custard. For someone who used to be a renowned chocoholic I actually found it a bit too chocolately! If you're never been to Brasserie Blanc I definitely recommend going, the food is unbelievable and you're honestly treated like you're royalty.

   After lunch it was finally time to find out what the big surprise was! Mum and Dad were still refusing to tell me, and kept counting down to how long it would be until I found out. They told me we were working there, and it's safe to say I was absolutely gob smacked when we turned the corner and I found myself standing in front of the Queen's Theatre. I WAS GOING TO SEE LES MISERABLES! I've seen the film twice but never seen the actual musical, and it's one that I've been desperate to see! I honestly can't put in words how unbelievable it was. It was seriously insane. Despite being incredibly sad it's such a beautiful musical, and the sound track is just amazing! It's safe to say I cried a hell of a lot because it pulled on a few heartstrings as all musicals tend to. If you haven't seen it you seriously have to go, it's by far the best musical I have ever seen - and I've seen a lot! 

   On our way to dinner I was on cloud nine. I just couldn't get over how unbelievable Les Mis was! We went to my favourite restaurant, Carluccios, for dinner. I was a creature of habit and had my favourite meal, Penne Alla Luganica, which is pasta with sausage meat in a spicy tomato sauce! I was incredibly lucky to have been treated to such an amazing day with my parents, and it was the perfect way to end 2014. When we got back into Kettering we went to my auntie's to see the New Year in with the rest of the family. It's safe to say this has been a New Year's I will definitely not forget.

19th Birthday Celebrations Round Two!

   Last night finally saw me reunited with my home girls and it was bloody amazing! After a massive build up it was lush to finally be able to see them again, and I certainly wasn't disappointed! Beth was coming over early to get ready at mine, and Lydia was coming over beforehand to do my makeup, so I was able to have a massive catchup with them and we all filled each other in on our university adventures! It reminded me how much I love getting ready with other people and how much I've missed my girls, it was as if we'd never been apart from one another! Lydia is absolutely incredible at doing hair and make up, she made me feel like a princess! I felt so confident in my dress and I just couldn't wait to get out and meet all the other girls and get drunk and celebrate in style! Although we had prinks at mine they were tiny compared to our Manchester prinks, but I think the three of us knew the rest of the night was going to be pretty heavy!
   Seeing everyone just made my ridiculously happy. We were all jumping on each other and screaming and catching up, it was honestly just perfect! The whole night was a massive laugh and I just enjoyed myself so so much! Kettering night life might be absolutely appalling compared to Manchester, but being reunited with my girls and bumping into loads of old school friends make it a hell of a lot more enjoyable! Remarkably I can remember the majority of the night given the 13 jager bombs I had amongst other drinks, probably because my friends are more into pacing drinks throughout the night than we are in Manchester!
   My girls made sure my birthday celebrations were perfect, and I'm so happy to be home for Christmas.

Homeward Bound Again

   Today signals the end of my first semester at university as it is finally time to go home for Christmas! It's crazy to think I've been living in Manchester for three months now, and although I didn't want to come at first I've met the most amazing people and my course is incredibly, so I'm definitely glad that I did! It's become my second home and I know that I'll miss it tremendously over Christmas, and I'll especially miss all my friends! They've helped me settle in so well and they've made uni so enjoyable for me, we're gonna have to do something massive when we're all back in February to celebrate being reunited!
   Yesterday evening after my present opening session with my parents - I was a very lucky girl! - I took them to the Christmas Markets so they could pick up some last minute bits they needed for at home. It was my seventh visit there, so once again definitely go along next year if you get the chance to! Despite the fact it rained at points, it was just so lovely to be reunited with my parents in my new home, and I felt really grown up showing them round! Afterwards we went to Cromer for dinner, somewhere I've never been but my dad recommended, and the food was lush and not overly expensive - so I'll definitely be going there again when there's an occasion for it! It was lovely to spend the evening catching up with my parents and celebrating my birthday, because it was bizarre spending the actual day without them!
   On the way home mum and dad surprised me with a visit to their friends Carl and Dawn's for lunch. Carl and Dawn bought one of our dog Maisie's puppies this summer, and renamed her Rosie, and it's lovely being able to go and visit her seeing as she lives so close to Manchester! She's absolutely adorable and remembers us all! Lunch was Staffordshire oatcakes with smoked bacon, mushrooms and cheese and it was absolutely amazing! It was lush being able to relax and enjoy myself knowing I've finished uni for Christmas! I cannot wait to be reunited with my girls this evening, I've missed them so much whilst we've all been at uni and I can't wait to see their faces again!

I'm 19!

   So after what seems like forever, my 19th birthday has finally arrived! Yesterday saw me turn 19 at long last! I know that everyone has to wait 12 months for their birthday, but when you're a December baby it seems like you have to wait much longer compared to everybody else! Our uni breaks up for Christmas tomorrow, and the majority of my friends went home yesterday, so therefore I properly celebrated my birthday on the Wednesday. It took lots of preparation but it was well worth it because I had the best night!
   As I've mentioned in previous posts, prinks is a massive part of student life. Therefore, I decided to start the evening with prinks in my flat, which hardly any of my uni friends have ever actually been in because it's normally inhabited by my male flat mates! However, as it was my birthday Amber and I decided it was our turn to take it over and make it look incredibly girly! We hung pink and silver balloons in bunches around the room, two birthday banners including an incredible "party with my bitches" banner from Urban Outfitters, made raspberry vodka jelly shots and then covered the table in coloured shot glasses, pink paper cups and red and white paper straws. For anyone who knows me, they'll know it was very me! In true Eleanor style I turned up to my own party after everyone else had arrived because I took forever getting ready! So everyone made me take a load of shots to catch up! It was just a massive laugh having everyone together, and not everyone was coming out with us after, so it lovely to all be together for a part of the evening to celebrate my evening. Amber surprised me with a birthday cake because she's the best flat mate ever! It was a pink velvet cake which was not only absolutely delicious but also went with my theme!

Post by Amber Taylor.

 

   We chose to go to Fifth as it was student night there, and although it's not the best venue in Manchester it was cheap drinks and packed and I was tipsy enough not to care! I can't really remember much about Fifth at all if I'm honest...
   Amazingly I woke up feeling fresh as a daisy on Thursday, so thankfully I got to celebrate my actual birthday without a hangover! Unfortunately I had an assignment in for today, so I had to spend the morning finalising that and getting it sent off. Then I got to spend the afternoon opening presents from my friends who hadn't gone home and popped in to see me, and watching films with Amber. Then I cooked dinner for Amber, Abi and I - sweet potato jacket potatoes with my mum's homemade chilli! It was just such a lush, lazy, relaxed day, I honestly couldn't have asked for a better birthday!
   I get to see my parents this afternoon so I'm incredibly excited to get my presents from them and go out for dinner with them. My birthday is going to be spread over 5 days this year, and it's going to be fabulous from start to finish! I've been thoroughly spoilt by my uni friends, and I couldn't have asked to spend my birthday in better company. I can't wait to be reunited with my parents and spend tomorrow evening being reunited and getting tipsy with my home girls!

Christmas Shopping On A Student Budget

   With Christmas just over a week away, I decided it was about time I got round to writing a post to help students get everyone the perfect presents - without breaking the bank! Christmas seems to be the most common time of year for students to enter their overdraft, and obviously that's somewhere no student wants to end up! At uni we've had a few birthdays in the lead up to Christmas, making it an even more expensive time of year for us! Therefore I put together a few tips which will hopefully help you keep your Christmas as low cost, yet still as magical as possible.

Do They Really Need It?
   It sounds really obvious, but the first question you should ask yourself before buying anyone a present, is do they really need it? You might think your dad will really suit those knitted santa socks, but has he got round to wearing the pair you bought him last year yet?! Just because it's nice doesn't mean they actually need it, and if you know it's going to be used/worn once and then put in a drawer somewhere - don't bother wasting your money! Sentimental presents may be more expensive, but it's definitely worth getting something that you know will be thoroughly used/worn, rather than just a tacky cheap present.

Go Joint
   Talking of sentimental presents, a good way to deal with the money issue they tend to come with is to go joint. I'm the only child at uni, so all of my friends could go joint with siblings to get something special for their parents. For a few birthday presents I've gone joint with my friend Ruth so that we could afford to get something a bit more special for our friends, because we'd rather that than get them something little and rubbish! Another benefit of going joint, is that your sibling might have a really good present idea when you can't think of anything!

Secret Santa
   When it comes to buying presents for friends at Christmas, Secret Santa is the perfect way to go! Being a big group of friends at uni it's the best way for us to go about ensuring everyone gets a present and no one feels left out. Simply set yourself a minimum and maximum budget, pick names out of a hat, and get buying!

Shop Around
   This is something I learnt after visiting Manchester Christmas Markets a few times. I saw a fur headband on one stall for £25, and then found the exact same one on another stall 20 minutes later for £10! If you're shopping at markets then definitely check out all the stalls before making any purchases, because you'll see the same things on several different stalls for completely different prices! For things like DVDs and CDs I recommend checking out Amazon, as they tend to be the cheapest place to get them from! Just shop around and make sure you do your research instead of making impulse purchases and wasting money.

Return Towards The End
   As well as shopping around, I also recommend going back when it's coming up to the end of Christmas Markets. Due to the large quantities of stock that the store holders tend to take, prices are usually slashed in the last week so that they can sell as much of it as possible. I'm planning on going back tomorrow to get my last few bits, and I'm expecting to pay about half the original price! Some people may see it as unorganised leaving it so last minute to get presents, but as a student saving money is incredibly important to avoid going into my student loan!

Christmas Eve Sales
   If you fancy leaving it really last minute, then my final piece of advice is to go and hit the Christmas Eve Sales! I've never actually done it myself, but I have a few friends at home who have a tendency to go, and the bargains they come away with are unbelievable! I'd recommend having a few presents already bought as it is a bit risky... It tends to be really good for smellies and beauty products though!

   Christmas shopping on a student budget is incredibly easy, you just need to use your common sense!

Old Trafford

   So I've only gone and got myself a job at last! I'm so excited to have got myself a hospitality job at Manchester United! It may only be casual work, as I'll only be called in on match days, but it's good day and an amazing place to be working, plus the atmosphere on match days is unbelievable!

   First of all I had a phone interview, which I've dealt with before when I applied for my old job at Next. However, having never worked in hospitality I did have to completely blag my way through it, as well as be honest that I'd never worked in hospitality before so didn't really have a clue what to expect! My interviewer seemed to like me though, as he said that despite my lack of experience he still wanted to give me a proper interview as I sounded as though I knew what I was talking about!

   Therefore, last Thursday I had my interview at Manchester United. Having never been to the stadium before it's safe to say I was very overwhelmed when I arrived - it's absolutely massive! Despite the fact it was a Thursday, and not a match day, it was absolutely heaving with people going to look round the shop and museum, it's a massive enterprise! When I'd eventually found out where I was supposed to be going, and eventually found my way there, I had to fill in a ridiculous amount of paperwork, but then you seem to have to with the majority of jobs these days. Then it was finally time to have my interview. I hadn't actually been that nervous beforehand, but when I got into the lift to go up to my interview room I found myself feeling very nervous about it! Although I've had face to face interviews before, they've never been for a job, so I didn't really know what to expect from it! Thankfully though it was very straightforward, and my interviewer was really friendly and put me at ease. I was asked ten questions to do with how I would deal with different situations, what I thought was needed in a good team, and what skills I would be able to bring to the team that I thought would benefit them. Each question was scored out of 10, and the higher you scored the more likely you were to get a job! Thankfully, my answers seemed to be good enough and I was offered the job there and then!
   This Thursday saw me have my training. It's ridiculous how much there is to learn in order to be a waitress! However, Manchester United do train us to a much higher standard due to the number of stars that walk through their doors - so we have to make sure we do everything to perfection first time round! We were shown several presentations about what we should expect from Manchester United, and what they should expect from us, as well as lots of information on our uniform and presentation. Then we were split into our job groups and trained. My default suite is the 1999 suite, where members pay £3000 per season for their seat at one of the tables! Therefore we have to ensure that their service is immaculate. We were shown how to properly polish glasses and set the tables, as well as how to take food orders, serve wine and food, open champagne and keep on top of four or five tables all at once. It was a lot to take in, and annoyingly it's one of those jobs where you can't properly learn it until you're doing it, so I'm going to be feeling under a lot of pressure when it comes round to my first match day! Hopefully things will run smoothly though, I hate embarrassing myself, especially in such a formal atmosphere!
   After being told I wouldn't be working the match yesterday because I can't work the Boxing Day Match, I got a text to say I'd been booked! Safe to say I was absolutely shitting it as I hadn't been expecting my first shift to come round so quickly! The match was between Liverpool and Manchester United - so it definitely wasn't a small match to have on your first shift! Kick off was at 1:30pm, so I had to be there at 9:30am to go and log in, get my lunch, and go and set up my tables ready for the doors to open at 10:30am. Once I'd eventually found my way to the 1999 suite, I got told I'd be a runner for the day as I had no experience in hospitality and it was such a big match. However, I was called to my floor manager after an hour of beginning to set up the food, and told that I was being moved to a floor that didn't have enough staff. There I was thinking I was being moved to another suite, but it turned out I was being moved to a box! Not just a fan's box either, Michael Carrick's box... I was petrified. My first ever shift in hospitality and I was serving a footballer's family who was playing that match. No pressure! I spent the whole shift running around getting them more food and clearing away plates and dishes before replacing them with new ones and making sure the fridge stayed stocked up - my feet were ready to fall off by the time it got to 5:30!
   Despite the major pressure of serving Michael Carrick's family, I had a really enjoyable day and I'm looking forward to my next shift! Everyone was lovely and made me feel really welcome, plus they kept an eye on me and made sure I did everything I needed to and did it correctly. It was an incredibly tiring day but it was well worth it, and having served a footballer's family I think I can take on 5 fan tables in a suite next time!