I've been recuperating from illness and have missed two play days with this months collaborators, Ed Rapley and Liz Clarke. In the spirit of Que Sera Sera, I've been tucked up in bed, reading, writing and dreaming about the next s... Read more >

It’s one week after my ‘Stage Fright’ performance and I’m getting over a heavy cold. It’s been a peculiar week of unscheduled life-stress piled upon the poisonous aftermath of the stage fright experiment. 

It feels like my body has been screaming “PLEASE JUST STOP AND REST” all week, but I haven’t been able to, as I’ve had Things To Deal With. So my patient, work-horse... Read more >

Holly Stoppit’s Work In Progress - Show One- Stage Fright - Reflections

On 5th February 2017, I performed the first of three monthly work in progress shows to a full house at the Wardrobe Theatre, opening the door to my creative / research process. I spent an hour and a quarter showing semi-prepared / semi improvised new material developed through a month of writing, researching and playing under the guidance of  facilitator Amy Rose and an impro coa... Read more >

For the last two days I've been researching / writing in the mornings before heading down to dancespace and playing under the insightful eye of impro / movement coach Brenda Waite in the afternoons. This particular combination of activities has provoked interesting results...

Thursday morning was spent neck deep in stage fright theory. The afternoon's play session wa... Read more >

Yesterday in rehearsals with facilitator, Amy Rose. 

Here's a neat trick we invented; when you're not sure where to start, get everything out of your brain on pieces of paper on the floor, fill your mouth full of water, close your eyes and spin round 3 times, spit the water and whichever pieces of paper get wet will be exactly the right place to start (it's best to use sharpies or other waterproof pens). 

We placed th... Read more >

“Tell, me about your upcoming show, what are you excited about?” Asked Beccy, my new administrator / co-ordinator.

Excited? How can I be excited when I’m this terrified?!?

What am I afraid of?

Failing.

What might that look like?

I get onto stage and all I can see is a sea of expectant faces looking back at me. You want me to... Read more >

Stage Fright

For the last 2 days, I’ve been at Devoted and Disgruntled 12, an Open Space event designed to give theatre people from all over the UK opportunities to discuss whatever issues are relevant to them and find answers, connections, inspiration and hope. More about Devoted and Disgruntled and Open Space technology here.

It was a surprise to find out, on entering a huge space fu... Read more >

I’m very excited to announce that for my first of three work in progress shows, I’ll be working with Brenda Waite and Amy Rose!

The process so far… I’ve been scribbling in a brown paper book whenever I get the odd moment, bus journeys and launderettes seem to be my most productive places. Themes are emerging, through the pages of questions, lists, maps, poems and s... Read more >

New year, new you, right? January is traditionally the time to gather up all your resolve from somewhere below the massive pile of christmas excess and frog march yourself down to the gym to put on tight clothes and silently move heavy things around for no practical reason. Or you could stay at home, devising your own dismal detox and watch yourself eat boring things, with the hawk-eyed disdain of a strict dinner lady.

Or alternatively, like me, you could just get b... Read more >