INTERVIEW – SKY FRANCES FROM OUTBOX THEATRE’S GROOVE

Posted on by Rachel Agyekum

Rachel catches up wit Sky Frances who is currently making their professional debut in Outbox Theatre’s Groove.

Hi Sky. Congratulations on your first professional stage debut! How are you feeling ahead of opening night?

Hello! Thank you so much. I am feeling everything, nervous, excited and extremely grateful. Groove is such a beautiful show to be part of and I am so thrilled that its my first proper acting job. 

What do you enjoy most about acting?

I think my favourite thing is finding how I connect with a character or piece. I’ve heard a lot of people say they love being other people, and that is also true but I think the sweet spot is finding a character and then being able to combine bits of them with yourself to make a full on real life human being.

Can you tell us what drew you to this production?

Well, firstly the opportunity to be in a room of queer people is something that doesn’t always come along as much as it should. Knowing that everyone is queer, just strips away the feeling of having to hold that space all on your own.

Also getting to work with Outbox was such a brilliant opportunity and something that really excited me. The whole team have been incredibly brilliant and kind. Especially for someone like me, who is so new to it all. 

Groove was also so exciting because from the start I was told about all these super cool ideas and then got to watch as they came to life and got even better than my little brain had imagined. 

What has it been like to work with such a range of performers? 

A JOY. It’s been so much fun and silly. I think the serious answer is that its been really brilliant creating a world where we learn from each other equally, instead of any one lecturing each other. We are all from such different life experiences so learning to create a space for everyone feels like it was at the core of the project. I think I will be forever grateful to have had the chance to meet and work with people of all ages and learn and grow and make really really beautiful friendships.

How are rehearsals going?

Rehearsals are so much fun. Slightly heartbroken they are coming to an end. This is my first professional rehearsal room, so I was absolutely terrified in the first week, and now I never want to go. We have been playing a lot and putting pieces together. Doing a show like this, is like making and breaking and then remaking a giant jigsaw puzzle.

GROOVE shares real stories on the LGBTIA+ community – what would you say are the key messages and themes in the show?

Finding connections on the dancefloor. Individual identity and collective identity. And of course the big big one – THE QUEER DANCE FLOOR. 

What can people expect from the production?

Queer people taking up space. LIGHTS. MUSIC. DANCING. LOTS AND LOTS OF DANCING. 

As a recent RADA graduate, do you have any advice for current drama/performing arts students?

I like to think of it as what would I have said to myself 8 months ago, when I was deep in the world of 3rd year. I would say to remember that the things that feel hard and sticky are probably the best things about what you can bring to a room. The big bad world of the industry sounds super scary but people are actually quite lovely, and actually want you to be good. And also I would say its okay to not enjoy something, because as a performer its so important to have opinions, it helps you develop. And something I am very much still working on is to be BOLD, you do so much better when you stop trying to prove yourself every single minute. 

Also to current students, I think the most important thing is to be incredibly proud to be where you are at all times and do not compare yourself to you classmates, everyone’s journey is different.

Lastly, why should people book a ticket to see GROOVE? 

Because I’d love them forever!

And also because I think this is truly something  so very exciting and my fellow performers are insane and the creative team is stunningly brilliant and people shouldn’t miss the talent that I have been lucky enough to watch for 4 weeks already.

Also you coming helps show how funding queer work is super important.

Plus it’s great, so why wouldn’t you. 

TICKETS AND INFO HERE

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