2022: A Year of Surprise Creativity.
When 2021 ended, I was quite emotional and in a bad headspace with my mental health, having lost 2 friends and feeling I didn’t have a reason to be here.
I came into 2022 not knowing what to expect but taking the time to spend time with loved ones and friends. Taking those moments which brought joy.
But when it came to working life as an artist, I didn’t know what to expect but these are the top moments (in no order) of 2022!
I was awarded the John Mather Trust Rising Star of Scotland Award with National Theatre of Scotland. I would be a writer on attachment with NTS developing my show “I Wasn’t Okay” which was a show about male suicide and dedicated to my friends. This was something I never expected and the support has been lovely!
Meeting my new agent! It was the first time that I had an agent who cared about me and gave me space to grow in confidence and be seen by great casting rooms. Jessica Jones /Wintersons made 2022s latter half brilliant!
Imaginate! After losing faith in schools work in 2020 due to working with a company that shall remain nameless, in 2022 I was finishing my term as Trainee Artist on one project in Glasgow & was Lead Artist on another in Edinburgh, working with amazing artists! Then I got to perform a new show as part of the International Children’s Festival!
(more on this later!)
I performed at Manchester Contact in their Queer Contact Scratch.
I performed in The TRON Theatres Outside Eyes Programme!
I became a tutor at the Short Courses at RCS. Felt very full circle as that was how I made my footsteps in the drama school.
I became a FOH supervisor at RCS after being told at ATG I’d never become one !
I went on my first solo holiday and took self care really importantly! Malta was such a gloriously beautiful country.
I got a residency at The Tramway through Tramway Supports, alongside my friend and Guatemalan actress Valerie Andrews. Together we created the new work “Hola Britain Namaste”
I performed Poetry at the Lemon Tree in Aberdeen
I started doing stand up and performed at the 75th Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2 slots, one being that of Brown Sauce Comedy.
Thanks to the support of Scottee & the Working Class Artists Group, I was supported to create a new short film which ended up being “Yeh Hai Meri Pehchaan” (This Is My Identity)
I hosted at the Glasgow Mela again, last done in 2019!
I did a short film with my friend Chandler, written by another friend, Connor Barr. Wrestled in mud in April. Very cold!
I took part in a horror R&D at the Young Vic, called Grown. A brill project
My comedy show got selected for the 2023 Vaults Festival. In February I would be doing 2 nights (7th & 8th) of my new show “Love Me Like A Chai Tea Latte”!
I got onto the inaugural POC Writers Group at The Traverse Theatre, led by the awesome Mariem Omari & Shilpa T-Hyland
I had poetry published by the Scottish BAME Writers Network
I had a monologue published in a new monologue book called “LIT” by Rikki Beadle Blair. I wrote it in 2020 and we finally were able to Launch in person in 2022 at the Bush Theatre in London.
I went to Istanbul for a job 😉
I went parasailing and ticked something off my bucket list
I met more amazing actors and creatives. And saw some amazing theatre!
I did my 3rd and final year as Box Office Assistant at the Edinburgh Fringe.
A show I helped direct, Mohan, by my amazing friend Niall Morjani got 5 stars by the Scotsman at the Fringe!
I was in a short film by Birds of Paradise Theatre.
I attended many workshops at the TRON to name a couple of places.
I was selected as a writer on attachement for a new short play to take place in 2023 at the Young Vic, thanks to the fab talented Director, Ashen Gupta.
I met an incredible Guy 🥰
I turned 29 years old, spent with my amazing parents, big brother and many friends 🥳
Oh look 29 points!
Now, These were the highlights to a crazy busy year that I didn’t expect. So many other small moments also took place. From growing my play collection to taking the sleeper train for the first time to finishing college (failed maths but got a B in Higher English) but one thing I’m taking from 2022 is that rest is important and I have to not over do it or burn myself out.
But I’m definitely continuing to work hard and not give up on my dreams ❤️
