#OnceAMonkey - Budgie at Peckham Fringe 2023

We love learning more about the creative journeys our graduate actors and artists take once they graduate from Fourth Monkey! As our BA (Hons) Acting – Class of 2023 prepare to share their final public performance seasons this summer before stepping out into the industry, we caught up with some of our most recent Acting graduates to share their insights into life as an early career artist as well as how they have found exploring and establishing their identities as performers and what advice they would share with anyone thinking about applying to audition for Fourth Monkey.

We sat down with three members of our Class of 2022 to learn more about new play Budgie, which will be performed as part of the 2023 Peckham Fringe 15 to 17 May…

Budgie at Peckham Fringe - BA Class of 2022 graduates

Introduce yourselves! Tell us what you studied at Fourth Monkey plus a little about your background.

Hello, I’m Lilla, originally with Hungarian roots and I studied BA (Hons) Acting at Fourth Monkey. I like to, unpretentiously, call myself an art maker. I’m the director of our show Budgie.

Alright there, My name is Felicity Moore a Bristolian actor, graduating from the 2-year accelerated BA (Hons) Acting course, also graduating in 2022, and playing alongside Hannah in Budgie.

Hey! I’m Hannah, I graduated with a BA (Hons) Acting course in 2022. I’m from South London and am the writer & actor in Budgie.

What appealed to you about actor training with Fourth Monkey?

Lilla: For me, it was the genuine interest Steve Green had in why I want to be an actor along with my experience in Hungary regarding theatre and the arts.

Felicity: Yeah, I 100% agree – I felt like I was wanted within that building. Being from Bristol, I had heard the name ‘Fourth Monkey’ being said in other actor training spaces so I wanted to check it out. Following the socials and seeing it more like a family than just a number…

Hannah: It’s not like classical training, it’s new and innovative – having different training styles I had never heard of before, like Mime. Which other drama schools do corporal mime twice a week?! No one!

What do you remember about your audition day? What stood out for you?

Lilla: In preparation for my monologue, I was made to do 50 jumping jacks. It was amazing to just jump right in and get a real taste of what the training was going to be like – raw and physical.

Fliss: I did that too! I would have to say my favourite part though was the group exercises we did. Loads of moving, dancing, laughing and honest just so much fun.

Hannah: I loved getting the inside scoop and talking to the alumni about their personal experiences – it was helpful people being there that you knew were going through the same training that you might be lucky enough to go through.

Tell us about training with Fourth Monkey – what were your favourite classes, performances, and projects that you worked on?

Lilla: Butoh and Grotowski – these types of practices are difficult to find in the UK and as I enjoy abstract art (as you will see if you come to Budgie), these allowed me to explore my niche more. … Oh, it has to be the American play project – ‘August – Osage Country’, my favourite play EVER, and I managed to get cast in it!

Fliss: I really enjoyed Clown, but it has to be Grotowski, I believe that practice has made me the actor I am today. Favourite play? Titus Andronicus – I never in 1 million years thought I could be learning essays of Shakespearean language but honestly has to be my biggest achievement- Steve Green saw something in me and that made me think that if I can do that, I can do anything.

Hannah: I LOVED Meisner – we love a journey and wow wasn’t that one. Firstly I was like “What is this??” Then, fast forward two years, I am a professional… All jokes aside though, it’s really helped me develop in all areas of my craft and is a tool I will carry throughout my professional career.

Your production, Budgie, has been accepted as part of the 2023 Peckham Fringe – tell us a bit about the play and the inspiration behind it.

A nostalgic coming-of-age story that plays on the see-saw of responsibility and freedom. Tyler and Yaz are the ´bestest’ of friends. They’re 17 going on 18, and are stuck in that awkward part of life where they are no longer children, but not yet accepted as adults. One evening, Yaz reveals to Tyler that her mum has disappeared and in her place, left £1,000. Yaz tries to come to terms with the fact her mum is probably never coming home, whilst Tyler decides that the best thing to do is to splash all the cash and throw a party.

Hannah: How it all began… a short scene I wrote at a script writing course which then lived in a notebook for two years… We began looking for showcase scenes and it took me back to my notebook. Fliss and I gave it a read and I realised it had potential! The scene had no meaning but, when writing our application, it got me thinking and answering questions which deepened the narrative, writing a story that I want to tell, not someone else’s story.

What inspired you to collaborate after graduating from Fourth Monkey and have you found anything particularly inspiring, surprising, or challenging about the process?

The combination of our different artistic and performance styles created innovative, exciting and balanced work: abstract, gritty, and comedic… giving us a blend of ideas to work with. But, this came with its challenges to make a balanced performance and a story we all wanted to share.

Something that didn’t come as a surprise was our ability to have little gossip before rehearsals, so now we know to meet 30 mins before our call time to catch up!

What can audiences expect when they come to see Budgie at Peckham Fringe?

Raw, gritty, hot and cold… You can expect the unexpected, to be taken on a wild ride between the grit of naturalism and the roots of surrealism. Oh, and also an invite to the wildest party ever.

Finally, what advice would you share with anyone who is thinking about auditioning for Fourth Monkey?

DO IT DO IT DO IT.

Hands down one of the most positively challenging and eye-opening experiences we have ever done. We wouldn’t have the tools to produce, direct, write, market, fund and act in our (fantastic) show. We also wouldn’t have met each other – best friends and makers for life.

Budgie will be performed in The Studio at Theatre Peckham from 15 to 17 May – learn more and book tickets here.

Follow the team behind Budgie via Instagram and Twitter – @budgieplay and @budgieplay23

Thinking about training as an actor and theatre maker? Check out our undergraduate audition information – everything you need to know about what to expect from an audition day with the Fourth Monkey panel plus how to submit a direct application via our website for September 2023 entry!

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#OnceAMonkey – Budgie at Peckham Fringe 2023

#OnceAMonkey - Budgie at Peckham Fringe 2023

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