Committing to the Bit

wow.

What a great place to start.

Well, before I answer that, I will give you context because I think the context will almost give me an answer.

So listeners, bear with me.

I'm going to info dump here.

I originally started acting because a teacher spoke to my parents one parent's evening, a teacher of Mrs. Exley, who I have a lot to thank.

said, I think that your son needs performing arts because he obviously has a lot of energy and is a great storyteller and wants to express himself, but he needs structure to do so.

And that sums it up for me.

It was clear language.

It was clear words.

There was a start, a middle and an end.

I knew where I had to stand.

It helped me express my deep, deep emotions in many ways.

There was nothing more healing for a young neurodivergent person to go in front of an audience and hear applause and laughter at something that they've said and done.

And I vividly remember it, being all ages at once, as many neurodivergent people are, as I'm sure you listening wherever you are are too.

I did Cinderella when I was in year four.

So for American listeners, I'm not sure what school age that'll be, but I was... not even nine years old, ten years old.

Yeah, it's usually

about eight or nine, I think.

Yeah, and we did Cinderella, and I played Prince Charming, and I don't know how I did it, but I made all my jokes really adult.

That's hilarious.

Just through improv, to the point of one of my lines was, oh, I think I'll just row on over and see the princess, and the way that I did it is when I said row on over, I, like, moved my hands as if I was rowing a boat and thrusted at the same time.

LAUGHTER And everybody laughed, so I kept doing it.

I've

got the mental image.