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| 'I mourned my theatre career but found my calling' | 'I mourned my theatre career but found my calling' |
| (2 days later) | |
| Lily Cooper went from appearing in plays to using play-based therapy to help sick children | Lily Cooper went from appearing in plays to using play-based therapy to help sick children |
| Former theatre professionals and actors who stepped away from the stage after lockdown have been reflecting on how their lives have changed five years on. | Former theatre professionals and actors who stepped away from the stage after lockdown have been reflecting on how their lives have changed five years on. |
| Theatres in the West End and around the UK closed down shows on 16 March 2020, a week before the first national lockdown - a day that has since become known as Dark Monday. | Theatres in the West End and around the UK closed down shows on 16 March 2020, a week before the first national lockdown - a day that has since become known as Dark Monday. |
| Lily Cooper, 32, from Hackney, was an actor who also worked front of house at London's Almeida Theatre, and was waiting to hear back from a "dream" theatre audition. | Lily Cooper, 32, from Hackney, was an actor who also worked front of house at London's Almeida Theatre, and was waiting to hear back from a "dream" theatre audition. |
| Ms Cooper, who now works in a children's hospital, said she had had an "out of body experience" because of the "horrifying realisation" she might never act again, adding: "It was really, really terrible." | Ms Cooper, who now works in a children's hospital, said she had had an "out of body experience" because of the "horrifying realisation" she might never act again, adding: "It was really, really terrible." |
| Acting had been so "intrinsic" to her identity since she was about 11 years old she struggled when the industry shut down, she said. | Acting had been so "intrinsic" to her identity since she was about 11 years old she struggled when the industry shut down, she said. |
| "We didn't know at that point if theatres would ever return," she said. "I asked myself 'Who am I without this?'" | "We didn't know at that point if theatres would ever return," she said. "I asked myself 'Who am I without this?'" |
| Though she "mourned" acting, Ms Cooper said she was "really lucky" to be furloughed despite being on a zero-hours contract. | Though she "mourned" acting, Ms Cooper said she was "really lucky" to be furloughed despite being on a zero-hours contract. |
| Although she still does occasional acting roles, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland graduate said she had since found her calling working with sick children as a health play specialist. | Although she still does occasional acting roles, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland graduate said she had since found her calling working with sick children as a health play specialist. |
| She now uses play-based therapy - such as role-plays with puppets - to help children in hospital process what is happening to them. | She now uses play-based therapy - such as role-plays with puppets - to help children in hospital process what is happening to them. |
| Ms Cooper said moving from "plays in theatres" to "operating theatres and playing" had given her a "second passion". | Ms Cooper said moving from "plays in theatres" to "operating theatres and playing" had given her a "second passion". |
| "It's so hard to imagine not being where I am now," she said. | "It's so hard to imagine not being where I am now," she said. |
| Denholm Spurr now runs the world's largest fringe theatre awards | Denholm Spurr now runs the world's largest fringe theatre awards |
| After years spent building his fringe theatre credits, Denholm Spurr's acting career was in the "ascendency" in early 2020. | After years spent building his fringe theatre credits, Denholm Spurr's acting career was in the "ascendency" in early 2020. |
| He had 14 months of work booked and had recently starred in a biographical play about his time being homeless. | He had 14 months of work booked and had recently starred in a biographical play about his time being homeless. |
| Mr Spurr, from Croydon, said he was "backstage at the Cockpit Theatre" waiting for the first performance of a "wonderful farce" when the producer told the cast "we can't go ahead". | Mr Spurr, from Croydon, said he was "backstage at the Cockpit Theatre" waiting for the first performance of a "wonderful farce" when the producer told the cast "we can't go ahead". |
| "I just went home - it was such an anti-climax," he said. | "I just went home - it was such an anti-climax," he said. |
| As a freelancer, Mr Spurr "fell through the gaps" of the government's financial support as he was not eligible for either furlough or the self-employed grant scheme. | As a freelancer, Mr Spurr "fell through the gaps" of the government's financial support as he was not eligible for either furlough or the self-employed grant scheme. |
| 'I turned to sex work' | 'I turned to sex work' |
| Mr Spurr said the first lockdown was a "really lonely" time, with an ex-partner and several friends taking their own lives. | Mr Spurr said the first lockdown was a "really lonely" time, with an ex-partner and several friends taking their own lives. |
| Without an income and facing being homeless again as the first lockdown lifted, Mr Spurr turned to sex work. | Without an income and facing being homeless again as the first lockdown lifted, Mr Spurr turned to sex work. |
| He said: "Lockdown happened and I had no money, so I was prepared to do that, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to eat. | He said: "Lockdown happened and I had no money, so I was prepared to do that, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to eat. |
| "I was determined not to be homeless again." | "I was determined not to be homeless again." |
| Mr Spurr also used the time to retrain, becoming a board game designer and computer programmer. | Mr Spurr also used the time to retrain, becoming a board game designer and computer programmer. |
| Around the same time he started working for Off West End, which supports emerging artists and runs the world's largest fringe theatre awards, the Offies. | Around the same time he started working for Off West End, which supports emerging artists and runs the world's largest fringe theatre awards, the Offies. |
| Now managing director, Mr Spurr said having an arts leadership role allowed him to "feel I'm making a difference in the world". | Now managing director, Mr Spurr said having an arts leadership role allowed him to "feel I'm making a difference in the world". |
| Anna Scutt's role in the play Rose started out as a Zoom reading during lockdown | Anna Scutt's role in the play Rose started out as a Zoom reading during lockdown |
| Actor Anna Scutt, from Truro in Cornwall, said she was often cast in final-year films by Cornish film students - usually shot in spring - so the timing of lockdown was "really bad". | Actor Anna Scutt, from Truro in Cornwall, said she was often cast in final-year films by Cornish film students - usually shot in spring - so the timing of lockdown was "really bad". |
| Ms Scutt, who has cerebral palsy and is a wheelchair user, applied for a Zoom reading of a new play with Bristol-based Theatre West, which she had found out about through a newsletter for disabled creatives. | Ms Scutt, who has cerebral palsy and is a wheelchair user, applied for a Zoom reading of a new play with Bristol-based Theatre West, which she had found out about through a newsletter for disabled creatives. |
| She said she was "lucky" the reading was on Zoom as "they'd probably have wanted a Bristol actor" otherwise, she said. | She said she was "lucky" the reading was on Zoom as "they'd probably have wanted a Bristol actor" otherwise, she said. |
| The two-hander play, called Rose, was about a disabled woman's friendship with a convicted criminal. | The two-hander play, called Rose, was about a disabled woman's friendship with a convicted criminal. |
| Ms Scutt said she was "really impressed" the writers insisted on casting a wheelchair user "even though the readings were on Zoom". | Ms Scutt said she was "really impressed" the writers insisted on casting a wheelchair user "even though the readings were on Zoom". |
| After several more workshops, Ms Scutt was asked to play the lead in a south-west England tour. | After several more workshops, Ms Scutt was asked to play the lead in a south-west England tour. |
| "Something good came out of the fact everything was on Zoom, " Ms Scutt said. | "Something good came out of the fact everything was on Zoom, " Ms Scutt said. |
| Kate-Lois Elliott's debut Edinburgh Fringe stand-up show made The Times' Best Jokes of the Fringe and won a Phoebe Waller Bridge Award | Kate-Lois Elliott's debut Edinburgh Fringe stand-up show made The Times' Best Jokes of the Fringe and won a Phoebe Waller Bridge Award |
| Kate-Lois Elliott, from north London, had spent five years as a freelance workshop leader and actor in a prestigious London theatre's education department when the venues closed. | Kate-Lois Elliott, from north London, had spent five years as a freelance workshop leader and actor in a prestigious London theatre's education department when the venues closed. |
| "The work disappeared within about three days - it was all gone." | "The work disappeared within about three days - it was all gone." |
| The theatre's management did not communicate until several weeks later. | The theatre's management did not communicate until several weeks later. |
| "No-one knew what was going on. I felt like I'd been abandoned. I felt so disposable." | "No-one knew what was going on. I felt like I'd been abandoned. I felt so disposable." |
| After a few weeks of "shutdown mode" in lockdown, Kate-Lois had a "burst of energy". | After a few weeks of "shutdown mode" in lockdown, Kate-Lois had a "burst of energy". |
| 'A gift' | 'A gift' |
| She appeared in a web series, wrote an award-nominated book and - as venues "slowly opened back up" - started pursuing stand-up comedy. | |
| "I see that as a gift in a way - having that time as an artist just for the love of it. I made the most of a terrible situation." | "I see that as a gift in a way - having that time as an artist just for the love of it. I made the most of a terrible situation." |
| And her comedy career is going "pretty well". | And her comedy career is going "pretty well". |
| Last year, her Edinburgh Fringe debut was featured in The Times' Best Jokes of the Fringe and won the Phoebe Waller Bridge Keep it Fringe Award. | Last year, her Edinburgh Fringe debut was featured in The Times' Best Jokes of the Fringe and won the Phoebe Waller Bridge Keep it Fringe Award. |
| While Kate-Lois said she still enjoyed shows that were "far removed" from her previous theatre role, such as musicals, her lockdown experience left scars. | While Kate-Lois said she still enjoyed shows that were "far removed" from her previous theatre role, such as musicals, her lockdown experience left scars. |
| "I don't think I could go back to that theatre and see a show there." | "I don't think I could go back to that theatre and see a show there." |
| Sharon Wattis has appeared in shows including the Lion King and was in the original West End cast of The Book of Mormon | Sharon Wattis has appeared in shows including the Lion King and was in the original West End cast of The Book of Mormon |
| Sharon Wattis was on the Birmingham leg of the world tour of hit musical The Book of Mormon when the show's producers announced its closure. | Sharon Wattis was on the Birmingham leg of the world tour of hit musical The Book of Mormon when the show's producers announced its closure. |
| She had given up her London flat to go on tour, so moved in with her younger brother in her home town of Leeds. | She had given up her London flat to go on tour, so moved in with her younger brother in her home town of Leeds. |
| "I was sleeping in my seven-year-old niece's bunk bed," she said. | "I was sleeping in my seven-year-old niece's bunk bed," she said. |
| After several "difficult" months without "any structure" she started working at a Covid-19 testing facility. | After several "difficult" months without "any structure" she started working at a Covid-19 testing facility. |
| She said it was "quite difficult doing the test on people, it was not very nice". | She said it was "quite difficult doing the test on people, it was not very nice". |
| Ms Wattis left the testing facility in summer 2021 when The Book of Mormon went back into rehearsals. | Ms Wattis left the testing facility in summer 2021 when The Book of Mormon went back into rehearsals. |
| She said she was "grateful to be back at work" but "a little apprehensive" as some of the cast had chosen not to come back. | She said she was "grateful to be back at work" but "a little apprehensive" as some of the cast had chosen not to come back. |
| Movement therapist Johnathan Tweedie (r) helps people with chronic pain and performers with injuries | Movement therapist Johnathan Tweedie (r) helps people with chronic pain and performers with injuries |
| Ms Wattis' Book of Mormon cast-mate Johnathan Tweedie, 42, was one of those who never returned. | Ms Wattis' Book of Mormon cast-mate Johnathan Tweedie, 42, was one of those who never returned. |
| "We came into the theatre that Monday morning and were called on stage," Mr Tweedie said. "I think we all knew." | "We came into the theatre that Monday morning and were called on stage," Mr Tweedie said. "I think we all knew." |
| Mr Tweedie started acting at six and had already toyed with leaving performing because of the demands. | Mr Tweedie started acting at six and had already toyed with leaving performing because of the demands. |
| However, the chronic pain he suffered during lockdown shaped the direction he took next. | However, the chronic pain he suffered during lockdown shaped the direction he took next. |
| He caught Covid-19 "really severely" so lockdown was "awful" psychologically, he said, but he discovered he "really didn't miss" having to "keep his body and voice ready for a show all the time". | He caught Covid-19 "really severely" so lockdown was "awful" psychologically, he said, but he discovered he "really didn't miss" having to "keep his body and voice ready for a show all the time". |
| Mr Tweedie now offers movement therapy to people with chronic pain, as well as performers dealing with injuries. | Mr Tweedie now offers movement therapy to people with chronic pain, as well as performers dealing with injuries. |
| "Even though it was an incredibly dark time in my life - and many other people's lives - what I learned from it has undoubtedly changed the course of my life." | "Even though it was an incredibly dark time in my life - and many other people's lives - what I learned from it has undoubtedly changed the course of my life." |
| Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk | Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk |