Acting Up

This week Acting Up has, along with many of you, been deeply saddened, angered and disappointed to be reminded of the hate fuelled dystopia we find ourselves living in.
This podcast has and will always be a safe space to build community and uplift your voices. For the working class, the LGBTQIA+ community and especially our trans friends, for POC, for women and femmes and anyone who’s safety and body autonomy is threatened by politics. Though it’s so important to stay informed and to keep fighting for freedom and safety for all, it’s also okay to take a break when it all starts to feel too heavy.
So, in that vein, pulled from the archives today you have quite possibly the stupidest episode we have ever done - getting mashed and explaining Shakespeare. Take 45 minutes to look away from the darkness, and have a laugh at two drunk, unemployed actors. Megan throws it back to drama school and takes on Macbeth (but she can’t remember his name) and Jordan infects Twelfth Night with the woke mind virus. It also appears Jordans microphone wire was also drunk, so apologies for weird sounds, Megan’s breathing and a general lack of any composure or education value.
Megan and Jordan are both adults and do not condone drinking x
Tangents include tattoo removal, bum tattoos & modelling in Barcelona, sore rejections, lego hair and missing the proposal!

You can find us as @actingupthepodcast on all socials ;)
We are @megan_alderson_ & @jordan.skids
Artwork by @those_who.try
Wanna be on the pod? Email [email protected] 🃏

Welcome back to Gloucester Independent Film Festival! This week Megan and Jordan invite you to join them as they run around the beautiful venue, microphones in hand, to converse with the attendees of the evening.
Tune in as they gather intel, insight and inspiration at the very beginning and very end of the night. They speak to everyone from locals to photographers, costume designers to graphic designers, Actors to Producers, family members to filmmakers and students to Academy Award Winners! The Podcast for people in all aspects of industry, truly found them all. Not to mention some familiar faces (voices).
They catch up with many of the people who were involved with the making of the short films screened at the festival - ‘How to Build a Life’ and ‘Golden West’ chatting with the boys from Colossal Films on their work present and upcoming and stealing the wonderful BAFTA and Academy Award winner Tom Berkeley to ask him about cruelty and if he gets enough best friend time.
They of course also steal time with many of the evenings talented winners, asking them about their brilliant new work and the journey to the esteemed Laurel.
If you are featured in this episode, please reach out so we can tag you and promote your work further!
Happy Halloween! Because what’s scarier than a career in the arts x

You can find us as @actingupthepodcast on all socials ;)
We are @megan_alderson_ & @jordan.skids
Artwork by @those_who.try
Wanna be on the pod? Email [email protected] 🃏

This week Megan and Jordan invite you to join them at the inaugural Gloucester Independent Film Festival, where they were Acting Up live on stage! Tune in to hear the panel interviews (hosted by Megan, Jordan, Joshy and Oscar, including questions from the audience too!) with the award winning directors of the festivals headlining short films: Matty Reese and and Tom Berkeley.
Megan and Jordan sit down with Matty Reese - of multi award winning production company Colossal Films - the director of ‘How to Build a Life’. A deeply personal film about Matty’s brother Louis and his personal journey as a person with Asperger’s, dealing with bullying and poor mental health and finding hope through it all. They delve into both the technical and emotional process of making such an incredibly touching and beautiful film.
Oscar Wenman-Hyde and Joshy Lee (the founders and organisers of GIFF) then sit down with BAFTA and Academy Award winner Tom Berkeley to discuss his and his writing and directing partner, Ross Whites latest film ‘The Golden West’. A gripping black comedy following the strained relationship of two sisters, who having fled the Irish famine are desperately seeking their fortune in gold. They discuss everything from having a donkey on set to casting and the creation of a film which perfectly balances darkness and cruelty with humour and relatability.
Thank you to everyone who made this incredible opportunity possible, what a night it was!

You can find us as @actingupthepodcast on all socials ;)
We are @megan_alderson_ & @jordan.skids
Artwork by @those_who.try
Wanna be on the pod? Email [email protected] 🃏

This week Megan and Jordan are joined by West-End Veteran, Essex gal, musical theatre queen and another of Megan’s co-workers: the incredible Amy Louise Everett!
From pretending to be an aeroplane in baby ballet to an illustrious career across the musical theatre industry, Amy is here to tell the story of her life as a performer and how she’s come to have a career to be proud of.
Amy unpacks the pressures of starting drama school at age 16, the nuances of sexuality and dance, Cats and cruise ship contracts, developing selectiveness in the work you do and learning to say no, content vs prestige, agent relationships, the reality of the West-End, playing age and the ensemble vs lead mindset.
Amy also discusses her latest venture - opening her own dance school with her sisters! She spills on the trials and tribulations involved and how good of a reality TV show it would make. Amy also gets candid about feeling lost and navigating balancing your personal goals and professionals goals.
Tangents include vanilla milk, Ryan Gosling’s hip hop moves and having a family! 

You can find us as @actingupthepodcast on all socials ;)
We are @megan_alderson_ & @jordan.skids
Artwork by @those_who.try
Wanna be on the pod? Email [email protected] 🃏

This week Megan and Jordan are back with a research episode! This time unpacking their very own logo and its symbolism, it’s time to talk about Jesters and Clowns! 
Megan delves into the silly yet sinister history of Jesters, from their role in courts to Shakespeare appearances, their power and influence, the great Jester Wars and the concept of Jester’s Privilege and how this podcast is attempting to utilise it. You can’t backlist us if we are funny yet insignificant enough! 
Jordan then discusses the difference between clowns and jesters, Coulrophobia - the fear of clowns and the psychology behind it, the Sad Clown Paradox, clown history and commedia dell’Arte, clown school then and now and the Clown Egg Registry.
Tangents include Lasagna at Christmas, being trans is not new, I’m so sorry we can’t pronounce Stańczyk, crochet prodigy Megan Alderson, boycott McDonalds but like we do kind of miss Ronald, have I ever seen a Mime in real life and being KILLED BY THE NUT CLOWN.

You can find us as @actingupthepodcast on all socials ;)
We are @megan_alderson_ & @jordan.skids
Artwork by @those_who.try
Wanna be on the pod? Email [email protected] 🃏

This week Megan and Jordan are once again blessed with the presence of the Lowborn Theatre Company Directors: Meghan Loughran and Gray Enever! They are back and they are back with news…
YOU CAN CATCH ALL FUR COAT ON THE BLOODY WEST END FROM THE 14th TO THE 19TH OF OCTOBER 2024! 
We hope you enjoy this episode of celebration and introspection.
Discussions include extending the original material, recasting (or not), the dreaded merge of your work and your WORK, the logistics of scheduling literally everyone’s debut, print vs performance, the symbiosis of writer and director, down with theatre hierarchy, the future of Lowborn, first reviews and dealing with imposter syndrome.
Photographers DM us ;)
Tangents include BIRTH, RIP an anonymous DM, mathematical nightmares, the Irish singing gene, Hannah Montana, best friend time and  Grandmas lies.
Yes all that yapping did probably break the microphone so sorry for the tech issues ! <3

You can find us as @actingupthepodcast on all socials ;)
We are @megan_alderson_ & @jordan.skids
Artwork by @those_who.try
Wanna be on the pod? Email [email protected] 🃏

This week Megan and Jordan are quickly hopping on to share the exciting news that they will be attending Gloucester Independent Film Festival (GIFF) and they want to hear from YOU!
GIFF hosts local and international filmmakers for premieres, Q&As and networking opportunities, and your hosts are going to be on the scene asking the questions you want the answers to. So send in your questions! 
The categories include Feature Film, Short Film, Animated Film, Music Video and so much more, and Acting Up will be hosting the panel Q&A for Colossal Film’s How to Build a Life, directed by Matty Reese: "A young man with Asperger's talks candidly about the bullying that nearly ended his life, and about finding hope through his new focus on Lego and his dog."
Megan and Jordan wax poetic on the community and opportunities this silly little podcast has created, they couldn’t be more grateful and more excited to see what’s to come.
Tangents include a BAFTA watching you pee, Starlight Express, farting at a casting director, actual singing, we aren’t haters of women’s enjoyment and Jordan still can’t drive.

You can find us as @actingupthepodcast on all socials ;)
We are @megan_alderson_ & @jordan.skids
Artwork by @those_who.try
Wanna be on the pod? Email [email protected] 🃏

This week Megan and Jordan are completing the set of Acting Up Alumni Twins - today they are joined by the wonderful Conor Donovan! 
Conor is here to give his side of the origin story, to reflect on his year post graduating drama school, his time during and to tell the tale of how he came to play Quentin on the Netflix hit show - Sex Education. From extra to credited cast member! 
Discussions include talent equating identity, first times on set, queerness in casting and naturalism, what do Producers actually do (whatever it is Conor has done it), agent relationships, yearning for theatre, the challenges of playing a real person and attractiveness, boundaries and being commodified as an actor.
Tangents include absorbing your twin, don’t ask me for a full body picture, running Sainsbury’s like the navy, she got a first but she DIED, ruminating on the pod itself, body neutrality, smear tests and of course star signs.

You can find us as @actingupthepodcast on all socials ;)
We are @megan_alderson_ & @jordan.skids
Artwork by @those_who.try
Wanna be on the pod? Email [email protected] 🃏

This week Megan and Jordan (and Elvis the dog) are reunited, after their longest time apart since the pod began! Did they miss one another? What’s happened since? Tune in to get caught up.
Jordan spills on her recent commercial (#bookedandblessed, #cheekynandos) and Megan talks on tattoo removals, secret crochet and being depressed.
Jordan also brings forward a list of travel thoughts, including the club from the Cat in the Hat, do I believe in tarot now and are we witches? private healthcare, a formal apology on recall fees, French animals, book reviews, surveillance, TikTok and topless sunbathing, fruit merge, a GSCE tournament and secret fan art Twitter.
Thanks for reuniting with Acting Up!
Like, follow, subscribe, review xox

You can find us as @actingupthepodcast on all socials ;)
We are @megan_alderson_ & @jordan.skids
Artwork by @those_who.try
Wanna be on the pod? Email [email protected] 🃏

This week Megan and Jordan are joined by long time bestie of the pod, class of Acting Up, Megan’s ex housemate and Scottish lass: the incredible Mia Coffield! It’s been a long time coming and tears are shed… 
From wardrobe department to ensemble/1st cover Sophie, Acting Up are so proud to finally be able to share the news that Mia will be joining the cast of Mamma Mia! on the West End! It’s incredibly deserved, but Mias journey certainly hasn’t been orthodox. From drama club to the Dance School of Scotland, to Drama school and the industry, Mia gets candid about how she got to where she is today and how it feels to be on the precipice of your dreams coming true.
Tune in for tales of being an amorphous blob, coming from a creative family, assistant directing and ASMing, cruise ship health crises, leaving your agent, being a casting assistant and writing a musical with yer da.
Tangents include singing Skinny Love on YouTube, going back to Korea in your memories, purring and the affected anime voice.
TRIGGER WARNING: GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF GENITAL INJURY (at the end you’ll know when it’s coming!) :)

You can find us as @actingupthepodcast on all socials ;)
We are @megan_alderson_ & @jordan.skids
Artwork by @those_who.try
Wanna be on the pod? Email [email protected] 🃏