Hello everyone! 

We've reached our final episode of season 2 - crazy!! 

This week we talk to the lovely Anuschka Tochtermann. Anuschka is a german actress who works in TV, film and theatre. We talk about the film industry, acting technique, comedy, lessons we've learned in lockdown, mental health and more! Feel free to contact us on Instagram (@sweetnessnponies) we've really enjoyed reading some of your messages, & check out Anuschka @anuschkatochtermann. Hope you have a wonderful week, stay safe! 

In this weeks episode we discuss 2021 intentions! We don't believe in resolutions per se because they are finite but we thought it would helpful for us to come up with a few intentions this year. We also talk about things that give us a little bit of anxiety and how we plan to combat them. It's a really casual conversation and we hope you come a long for the ride.  Also if you've come up with your own intentions this year we'd love to hear them! Feel free to contact us at our instagram: @sweetnessnponies. We hope you had a good beginning to the year & stay safe! Fran and Ana. 

In this weeks podcast we do some completely different from our previous episodes. We have both written 2 short scenes which we perform and then discuss. Of course these scenes are by no means perfect but it was interesting to see what conversations it led us to have: from feeling confident to feeling reserved, from language used to discuss taboo topics to a general discussion about sex education and society's view of sex. It was an amusing one to record and we hope you enjoy! 

Ana has recently starred in the multinational show Heirs of the Night; in it five vampire clans from across Europe must unite to fight both Dracula and extinction, Ana plays a vampire with a special connection to Dracula and a special power called the spark of which she must suffer the fallout. It is now currently streaming in many countries and on BBC Iplayer. This week we were joined by some of the cast of Heirs of the Night: Ulrik William Græsli (our first ever podcast guest), Aisling Sharkey, Charlie Banks and Lance West (and of course Ana!), and we ask them about their halloween traditions and memories! We hope you enjoy this weeks episode, it was honestly a lot of laughing and we apologise for any audio issues it got better as we went on. Happy Halloween!! :) Follow us on instagram: @sweetnessnponies, and check out our previous episodes! 

In this episode we read three scenes from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. We focus on the characters and relationship of Viola and Olivia - Viola is a young girl disguised as a male messenger (Cesario) who courts Olivia on the High Count Orsino's behalf, whom she herself loves. The plot takes an amusing turn when it is revealed that Olivia has fallen head over heels for Cesario (Viola) and thus proceeds to beg for his affection. The first scene we read is taken from Act I, Scene 5 in which Olivia and Cesario meet for the first time; we then have a monologue given by Viola in Act II, Scene 2 in which Viola ascertains that Olivia loves her; and the final scene is taken from Act III, Scene 1 where Olivia does confess her love to Cesario. Shakespeare has created a perfect blend of irony, amusement and desperation! We hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Make sure to reach out on our social media: @sweetnessnponies on instagram! :) 

In this week’s podcast, Fran and I decided to have a chat on our own about mental health both our own and also how society views it. We also discuss time at school and a wee bit about the acting industry and how it effects mental health and body image too. Not forgetting some sweet questions at the end of course. Enjoy! 

Mental health resources: 

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/mental-health-services/how-to-access-mental-health-services/

https://www.rethink.org/

https://youngminds.org.uk/

https://www.samaritans.org/

https://www.childline.org.uk/

https://www.headstogether.org.uk/

https://www.mind.org.uk/

Remember to access help if you need it. x

In this episode Ana discusses the Black Live Matter movement, their experience of the coronacoaster, miracle mornings and times gone by. Fran is not in this episode as she was ill at the time of recording, but the friendship between Ana and Paradis is so lovely and clear to hear! Hope you enjoy! Follow us on instagram: @sweetnessnponies. https://www.instagram.com/

Some useful links + reading: 

https://blacklivesmatter.com/

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/30/why-im-no-longer-talking-to-white-people-about-race

https://www.waterstones.com/book/why-im-no-longer-talking-to-white-people-about-race/reni-eddo-lodge/9781408870587

https://www.waterstones.com/book/black-and-british/david-olusoga/9781447299769

https://www.waterstones.com/book/natives/akala/9781473661233

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/support-the-black-lives-matter-movement

The 13th on Netflix. 

If you are feeling overwhelmed by everything at the moment these are some good resources: 

https://youngminds.org.uk/

https://www.headspace.com/

https://insighttimer.com/

https://www.childline.org.uk/

https://www.mind.org.uk/

https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/about-mental-health

As always remember to look after yourselves, and take time to regenerate. Lots of Love, and Sweetnessnponies. 

In this weeks episode we talk to Actor, Director and Writer Elliot Barnes-Worrell! Elliot provides an insight into the covid-19 crisis regarding ethnic minorities, as well as discussing his life as an actor and his recent Instagram series Quarantine Shakespeare. We also spoke about how Fran and Elliot met 5 years ago, and their time of boxing together. Of course as always, there is a usual amount of joy and silliness, though we do also discuss some hard hitting topics around identity politics. This was a really fun episode to record and we hope you enjoy :) Please rate us down below and follow us on Instagram: @sweetnessnponies 

This week we talk to the ever positive and often hilarious Rolf! His sometimes morbid humour and inspirational quotes will have you chuckling along with us. Rolf is a director of photography/cinematographer, he has worked alongside Ana in their latest show Heirs of the Night now showing in Canada, Norway, Holland and Indonesia! Listen for a lighthearted, warming and entertaining conversation. Please do leave a review/rating down below and follow us on Instagram: sweetnessnponies. Enjoy! :)