Alumna of the Month - September 2016
Anna Leckey
BA Drama and Performance, 2015
Recent graduate Anna Leckey has just staged her first production; Thinking About Thoughts, thanks to a successful grant application to her local city council in Northern Ireland and generous funding from the Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council.
The show, which features live actors, no dialogue and multi-channel headphones and recorded dialogue has been well received in Belfast where reviewers described it as “exciting”, “experimental” and “a new type of theatre”.
For her final major performance project at LSBU Anna worked with classmate Jay Birbeck to explore the life of a female scientist in the 1950’s.
“I decided there was so much more work to be explored when working with these multichannel headphones in a theatrical environment, and that I loved the idea of giving an audience the choice to experience something different to the person beside them”.
Thinking About Thoughts is a continuation of their professional theatre making collaboration,along with two other graduates Ed Richards and Mathieu Lovelace.
“I always had a passion and a dream to study drama. Originally I wanted to get into a drama school and when that didn’t happen LSBU turned out to be the perfect choice for me. I loved every moment of my time there and the course was amazing. I met some incredible lecturers and theatre makers and now, as graduates, we are making our own big dreams happen together.
I soon realised that I am most fulfilled creating work from scratch and working in collaboration with the amazing theatre makers I have met on my journey. Studying in the centre of London’s theatre world gave me the chance to see unique performances, the fringey types, upstairs in a pub, or the musicals on the West End as well as making a bit of money working as extras in shows. There is always something happening in the city, and what you see can inspire you to make your own work.
LSBU lecturers are still supporting me on my creative journey and I have always really appreciated the fact that the staff are all still working in the theatre profession. My time at LSBU allowed me to develop confidence in my ability and to find my own voice as an artist.”
When asked what her advice would be for current students, Anna says:
“Work hard, it will always pay off, and don't worry too much about what your next steps are going to be. You don't have to know what you want to do with your life right now. ”
Anna has formed her own theatre company, Three’s Theatre Company, and her dream is to continue making work that people haven’t seen before. We wish you every success Anna!