Every actor who has been part of Namibia’s theatre scene can attest to the fact that theatre is not as glamorous as it seems, and many of the pitfalls are things that make you want to laugh and cry simultaneously.
Here are 10 problems only Namibian theatre actors can understand:
1. Getting out of rehearsal so late and still having to work or go to school the next morning.
2. Your friends and family who aren’t in theatre don’t understand when you talk about show problems or tell them you can’t come to things because you have rehearsal.
3. When all of your costumes come from your closet.
4. The shows are always low budget.
5. Trying to practice choreography/lines on your lunch hour during your day job. Firstly, there is no way you can sustain a life as a full-time theatre actor and still be able to pay your bills. Not here in Namibia. Sorry, but it’s the truth.
6. Trying to convince yourself each and every new show that there won’t be politics involved in casting, and being wrong once again- there is always politics involved in casting. ALWAYS.
7. When your blocking is changed every other night and you’re expected to remember which is the latest one.
8. When you find out in tech week that the place you are to perform is only half the size of the place where you rehearsed.
9. Begging friends to attend performances so seats are filled.
10. Everybody gets undressed in front of each other and don’t even care because you have 30 seconds to change.
Theatre is that second job that takes up all your time but makes you no real money. It is a labour of love!
(Inspired by theatrenerds.com)
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