Scroll through the images above to meet the characters of Peckham The Soap Opera.
Here’s a blog post from one of the Peckham based actors:
‘The first episode was live streamed last night and I was lucky enough to catch it being performed at the Bussey Building on Rye Lane. I was incredibly nervous to see how the cast for the first performance would handle the live stream and how it would all pan out for both the audience at home and the live audience in the room. Most of the cast turned up to give their support and the feeling was, as usual in Peckham, one of humour and generosity for those on stage. Against a projected backdrop of familiar haunts we saw the five minute drama play out, the whole thing was over in a flash and left us all, and hopefully the online audience, wanting more. We laughed and we gasped, and who knows what will happen next….
I knew from the rehearsals that this was going to be a special project, immediately there was a sense of shared community and understanding between us all, implicit in the fact that most of the cast and creative team are from the South East. We have had no problem pretending to be animals in front of each other, run around hugging each other and act out our own Peckham stories for one another. This is one bold group of pretty big characters all ready – so getting into our Soap Opera alter egos is no problem!
We have been lucky enough to be taught camera technique by Lana Nasser and be given an acting workshop from actor, director Clint Dyer. Both passed on invaluable skills and really helped to make the project feel like more of a reality.
Most of my praise must, however, go to our lovely Scottish director, Debbie Hannan, who as the only non Londoner (let alone South Londoner) is doing an amazing job of fitting in like a natural. By the end of the week we may even have her talking in a proper Peckham accent…
So far it’s been a stellar experience, and whilst I am stupidly nervous about my episode on Thursday night, I know now that I am in safe hands, and most importantly I am just proud to be involved. Who knows, it could even be the new Eastenders…Southenders?…’