Following a successful summer online, consisting of a virtual theatre festival, two radio soap operas and a string of Irish Student Drama Association awards and nominations, DU Players is now preparing to bring the same energy to incoming freshers and prospective new society members in the coming weeks.
Speaking to The University Times, chair of DU Players, Ultan Pringle, says that the society has plans to publish a lot of virtual work, having learned many lessons about producing content for an online audience over the summer. “When you’re making content online, you’re not making it for the audience. The point of making it is creating something, and it will find its audience.”
Zoom, in particular, has become a popular medium for theatre, and Pringle has some thoughts on its value moving forward: “There isn’t an appetite for a lot of virtual stuff, so the trick is to be interactive. The hardest part of Zoom is that only one conversation can happen at a time. That means there’s a pressure to make every word count.” Pringle also holds out hope that the society may even be able to host some live events, though jokes that this is conditional on the world “not ending”.
Even seven months on, Pringle can easily recall those initial feelings of despair when he was first told that the DU Players building was closing in March. “I remember saying to send out an email to everyone saying we’re not going dark, we’re going online, and I think staying active was the right choice. You never know who’s going to need to sit and watch the Zoom show or listen to the podcast as a pick-me-up.”
With restrictions continuing to tighten this year, Pringle acknowledges that the society may only be able to secure 30 or 40 new members, though he takes comfort in the fact that “the people who come are the people who really want to be there”.
Although this year’s DU Players committee may not get to fulfil all of their initial plans, Pringle is confident that “things are going to be okay”. Students, both incoming and returning, can expect lots of virtual shows, as well as a (restriction-dependant) building takeover, he says, which would allow for shows “to happen all over Players, not just in the theatre”.
Pringle is also determined to take the Players Introductory Programme (PiPs) online. Restrictions-permitting, he hopes that this will develop into a blended teaching model, with some in-person teaching in the latter half of term. The “Front of House” area has been reorganised into a socially distanced space and designated as the PiPs in-person location, he explains.
Perhaps the most ambitious project of the year, and the one Pringle seems most excited about, is the launch of a buddy system that will pair each new member of the society with someone more experienced so that they have someone to contact about events or with questions. “The aim is to bring the front square face – that first friendly point of contact – to this new system. And it’s not just limited to freshers – any student who wants to partake will be assigned a buddy to help with building friendships and to give them a way into the society. Sometimes you need that friendly face to get you in the door.”
“We owe it to [new students] to give as vibrant and vital a society life as possible”, Pringle affirms, adding that while the shape of society life is about to undergo some drastic changes, often “different is good”. “Tradition has served the society well, but we can change for the better. And I think we can come out of this experience thinking ‘how can we be better, more inclusive, more accessible?’”
This ethos of inclusivity and friendship is at the heart of DU Players. “It’s what Players is – if you come in and have a cup of tea, there’s probably someone to talk to and make you feel welcome. It’s all about trying to bring the atmosphere to people safely, to cut through the noise and say ‘here we are, if you want to take our hand, you can.”
Reflecting on his own experiences, Pringle hopes that despite the unusual conditions, anyone who takes a chance and gets involved in the society this year will leave feeling happier than before. “We’ve been told that we’re the society doing the most, but I think we have something for everyone. I don’t think anyone has ever left here regretting that they took that chance.”
