Thoughts for October: In Observation of Observation
Emma Nielsen Performing at the Rising Stars Manchester Concert by Theatre North, September 2025. Photography by Tabitha Heidi-Brown.
In our first ever guest blog, Emma Nielsen - a recent Acting graduate of Leeds Conservatoire and performer based in Yorkshire - talks about her experience of observing our recent research and development of Shirley: An Awakening.
I first came to learn about archipelago arts collective back in 2023 when archipelago co-director Beth Knight directed at Leeds Conservatoire in my first year of study. However, I sadly missed out on being in the room with Beth; and had to learn how my peers were making a gloriously fun and colourful devised piece, whilst I was on the other half of the year doing a very seriously opposing Brechtian-style extract.
Then in the summer of 2024 an alumnus of the same drama school, Emily Snooks, had a spare ticket for archipelago’s production Mother of the Revolution, which she was performing in at Leeds Industrial Museum.
I went and was absorbed into an immersive and musical world, retelling an unheard woman’s story. Right up my street!
A year later, I then narrowly missed the boat AGAIN when Beth directed the Actor-Musicians in my year for their showcase. I watched and supported the brilliant work from the audience once more, loving how Beth combined the drama and the music.
Having recently graduated, and following archipelago’s work on socials, I saw information released about their upcoming project, Shirley: An Awakening. I seized the opportunity to drop them an email to ask to finally be in their room when they made work. Beth and Seán could not have been more welcoming and supportive of my request to sit in on the R&D weeks.
The stars were finally aligning!
As I had trained on an Acting course, placing myself into an Actor-Musician led production with Beth and Seán was something I didn’t know if I would integrate into quickly. But as I entered the rehearsal space I was struck how Seán Ryan had found a beautiful way to combine Florence and The Machine-style electronic music into the Brontë world. It felt so accessible! And as an outside-eye it was a joy to watch the talented actors/musicians/singers (Miche Pittoni, Emily Snooks, Dan Loops & Alex Hargreaves) bring these characters of rich Brontë history to life through this music.
Why I would recommend shadowing archipelago’s work?
I met some amazing performers across my three days observing, and as an actor I learnt from witnessing first hand their individual processes.
I could see the development in how they embodied the characters, using different physicality’s encouraged by Beth’s brilliant direction. I took a lot from William’s (played by Alex) storyline, his the resolve and strength in his physicality depleating as the character was suffering defeat of the Industrial Revolution. His use of range in his lower register gave a melancholy eeriness and showed me how to unearth all your skills for the room’s benefit.
“A hymn of resistance and a howl for change.” sums up perfectly the combination of Seán’s clever composition and Brid’s genius writing. It made me want to write and get back on my guitar! It was inspiring to see the creative minds run like Dan Loops’ crazily punchy rap inserted for his character of Robert.
It is hard as a new grad to feel confident to make your own work, but archipelago are experts, and learning from their process gave me a whole new scope on making work from scratch in the room! A real creative family vibe.
My 5 TOP TIPS to anyone who is thinking about shadowing a rehearsal process are…
Research the text/world before you enter the space.
I had spent the night before finding out about the original plot, characters and writer. This meant I was ready to go when I got into the room, knew who the characters were and let the acting/music lead me to finding out about the world they exist in.
Understand the space the performance will take place in.
archipelago are super keen to explore non-traditional theatre spaces, and with that comes various challenges of sound, audience placing and using the space as the set. The museum I knew from seeing their previous work and the so could visualise the context of the work beforehand!
Bring the vibes!
This may sound obvious for theatre-makers we always do! But I was very nervous when I entered the room, as a new grad with some very talented actors and creatives who I didn’t know. I sat on the floor and started to set up when I decided to stop hiding away and jump up and be involved. They were all lovely (of course) and once introduced I understood what a fun space Beth and Seán create, I couldn’t resist having fun too! (We may or may not have spent a break doing cartwheels, handstands and the worm within the first few hours of rehearsals!)
Snacks are a must! (and sharing is key)
Us creatives do know how to fuel ourselves well for the work. I suggest mango, strawberries and flapjacks, alongside good coffee. Offer these out to everyone and you quickly become friends.
An open presence, with maybe something to write notes in!
You need to be switched on when observing, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have the space to be in your own bubble as a creative. It is about being adaptable from helping lay out paper for a task, making coffees for a hard-working team or giving yourself the time to make notes of something that is to go in your toolkit!
Some considerations and reflections I took from the process and watching the work in progress sharing:
One of the big challenges I had as an observer is knowing when to enter the conversation as a creative and if it is going to help the process or not. It really made me aware of my voice and how I could use it but also listen. Listening was extra key for me as the process went on and when I returned in week 2 there was a language created in the work that I could absorb and enjoy.
A huge reflection I gained from watching the sharing was how technology can be used to aid not be something to fear, if it is used correctly. In a world where we are now having ‘actors’ being formulated by AI this is a very weird time. As much as it was for the workers like William to have machinery ‘take their jobs’. But the work that archipelago are also exploring showed how using technology and electronic elements can amplify our work and used in a fruitful way. No ChatGPT in sight (thankfully).
Gig theatre was at the heart of the sharing for me. Not to spoil it for future audiences but the use of hanging microphones let us switch in and out of the 19th century and made the character’s voices seep into our ears. Almost like we were inside Charlotte Brontë’s brain.I am currently writing a one woman show titled ‘Yorkshire’s Hidden Gem’s’ and taking this into my own practice will mean breaking down the way audiences hear the voices of the people of Yorkshire I want to write about. I also now want to utilise non-traditional theatre spaces like pubs or working men’s clubs and find ways to make theatre more accessible but shifting the narrative. Reaching those who wouldn’t visit theatre typically.
The whole process gave me inspiration to adapt my work to have more music in, it makes the work layered and it can be for people who aren’t classically trained too. It is in our bodies. In our souls. Emily Snooks and Miche Pittoni’s musical relationship was entwined in soothing harmonies and playful push and pulls. On the sharing day, I was blown away by the hilarity of a scene where Shirley and Caroline fought with each other. Throughout the audience invested in their softer songs to each other, to then the bite they gave in their spoken text. I aspire to have this versatility my performance.
As a writer too, Brid had an exercise that revealed so much for all of us. Improvising characters younger selves in a previous context. It took the pressure off having to create and let the character’s past unearth, that we may never have gotten to find out about from the actor’s imagination. I can’t wait to use it for my work and take the pressure off having to write something straight onto a laptop!
One final takeaway I got from archipelago:
“FIND THE LOLS” – Beth Knight, 2025.
Theatre is meant to be provoking and political, but also FUN. The best type gets us thinking about our own life and how we draw from real events happening in front of us. Do we see ourselves a bit and our own world in Shirley? I think probably we all do (or should!) Beth and Seán create a space where there isn’t pressure. Their work is born out of pure joy and that is why the art is so real and meaningful to audiences!
Emma recommends, that I have been inspired by observing Shirley: An Awakening:
A read: Emilia, an all-female play by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm.
A listen: Florence and The Machine’s Dance Fever, in particular Daffodil.
A watch: Gentlemen Jack.
An event: Yorkshire born and bred Indie artist ELLUR is going on tour this month. If you can catch her, her music is very on brand for Shirley and as a gig experience it is tied to Gig Theatre in the way she moves and connects to audiences.
A theatre show: Shirley: An Awakening… (year pending)
We cannot thank Emma enough for her brilliant insights into her process of observation, we’ve observed so many things we didn’t even see about the work; totally enlightening on all fronts.
If you ever want to observe our work in the future, just drop Beth or Seán an email. You can also find out about any artist development opportunity first by following us on Instagram or Facebook or signing up to our mailing list.
See you next month! And in the meantime…
Seán recommends:
A read: Is this a read…? It’s definitely a book! With a relatively work-less weekend stretched out in front of me, I’m going to be revisiting some faves from Sanjay Aggarwal’s Spice Kitchen
A listen: Tame Impala’s new single/EP Dracula, Kevin Parker’s world never fails of pop sensibility hybridised with psych-infused oddness
A watch: One Battle After Another feels like it’s going to be a lot of fun!
An event: There’s loads of things going on in Sheffield this weekend and beyond as part of Sensoria Festival, an absolutely integral part of the City’s cultural offer every year!
Beth recommends:
A read: You know what? In a shock twist, I recommend you read Shirley by Charlotte Brontë. Definitely not my girl Charlotte’s most beloved, but it is such a full, vast thing. And also the great folks at the Brontë Parsonage are doing a read-a-long discussion this month too if you want some more context for it! I’m definitely going to be listening in to see what we’ve missed 👀
A listen: Do I follow Nora Ephron fan accounts on Instagram? Yes. Through that have I found this beautifully curated playlist inspired by Nora’s sweeping autumn narratives? Yes. Do I listen to it on repeat and imagine I’m Meg Ryan walking down the Upper West Side of New York, with not a sound on the city streets, just the beat of my own heart? YES.
A watch: You’ve Got Mail (See above for why).
An event: If you’re in or near Sheffield until 11th October, or in Belfast and London next Spring, RUN towards tickets for Consumed by Karis Kelly. The winner of the Women’s Prize for Playwrighting and just a phenomenal, heartbreaking, hilarious, gasp inducing play about womanhood and trauma.