My three years at drama school was traumatic.
I spent two years auditioning to get into one of the top institutions in the world.
Finally selected as one of 30 in a field of 3,000.
I'd read countless actor biographies about the importance of training and was totally focused on dedicating the next three years into making myself a better actor.
But then the wheels came off:
😅 New teachers on the course weren't qualified.
😩 New building works for the course were delayed, leading to less than ideal facilities.
😱 The school took over another drama school, thus doubling the number of students.
It was a salutary lesson about putting ANYTHING on a pedestal.
There were still a lot of good things about the school in question, but there was no sense of safety. Which I'd argue is pretty integral to effective learning.
I'll be honest that the disparity between what I'd hoped 'my dream' would be and the reality got to me.
I got depressed.
I second guessed myself.
I became overly-competitive.
And by the end of my second year... I was NOT in a good place.
So I did something radical.
I asked the head of the course if I could take a year out, so I could get my head back together and rediscover my love for the craft.
And to their credit - they said yes.
I spent the next year back in the 'real world', and it was the single most important year of my acting career.
✅ I took time out to actually LIVE a life outside of my passion.
✅ I took time to work with an acting teacher who spoke to me.
✅ I took time out to make my OWN work.
And the result?
A greater sense of who I was as a person and artist.
A confidence that I was in this for the long haul.
And a critically celebrated one-man show*.
It's not all been smooth sailing since then.
But it's a necessary reminder that we're shaped as much (if not more) by adversity than success.
Have you ever suffered a set-back that ended up helping your career?
By Chris Tester - British Male Voice Actor