One of the numerous goals that theatre and live performance can serve is to entertain the audience on a worldwide scale while also influencing society through the lessons that can be drawn from a play or performance. We are mimetic and social beings who want order, and we also like and require pleasure, which is why theatre exists. Theatre is a very well-liked form of entertainment that has long been the main source of public entertainment since it is made to keep an audience’s attention for an extended period of time. The performing, producing, directing, or authoring of plays is referred to as theatre. Playwrights create plays, directors oversee the rehearsal process, and performers perform on stage. Theatre is the culmination of all those elements. Introducing Candice Desmet, Managing Director and founder of Act’in Theatre, which creates a space for relaxation, ‘me-time’ and a hobby for anyone who chooses to learn about or participate over a longer period of time.
The Route to the Destination
Candice Desmet is a 33-year-old French actress. She began acting training in France while pursuing her studies in biology. In Nantes, West France, where she joined Guenal Morin’s troupe in 2011, she began her theatrical career. She joined an improvisational troupe and performed with them in London, France, and Morocco, as well as with theatre companies after moving to London in 2012. She then landed her first role in the feature film NABORU. She opened Act’in Theatre in 2015 after seeing there was a need in the London bilingual theatre scene. She put a lot of time and effort into overcoming the challenges of starting and operating a business in a foreign country.
Candice has a vast and incredibly diverse range of tasks. Her responsibilities include accounting, general management, communication, acting and improvisation lessons with various student groups, directing the shows, and general organization of the students. She also coaches, which is crucial for an actress and instructor to stay on top of their game. According to her, being an entrepreneur necessitates extraordinary flexibility because there isn’t a regular day that can be replicated from week to week.
Act’in Theatre
Starting out modest, Candice Desmet’s company has grown naturally in accordance with customer demand and her financial capabilities. Act’in Theatre, a bilingual theatre company established in London, currently offers drama, improvisation, and film workshops to all Londoners, regardless of background, in French or in English. It has a reputation for offering high-quality service in a welcoming environment free of judgement in the bustling centre of the English metropolis. People who want to engage in artistic endeavours can participate in Act’in Theatre. With the use of exercises and workshops that are specifically designed for students, the company makes a point of respecting the students’ rhythm as they help them discover themselves and push themselves to their limits.
In order to ensure the business’s long-term viability and the students’ continued commitment, in Candice’s opinion, this is extremely important. People who have been a part of Act’in Theatre since its founding in 2015 and who have taken classes there since then make the company extremely proud. Beyond their development, it has been wonderful to watch them grow throughout the months and years. Act’in Theatre is a family that is continually enriched by the unique personalities of its various members.
A Unique Contrast in the Entertainment Industry
Act’in Theatre is a company formed by an actress with and for the students. The Gueules de Bois (a drama troupe) and The Improzac (improvisation troupe) are the two troupes it has established. To come together, Candice and her teams established the Entre Act format performance, which takes place every 5/6 weeks in London in an intimate setting. The first act of Entre Part’s unique two-act concept is a short theatrical performance. Les Gueules de Bois is a troupe that chooses playlets from theatre or film, assembles them, and performs them in a small, minimalist space with humour. The troupe Les Improzacs performs an improvisation cabaret in the second act. It’s all in French, with subtitles in English. Candice then understood that the English-speaking audience was missing something. As a result, they have developed a brand-new show format called In’terval, which is played totally in English for both drama and improv, with French subtitles. In’terval’s debut will occur in October 2022.
About 50 sketches and 9 plays have been written by Candice so far for the theatre workshops and end-of-year shows. She is also working on other projects with BtoB, assisting organisations that are looking for those kinds of services for their employees, as well as other initiatives to improve the service to students and clients.
Candice says, “This makes it possible to balance the characters’ interventions (no main roles in the plays) and to structure the objective of the sketches and plays and to insist on certain types of emotions, acting, etc. So, diversification in writing is my daily life!”
Overcoming Obstacles
It’s crucial to overcome challenges in order to secure corporate growth and diversification. Businesses in general haven’t had it easy in recent years. A lot of organisations and planned economic expansion for Act’in Theatre were in jeopardy due to Brexit and the COVID-19 scenario. The creative industries, and especially the cultural sector, have been significantly impacted by COVID-19. Film and television productions have had to stop; live performance venues have had to close their doors for extended or permanent periods of time; and job stability for creatives has been extremely uncertain. In order to make things possible while maintaining its essential identity of friendliness and proximity, Act’in Theatre has to adapt and change. One of the keys at the time was the development of digital theatre.
The performances are also challenging. It is a unique performance that includes the teacher, writer, director, technician, and director, in addition to the actors on stage. Everything must be in harmony, both with the students and the audience who watch the show. Having the requisite hindsight to know if all of the decisions made were wise is challenging.
“And you only know on the big day and then the adventure is already over. A lot of pressure, for an artistic moment, but in itself it is magical.“-provokes Candice.
Steps Towards Improvisation
There is always room for improvement. Various projects are being worked on by Candice and her team. One of the improvements is the company’s structural organization and process development. In fact, the use of the tools permits some automation and thereby conserves time, a valuable resource.
Creating a brand for Act’in Theatre is another important area of development. The students should be the focus of all development phases because they are the company’s most significant asset. In order to improve the group dynamic, the goal is to be able to plan theatrical and creative expeditions with the students as an “extra-curricular” activity outside of the classes.
Candice encourages, “That is to say, we use the theatrical tool to get out of our ‘societal box’ so that we can be ourselves 100%, without constraint, without judgement, and to be able to express ourselves in complete freedom.”
Life Balance
Personal and professional lives must delicately coexist. Candice makes sure to set aside time for her private life, but it’s seldom a full day; rather, it’s only a few hours here and there. However, she has flexibility because she is an entrepreneur, which is a benefit.
She thinks that the work’s constant nature and volume may be a drawback. The upside is that she can arrange her life however she sees fit, allowing her to merge her personal and professional lives.
Candice believes energy is present if the individuals she works with do what they enjoy doing, and she respects their rhythm and their preferences. That serves as her and their primary source of inspiration. Motivation that is correlated with happiness and a sense of fulfilment.
Recommendations for Aspiring Leaders
Candice advises getting to know yourself, paying attention to yourself, and then conquering the fear. Fear is a good thing and an emotion to embrace because it compels us to reflect and consider our options carefully, but it never prevents us from moving on. She also believes that it’s crucial to avoid acting out of fear. That would be a really poor decision.
Candice feels that failure should be acknowledged and even “celebrated.” She explains that failure is a blessing because it allows us to learn and grow, which is very natural and healthy. Consider entrepreneurship as a school of life and always turn problems into opportunities for professional and personal growth are the most significant pieces of advice she considers.
