The Callback

Edinburgh Fringe is upon us and so that means a special Eddy episode of The Callback with Sam Macgregor! Sam is a writer and performer from Newcastle upon Tyne.Emma caught up with him about his baptism of fire producing writing and performing in his debut show Truly, Madly, Baldy which is currently showing at Pleasance Below at 12.30 pm. There's also chat on making autobiographical work, learning that you have to make your own posters 😬 and his incredible flyering technique!You can check out Sam’s show in Edinburgh, or if you're listening and you’d like to support him in some way then you can donate to his crowdfund here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/get-truly-madly-baldy-to-the-edinburgh-fringeThe Call BackIG: @thecallbackpod Produced, written and hosted by Emma Bentley @Emma_J_Bentley (Twitter)With Sam MacGregor @samhazamacg (IG) @SamMacGregor1 (Twitter) Music by K Minor @kminormusic (IG)Show Image by Jonny Bosworth @london_headshots (IG)Sam's Show: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/truly-madly-baldy

Naomi’s getting into spirituality after resisting it for years, and even though she says mantras aren’t her thing, she gives us some brilliant ones to think about throughout the episode. She’s now allowing space for the universe to deliver her what it needs to, and damn is it working!Emma and actor/writer Naomi Denny sit down over a cuppa to talk about finding balance, the laws of attraction and how to inject playfulness into your work.They also dive into the passion behind Naomi's latest play, "Unseen Unheard" (Theatre Peckham), where she takes pride in bringing untold stories, particularly those of the Global Majority, to the stage.The Call BackIG: @thecallbackpod Produced, written and hosted by Emma Bentley @Emma_J_Bentley (Twitter)With Naomi Denny @naomidennyy (IG) @NaomiDenny (Twitter) Music by K Minor @kminormusic (IG)Show Image by Jonny Bosworth @london_headshots (IG)

Writer and performer Dan Wye has carved a beautiful career for themselves by making people laugh both as themselves and through their drag persona, Séayoncé, a deliciously filthy and yet wise ghost-whisperer, who every creative should meet. In their latest show, Res-Erection (The Second Cumming), they take the audience on a journey that urges them to live their lives to the full and not to let their fears get in the way of anything they truly desire … for example auditioning for a production of Titanic the Musical.Dan shares with us so much about writing and live performance, ultimately urging us to find the enjoyment in what we are doing, rather than looking for what might go wrong. There’s chat on setting yourself performative deadlines, making work as a human with ADHD and using mistakes as a way to create more laughs. The Call BackIG: @thecallbackpod Produced, written and hosted by Emma Bentley @Emma_J_Bentley (Twitter)With Dan Wye dan.wye (IG) @DanielWye (Twitter) Music by K Minor @kminormusic (IG)Show Image by Jonny Bosworth @london_headshots (IG)

Dreams can come true! You know you got to have them … So Evie Pickerill shows us with her story of landing her dream job as a Cbeebies presenter. As she retells the tale from making her presenter reel on a dime in her back garden, to the audition in Manchester, to getting a call nearly a year later with the good news, there’s so much magic in this episode. LIPA graduates and old friends Emma and Evie also discuss grief, and how it can feel to lose a loved one at a time when everything else seems to be going pretty well. They also touch on social media and how to curate your feed to be the best for you, going back to the breath and having interests outside of the arts.CW // GriefThis Episode is dedicated to our wonderful friend, talented soul and wicked singer, Emily Chesterton. The Call BackIG: @thecallbackpod Produced, written and hosted by Emma Bentley @Emma_J_Bentley (Twitter)With Evie Pickerill @evie.pickerill (IG) @EviePickerill (Twitter) www.eviepickerill.com/Music by K Minor @kminormusic (IG)Show Image by Jonny Bosworth @london_headshots (IG)

Just like buses, you can wait ages for a project to come through, and suddenly you have 3 all at once. Writer, Pip Williams delves into the occasions this has happened to him, and lets us into how he had the courage to let go of some opportunities, even if it felt really icky at the time!Old housemates Pip and Emma also discuss Pip's up-and-coming project at Camden People's Theatre, Guidelines, and the two different approaches of his writing process as a solo playwright or devising in a room with actors, designers, dramaturg and director. With a sprinkling of chat about side jobs, resistance to capitalism (standard!) and what it's like doing a Masters in Writing, the two actor/writers have a real good 'ole laugh and even share a bank holiday bevy together ... because, you know, it's important to take holidays as creatives.The Call BackIG: @thecallbackpod Produced, written and hosted by Emma Bentley @Emma_J_Bentley (Twitter)With Pip Williams @theotherpipwilliams (Twitter) @php.williams (IG) Music by K Minor @kminormusic (IG)Show Image by Jonny Bosworth @london_headshots (IG)Book tickets for Pip's upcoming collaboration with James Nash at Camden People's Theatre, Guidelines: https://cptheatre.co.uk/whatson/Guidelines

In Episode 4 Emma speaks to director and dramaturg Katharina Reinthaller. She arrived in the UK from Austria 10 years ago, just like "The Fool" tarot card ... setting off on an adventure with a lot of naivety but full of hope and looking for opportunities. Long-term collaborators Emma and Katharina discuss how innocence in their twenties played an important part in getting their careers off the ground!Having matured together as artists, they also talk about the boundaries they have now put in place to protect themselves from working for free unnecessarily and about working in rehearsal environments that are light and playful, no matter the subject matter. Katharina also delves into her work directing on Zoom, what she learnt from assisting Esther Muschol and how she got onto the StoneCrabs directing programme.The Call BackIG: @thecallbackpod Produced, written and hosted by Emma Bentley @Emma_J_Bentley (Twitter)With Katharina Reinthaller @KReinthaller (Twitter) www.katharinareinthaller.com/Music by K Minor @kminormusic (IG)Show Image by Jonny Bosworth @london_headshots (IG)Information on the StoneCrabs Young Directors Training Programme; https://stonecrabs.co.uk/young-directors-training-programme-2022/Tickets for Flat4Theatre's Freshly Squeezed Scratch Night: https://www.breadandrosestheatre.co.uk/whats-on.html

Something a little different this week! Emma leads you through a guided visualisation to arrive back at what "a day in the life" would look like if you were living your creative dream.2023 has been A LOT, and although some of you might find you are already living your creative dream (in which case - dope!), this meditation is for anyone who is feeling a little lost when it comes to career goals, healthy work/life balance, or simply would like to affirm the goals they already have set out. So grab a comfy jumper and pillow, a notebook and pen and settle in for 15 minutes of relaxation. The Call BackIG: @thecallbackpod Produced, written and hosted by Emma Bentley @Emma_J_Bentley (Twitter)Music by K Minor @kminormusic (IG)Show Image by Jonny Bosworth @london_headshots (IG)If you'd like to send me a tip I would be very grateful. Check out my "Ko-fi" Page here: https://ko-fi.com/thecallbackpodcast

Coming out! Writing! Witchy woo woo! Emma and Kit discuss it all in Episode 3. Kit is an actor and theatremaker with a lot to say about owning it in the audition room. From sharing some tips for dyslexic actors on line learning, to having the confidence to have a lil joke with the casting director, Kit gives us much to think about as creatives.And not only is she an actor/writer she’s also a holistic therapist. Actors make good writers, and they make good therapists too. Listen in to hear Emma chat with Kit about spirituality as an anchor, and of course, the tarot! The Call BackIG: @thecallbackpod Produced, written and hosted by Emma Bentley @uptightbarista (IG) @Emma_J_Bentley (Twitter)With Kit Sinclair @kitsinclair0 (IG) www.kitsinclairoriginal.comMusic by K Minor @kminormusic (IG)Show Image by Jonny Bosworth @london_headshots (IG)Book tickets for Kit’s new solo show ‘30 and Out’: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/30-and-out#overview

This episode is packed full of thoughts and ideas about the role of a theatremaker during a time of crisis. Peru is going through a particularly volatile period of human rights violations, after back in December 47 people were killed during protests. In this episode, Pepa shares with us how her work as an activist is currently running alongside her creativity, her other freelance work and also her basic human needs to take time out to relax, or you know, do a yoga class.Pepa also shares with us her ethos of "being interested" rather than focusing on "being interesting" when it comes to making your own work, and then her and Emma muse about alternative training structures; what if during your training you followed whatever piqued your interest? From ice skating to break dancing, what would you like to incorporate into your practice? The Call BackIG: @thecallbackpodProduced, written and hosted by Emma Bentley @uptightbarista (IG) @Emma_J_Bentley (Twitter)With Pepa Duarte @pepaduartes (IG) www.pepaduarte.com/Music by K Minor @kminormusic (IG)Show Image by Jonny Bosworth @london_headshots (IG)To find out more about activism and events in London for the political situation in Peru follow @peruanxsukdemocracia (IG)