My name is Patrick Keddy and I am an aspiring performer from Dronfield, Derbyshire. I am beginning my first year of studying BA Hons Acting and Performance at SHU. Although I am yet to accumulate professional credits, my history and experience with the performing arts stretches far into my childhood.
When I was a child, I was that child. My feedback reports from teachers often cited that although bright and capable, I held myself back with "a tendency to distract myself and others". I just couldn't seem to keep my voice to myself, always trying to find new ways to make my peers laugh, and I think that this near-obsession with entertainment, whilst sometimes at odds with attempting to learn long division, is ultimately the foundation of what made me want to perform. With the seeds of passion sown, I threw myself into the school productions full-pelt, and the rest has been history. I attended the Pomegranate Youth Theatre based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire for many years, where I was involved in a variety of shows where I often took on significant roles. Additionally, I pursued drama academically, completing both GCSE and A level qualifications in theatre studies.
I've always chased after the unique thrill of everything falling into place while on stage - the cumulative buildup and payoff of months of rehearsal being brought to life in those brief few minutes under the limelight. Whether the audience is crying, laughing, or even simply pushing a little bit of air from their nostrils, I know that performance is what I want to do. Exceptional instances of performance and writing in TV and film have captivated me since I was young, and I have always undertaken a significant role in the devising and scriptwriting of the works I have been involved with throughout my academic career.
The precise manner in which I will enter the working world is still unclear to me. I hope that over the next few years of my studies I am able to better find my feet and work out how exactly to satisfy my cravings for performance - be it acting on stage, screen, or even stand-up comedy (optimistic as that may be.)
Photography by Becky Payne
Comments
For the illusive bush wizard, this makes way too much sense! :)