What Young Company Means to Me: Jack’s Story
2025 July 25Over the past few weeks, we've welcomed a fantastic group of young people from local schools into the theatre for their work experience placements — offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse at life in the arts.
Among them was Jack, a long-standing member of our Young Company.
Jack has been part of Young Company for nearly a decade, growing up with the group and seizing every opportunity that’s come his way — from voice acting in digital productions to performing live on stage. In his own words, here’s what Young Company has meant to him, and how his recent work experience brought everything full circle.
Jack, take it away…
Hello! My name is Jack, and I have been going to Young Company for about 9 years so far. It has been one of the best things in my life and has kept me wanting to become an actor in the future. This theatre has given me so many opportunities that I think no other place could have given me, such as voice acting in the 2020 online theatre production of “What a Carve up” and performing in 4 community productions.
Why did you want to join Young Company?
When I was six, I saw my first episode of Doctor Who. It was Peter Capaldi’s first episode as The Doctor. This sparked my interest into acting because I wanted to be in that World. I wanted to become The Doctor, and my mum saw this. She went and found an acting group local to Huddersfield, and I was immediately on board with joining it because it was an opportunity for me to experience acting in a place that was easily accessible to me.
What acting are you interested in? (stage, screen)
I am interested in doing a bit of both. I have been doing stage work for a while, so I have gotten pretty used to it. But screen work was what inspired me to become an actor in the first place, so I want to experience what like to act in a film or TV show.
Why have you stayed a part of Young Company for so long?
Because I want to become an actor in the future, and Young Company is a place I can practice my acting skills in the present on a smaller scale.
What is a typical Young Company session like?
We usually meet either in the Box Office or the Courtyard and wait for others to arrive. When everyone gets here, we go up to the Attic Theatre and put our things to the side. We then get into a circle and get the register done. After that, we stand up and do a vocal warmup and a physical warmup. Then we typically rehearse our play/create new things to insert into our play. We sometimes end the session with a game, but this doesn’t happen all the time.
What have you learnt?
I have learnt many things in my 9 years at Young Company including acting techniques, what goes on backstage during a performance and how to improvise when something happens that wasn’t supposed to happen/an actor forgets their line.
What do you think members gain from being a part of Young Company?
If you go to Young Company you will learn more about acting, build your confidence and make lifelong friendships.
How would you describe Young Company to someone who is thinking of joining but isn’t sure?
I would describe Young Company as very friendly, fun and welcoming. It’s a place where you are free of judgement and can just be yourself without the worry of being discriminated against.
We usually create a play based around a topic given to us, and that’s it. It’s you and the people around you that are working together to create a finished product that friends and family can watch and enjoy. And, if you don’t think something is working, you can voice your opinion and give feedback. That is how we improve the play and our skills together.
Thanks Jack!
Jack’s passion for performance and dedication to the theatre shines through in everything he does. We’re proud to have played a part in his journey so far — and even prouder to watch him inspire the next wave of Young Company members.
We believe every young person in Kirklees should have access to opportunities like this. That’s why we offer discounted rates and bursary places for our Young Company to help remove financial barriers for families and ensuring access to life-changing experiences for children and young people across Kirklees.
If you’d like to help more young people like Jack find their voice, you can find out more about supporting us here. Every donation makes a real difference.
Interested in joining Young Company?
Whether you’re taking your first steps into theatre or dreaming of a future on stage, Jack’s story is a brilliant reminder of where creativity, community, and confidence can take you at Lawrence Batley Theatre.
Click here to find out more about Young Company. Everyone is welcome!
