I initially got 'into' theatre when I nearly died.
Sweeping statement, but also very very true. Some years back I was diagnosed with having a schwannoma tumor behind my left eye, actually inside my skull. I was shocked, upset, crushed and aware I had to remain strong for my mum. She was the person that brought me up to be the person I am, so I felt I owed it to her in part to smile through it and do everything I could to see a bright side. I ended up taking it to the extreme one day when leaving hospital with her after a consultation with a surgeon by quoting a line from 300.
'It's just an eye. The gods saw it fit to grace me with a spare'.
She didn't really see the funny side. Well, she did but she cried a bit too as we walked slowly down the hill towards the town below. It goes without saying, but I lived. One day I may go into more detail about it but if you're desperate to find out then feel free to email me at chris@cd-productions.co.uk
Fighting through the 'eye' episode of my life and coming out the other side certainly left me a strong person. I undertook a great deal of charity work with my best friend, Dan. He had had his own medical hardships and the achievement of reaching various milestones and raising money for good causes was a time of my life I will never forget. For anyone out there who supported me during this times, thank you.
Coming out of the battle with my tumor made me not only value life but also challenge what I wanted. Naturally at school I was a very quiet kid, which lead to a bit of bullying and probably made me a pretty soft target. Growing up in a single parent family wasn't always easy but the love and support I received was far more then many others get in 'conventional' upbringings. The feeling I get when I take to the stage is a total departure from those days and I feel blessed for the turnaround of fortunes I have experienced. Many aren't so lucky and lose the battles life puts in front of them.
I realise this isn't about theatre, but I think it's a heavy nod towards how I ended up 'in theatre'. You can look around St Pancras and see a vast multitude of people, but how did they get there? What purpose brought them to the capital? Will they ever leave? The questions we could ask are endless and to an extent futile, much the same as if you were given all the answers to a quiz before taking the hot seat. You're pulse won't race nor will any challenge present itself.
If you're reading this and your battling against an obstacle, whatever it is, know that you can overcome it. I did. I'm just like you, a person who has had his fair share of knocks and setbacks but used them to motivate me to succeed and be the person I know I can be.
The fight isn't easy, the journey will be tough, but you can do it. Good Luck. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment