Here's to 2018!!

Goodbye 2017. Hello 2018!!

Firstly let me take the opportunity to wish you all a Happy New Year!

Thank you Lord that you make all things new, that you bring hope alive in our hearts. This year, may You hold us in the palm of Your hand and guide our minds, fill our imaginations and control our will so that many will see in us, the wonders of You! IJN Amen!

Let's just take a minute to reflect on 2017 and what it meant for FCP. I think this past year has  definitely proven one thing is true, no matter what plans we had here at FCP to spread the word, impart wisdom and share knowledge, God always had his own plan! Sometimes it might be a difficult pill to swallow, but trusting in Him and knowing that His plan will always exceed your own, will not only mean greater things for your life but also a greater relationship with the big man Himself. Right now, in these times, nothing could be more important #lastDays

ATWW

Early 2017 saw performances of And There Was War (ATWW) in Birmingham and London where we SOLD OUT!! We had some fantastic feedback which confirmed that this play still needs to be seen by many more people!

We began preparation to perform ATWW again in December. The script was tweaked, we cast some fantabulous actors and actresses, booked a venue and started selling tickets! However, a crisis meeting was held and a decision was made to put the production on hold to due to lack of funding. Which, needless to say devastated the whole team. However...God always has a plan... 

The Pitch

.....doors were opened for FCP in the way of the Pitch competition to win £30k to make our short film The Day After! We just scraped in only finding out about the competition 2 days before the deadline!! But before Christmas we successfully reached the final stage of the competition as a top 10 finalist! 

No Poetry

Our first short film No Poetry was released which now has almost 3k views on YouTube! Our most amount of views on a single upload to date - which means that we are continuing to reach people and share the Good News!

New Years Eve

Finally, planning and casting for our brand new web series 'New Years Eve' began in the latter quarter of last year.

Germane Thinkin

And let's not forget the launch of our highly entertaining and thought-provoking Germane Thinkin' Spot videos on YouTube which have been hugely popular!

So What are our plans for 2018??

• The last stage of the competition happens THIS WEEKEND!! Jermaine will give his final pitch and the winner of the competition is announced! The creative and management team have worked their butts off!! Competition was tough, but I think, I hope, I pray, I have faith, that WE GOT THIS! #justsaying #IJN
• Filming for New Year's Eve commences shortly, we are really excited to get this six part web-series with a twist, out to you!

• We have a lot of new ideas and ventures we are looking forward to putting in place. One of which is bringing back our popular play I'm Having Sex as a Theatre in Education (TIE) production. We will be taking the play and delivering it in schools, holding workshops to raise awareness of child sexual exploitation. 
• Writing has also begun for a new play focussing on knife crime which will also be performed in schools as a TIE with workshops to raise awareness of this issue which is rife already and sadly still on the increase, particularly in the capital. We will be holding a fundraising event to get the project up and running so look out for that date.
• We also plan to adapt ATWW into a TIE production to take into faith schools and explore the themes of the play in workshops! Let us know if you know a school who'd want this!

• Towards the middle of this Year, we will re-launch our Inspire acting classes with summer classes available for young people in the holidays and evening classes for adults. We are also hoping to approach schools with a view to running after school clubs.

As you can see we have a lot in mind and a lot of plans for a very busy 2018! We are praying for guidance and for God to lead in the direction that He wants us to go in. So though we have all these ideas, don't be surprised if things might change a little here and there, because we will always pray, listen to God and take FCP in the direction that He points us! Don't worry though, we will always keep you up to date with what's happening!

Please keep us in your prayers and may you have a blessed, happy year!

Jade Lewis

FCP Blogger

I'M HAVING SEX

Do we really understand the words that are being said?....

This is what I've been questioning having come away from the performance on Saturday night. 

We've been entertained; had smooth poetic words tickle our ears, while we nod our heads in agreement to what we've just heard, and we laugh at the jokes shared throughout the story. Yet, do we really hear? Do we really understand what has been said and done, right in front of our eyes? 

"I'm having sex”. 

We hear it all the time… The gossip we share of, so and so who's done such and such; the silly girl; she’s pregnant; the shame of it all. 

The skeletons in our closets. no one knows whats going on behind closed doors. The lack of love, a misguided quest for love... where is the love? - this sounds too much like a tv soap drama, but the reality is, it's not! 

"I'm having sex”.

There's too many people caught up in this three worded web. Or shall I say, too many young people. Because truth be told the ages of teenagers involved has dropped, is dropping and seems like it will continue to drop. 

The performance from these incredibly talented actors highlighted key issues within our family relationships and pressures from the outside world. The irony of the intellectual language and age of someone so young, who is wrapped up in something only associated with 'adults' is so well portrayed in this drama. Each character makes you question what you would do in that situation and how you would feel.  It sure is food for thought.

We walk around as if we have it all together, as if we know what's right, but when someone asks for help.... Can we offer any helpful or practical advice?

Is it due to the miseducation of our young people? Or is it that we all have the right to do what we want, there's no limits, I understand it so therefore I can do it?

From the 'hooded Poet' questioning religion, to the mother who desires her husband but gives him a hard time; this play will have you put their lives into perspective. Not only is it informative, direct and current, but it truly captures you with its smartly used witty approach to such a serious and real topic.

Written by Shamira Scott. FCP Blogger.

I'm Having Sex a play written and directed by Jermaine Wong

The Experience of And There Was War

The anxiety was intense, I clicked on the email from Natasha Vaughan and bit into my bottom lip,  I read the Subject line which said 'Congratulations'  I could barely read the content of the email which explained I had been successful and have a part in the theatre production 'And There Was War'. In that moment I felt as though stars, bunnies and fireworks had been released into the sky above and I was soaring alongside them.  

I honestly hadn't expected that outcome, what a moment, still filled with excitement my mind quickly flashed back to the audition process. 

I turned up about 30 minutes late that day, already a bad start. As well as traffic; my lateness was equally due to do apprehension and my lack of confidence. As I walked into the hall, I saw a fairly large group of individuals sat in a circle playing a warm up game. I immediately challenged my negative self-talk and acknowledged that even though I was feeling fearful, I was going to give it my best shot anyway. I found an empty chair and jumped straight into the game “The great wind blows for all who…” The game continued and I found myself up on my feet swapping seats and making confessions.  

After brief introductions and still sat in a circle we were put into pairs and given on the spot scenarios conjured up by the group. Mine was that I was a pregnant woman on an aeroplane having contractions whilst sitting beside a man having a panic attack due to his fear of flying!

The rehearsals that followed were challenging, insightful and filled with fun and reflective moments. Each session began with a biblical reflection based on a character from the bible. Jermaine would then link this into the challenges that we might have to face throughout the process. We would then pray and begin our warm up sessions. I recall one particular warm up where we were standing in a circle and we all had to put our hands in the middle and then hold onto someone else's hand. All our hands were interlinked and muddled up, we had to find a way of unravelling ourselves without breaking the chain of hands and form a full circle. Initially, it was exciting and fun, we were completely entangled and struggled to find a way out. I desperately wanted to give up but a fabulous object lesson was learnt that day. We did eventually work through the struggle, we pulled together as a team and those that were feeling discouraged were quickly encouraged by the positivity of others. We all cheered in great triumph and exaltation when we finally accomplished our goal almost an hour later. It was a moment of appeasing satisfaction and a lesson in persistence, team work and determination.  That warm up really set the presidency for me as to what might lie ahead.  

My experience in And There Was War was one of growth, unity, confidence building, love, faith and spirituality. We faced many struggles as a team, family bereavement, fatigue, challenges with lines and scenes, personal struggles, family issues and so much more. But what kept us together, what kept me going was knowing that we were doing a potentially life changing work for our heavenly Father. We were sharing a message of truth that we hoped to change lives and provide answers for the many questions people have about the condition of the world today.  

Being a part of And There Was War is one of my greatest experiences ever. I worked alongside a supportive, hilarious, creative and loving cast.  

Following the recent auditions in May 2016, And There Was War UK tour begins in November. Keep posted for further information as you really don't want to miss out on this one.  

Serena Pascall

FCP Writer/Blogger