REVIEW: Jason Thurston’s Acting MasterClass, Camden Fringe at Rosemary Branch Theatre 19 – 21 August 2024

 “Bursting with acting knowledge” ★★★

Jason Thurston’s Acting Masterclass is an interactive performance. Throughout the show, he inspires the audience with valuable acting skills, top tips, and his experiences as a drama student. Jason is a made-up character played by Josiah Ward.

This masterclass started as a one-man show before additional characters joined the session including Francis Marpoon, a director, Kia Quinn-Cortez, an acting partner, and Alan Hawkspebble, a casting agent.

With a huge portion of audience interaction, Jason broke the fourth wall by asking the audience who their favourite actors are and requested participants to join him on stage. This was great because not only were we able to watch the action, but we were also able to be a part of it. Moreover, he referred to us as students which made us feel involved in the action. The class began to feel very authentic when Jason referenced Shakespeare’s work - something all drama students know is essential. His diverse use of regional accents added an extra touch to the acting class

At the end of the show, Jason and the agent merged with the audience and handed out personalised business cards - this was another savvy way to interact with the audience. However, the plot didn’t seem to develop into a meaningful lesson, there was a lack of cliffhangers and changes in the storyline. Nonetheless, the acting points Jason shared, such as acting and reacting, were useful. A wider range of props would have been useful in bringing the classroom feel to life - maybe more desks, whiteboards, and stationery.

Jason Thurston’s Acting MasterClass, Camden Fringe at Rosemary Branch Theatre 19 – 21 August 2024

Produced by Rosebuddies / Josiah Ward

Josiah Ward as Jason Thurston

Ben Summerson as Francis Marpoon and Alan Hawkspebble

Jordan C as Kia Quinn-Cortez

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