NUDSPAPER

As a member of Napier University Drama Society, I’m going to try and suspend my bias here. It’s the best society this university has to o�er. Starting university was a hard enough task to overcome. Unlike many of its students, I was coming to Napier from Northern Ireland in search of a more exciting environment. Yet when I arrived, I realised that university is di�cult beyond the stresses of textbooks and assessments. A few weeks in, I felt like I would never �nd like-minded, thoughtful people I could connect with.Then along came a coming-of-age �lm trope NUDS.I always loved drama as far back as I can remember, so joining the university’s drama society seemed like an obvious move. Yet I never expected to �nd such a large group of quick-witted, sharp-minded individuals. While everyone I had met before stared blankly as I said o�-the-cu�, slightly strange things, people at the Drama Society made me feel comfortable to express my own individual weirdness without fear of judgement.

Joining Drama Society was a revelation for most members, in particular the regular scene-stealer Hannah, who describes how she used to be the “quiet one” who never spoke in class until she came to NUDS – which, if you’ve ever met her, is nearly impossible to surmise. She began NUDS when she began university and has never looked back. Meanwhile, Alex, currently a member of the executive, was spurred into the Drama Society in his third year in a bid to become more social. “I am anti-social and the only way I can be social is to work with people.” Which he has achieved - he was accepted into the executive after his �rst year in NUDS, which is telling about how easy it is for even the people who don’t naturally identify with the "social butter�y" status to integrate with our society.

Jessica MercerJournalism StudentNUDS Member

Others need a little support to join, such was the case with my fellow Belfast refugee Cora, who rallied several of her friends to join with her. “But now it’s just me and George who were the originals.” Both are now regulars in the society productions, with George giving a memorable performance in the 2013 panto-mime, even while being stuck down a well.

When I asked members if they would recommend NUDS for any student from any year, the answer was a unanimous positive. “You don’t even have to be good at drama” (I can personally corroborate this). The �ame-haired NUDS vixen Laura refers to it as "Glee without the singing." There are also a great bunch of people in the society who prefer to be behind-the scenes, should the thought of being under the limelight bring you out in hives. Treasurer and local beer connoisseur Joe points out that while he has a background in drama, he prefers to stay in the wings, being a valuable member of the production team. During rehearsals he can frequently be seen elevated on a ladder, disguised by a lone yellow hardhat.

There’s no shortage of praise for NUDS’ power to bring together a mix of like-minded creatives who band together to become an amazing support system. Elspeth notes how "pretty much every person from every walk of life is here, so you can always �nd someone who is a kindred spirit in some way." The support system especially comes in handy when it comes to stressful periods such as the Spring production. Hannah remembers the stress of the Spring 2014 production of The Crucible all too well, and how her fellow members were invaluable support. "I remember me and Alex coming o�stage after Act Three and just hugging, it was that stressful." But the stress inevitably pays o�, as after each production the cast and crew go out for a massively well-earned night of drinking and debauchery, where pretty much everyone gets o� with everyone, everyone gets embar-rassingly drunk, everyone dances like they're not entirely human. These nights often turn out to be the most hilarious and memorable nights of the term.

In advance of the NUDS Spring ‘15 show and the Napier Sports & Societies Awards Ball on the 14th of March, (where hopefully NUDS wins “Society of the Year” for the 19th year running), we have given our very own journalist the daunting task of putting into words what NUDS means to them and our members. With everyone so hard at work in preparations for our Double Bill, we have created a fake publication in order to re�ect on how proud we are to be. # NUDSpride

NUDSPAPERA totally legit publication, March 2015

“when you join NUDS, you join a family”

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The e�ect that drama has on one's con�dence is unparalleled. It's not just me - across the board, everyone told me how it helped their con�dence, helped them summon the ability to talk to total strangers. Elspeth recalls standing up to a teacher at her high school, trying to persuade him to include drama as a proper subject. "I told him that had I not been what I had been doing, all the outside classes, I wouldn't even be able to speak to him about it in the �rst place." Well said. At the end of each of these interviews, I asked the members the big, life-pondering question: what does NUDS mean to you? Pretty much everyone gave me an answer with a common denominator: family.

Because that's what happens when you join NUDS; you join a family, however weird, incestuous, diverse and loud a family we may be.

"Family, friends, friendship and bravery. I’m going to cry so much when I have to leave. NUDS is my home

in Edinburgh.” - Meg

"You can't explain it. NUDS is me, and I am NUDS."- Joe

"I've seen people try to sum it up in one word, but they weren't very good, because it means to many di�erent

things to so many people."-Alex

Want to see the fruits of our labour this term? Come along to our spring production on March 22-23 at Assembly Roxy, where this year we're doing things a bit di�erently. Instead of one play, we're doing a two of

British television comedy screenwriter Bob Larbey's plays as a double bill.

The �rst, Half an Idea, directed by Alexei Veprentev, details the hilarity that ensues when a writer loses his grasp on his serious script which ends up as a comedy.

The second play is A Small A�air, is being directed by Jake Otajovic and follows a hilarious peek into a television drama department, and the riotously idiosyncratic characters it often includes. Both plays parodying the world of theatre's

ability to take itself too seriously, there won't be a dull moment.

Tickets £8 / £6 conc. ON SALE SOON. Reserve in advance by contacting: drama@napierstudents.com

"It's a kind of tradition that we call NUDS our family, and it really is. You have your friends at uni, you have

your �atmates, but NUDS is like this whole other thing. After each production you get way closer. You're packed into this little building with these

people, or packed into the wings, so you do get to be close like a family."

- Cora

"Family. NUDS is family."-Hannah

"NUDS is love, NUDS is life"-Laura

"I hate to use this word, but it's a great way of describ-ing NUDS: it's a family. It's not a place you go to feel

stressed, it's a place you go to feel comforted by people. Yes, there is stress, but we're all going through it together and we all protect each other in di�erent

ways."-Elspeth