Alumni

Philippine Huret

Current Occupation and Country of Residence:
Studying a Master of Laws in Intellectual Property at Queen Mary. Living in London.

Tell us your Faust Story!
I was 8 years old when I joined Faust. My parents would always bring us to shows in Hong Kong but this was my first time on stage and easy to say I was petrified. I used to be so shy and being part of Faust has certainly changed that! My first big show was ‘A Christmas Carol’. I think that was the moment I fell in love with the whole acting experience: being part of a cast, the rehearsals, the moments just before the first performance starts...

I continued years after years as a student, then I got the chance to be a student leader at Faust for children aged 6 to 10 years old. Moving away from Hong Kong didn’t stop me from being part of Faust! I continued teaching with Faust when I went to Singapore.

Also, Faust was practically a family matter. My siblings and I have been part of Faust since we were young and we even got to perform in the same plays.

What is your earliest Faust memory?
It was one of the first classes. I was so scared that I started crying before going in and my parents had to push me through that door. This is actually a good memory because the group leader managed to calm me down, make me join the other children and we started playing games. I left that class wanting to go to the next one.

What is your favourite Faust memory?
Looking back, there are so many things that made Faust great, though there is one image that always makes me laugh.

We had the Saturday morning classes with Jim, Derek and Stephan, and for one of our shows we had to learn to stage and sword fight. So for anyone walking into that room, they would see a bunch of teenagers fighting each other with bamboo sticks, kicking and punching each other! For the record, everything was perfectly choreographed.

What was your biggest challenge in participating and leading in drama workshops and productions?
Improvisation. It takes a lot of courage to stand in front of a group and improvise a small piece with someone. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. Even today, improvisation will make me shy again and then I’ll remember what I learnt at Faust: own up to what you are doing and work with your partner.

What did you gain from your experience at Faust as a student and / or as a Leader?
I think that through Faust, we have also learned to be hard-working, patient, determined and understanding. When putting on a show, no matter the age, a huge of amount of work and commitment is required. This is why at the end of the road, putting on a great performance is so rewarding.

How did studying Drama and Theatre impact your life?
What I have learned at Faust has been useful to me every day since. When you are part of a group or a cast, theatre teaches you to be a team player: remember to include everyone and put aside all differences, make friends. Theatre teaches you to overcome your fears and speak confidently in front of an audience. Also, theatre teaches you to think creatively, to push your limits.

As a person, drama has helped me to grow - I would definitely have been a different person without it. As an aspiring lawyer, it has taught me all the skills I need.

How would you describe Faust to someone new to drama and theatre?
Go for it! I look back at the years I spent going to Faust classes and each one was absolutely worth it. Not only did I meet amazing people, but I also learnt things that can’t be taught elsewhere.