Behind the curtain of the French Theatre Society

By Freya Wilson

I joined Les Escogriffes (Escos) in 2020, my first year as an undergraduate of French and History. After finding out about Escos during an Open Day, I thought it was an amazing opportunity to link my love for theatre and French.

In my first year, I joined the online play L’Illustre philosophe. The community was super welcoming and kind, so later that year, I applied to be Vice President of Les Escogriffes! In my second year, I was part of the in-person play Le Barbier de Séville, and I helped organise fundraiser events and run the Instagram.

After my year abroad in my third year, I knew I wanted to represent the society even further as President. I wanted to continue a long legacy of Escos engagement with French-language speakers (native and non-native), the French department, and the French Institute.

The best parts and challenges of leading a society

The best part of this role is overseeing such a variety of theatrical and social events as well as the relationships that build from them. As a society, we want to make everyone feel comfortable to practice French theatre, and watching people grow from this together has made me super proud. Working with the committee and organising events has been really rewarding too!

In terms of the most challenging parts of the role, I would say getting the balance right between enjoying oneself and pushing oneself. 

I want everyone to feel like being part of a theatre production or committee is a rewarding experience. If it challenges them or is out of their comfort zone, it happens within a supportive environment. 

Being President means that I help facilitate a kind of atmosphere that is spread during committee meetings or rehearsals. I try to find that sweet spot between, “We want to fundraise and put on a professional performance at the French Institute”, and, “Let’s all have a fun time doing it!”

Boosting my confidence and leadership skills 

My self-confidence has really grown in this role. I would initially be quite nervous after meetings and worry about how I came across. I am so grateful to have had an Escos committee and alumni network that I could speak to if I had any concerns, and everyone has been really supportive. 

I have got a lot better at setting intentions and expectations for meetings or for future events, which has helped me feel more assured and productive.

One thing that is so important to remember is that you can make mistakes, it’s okay! Being open to listening and learning from the society members and committee is definitely an essential part of being President.

More than just theatre

Being a part of Les Escogriffes has meant that I have engaged so much more with Edinburgh’s international community and beyond. I felt like my French pronunciation improved in my French oral classes, and it gave me the opportunity to practice without shame or embarrassment. 

Without Escos I would have never dreamed of auditioning for a Molière play on my year abroad in France, or been a part of a dance-théâtre workshop and showcase at the end of the year.

Escos also encouraged me to engage more with the French department, and with external establishments like the French Institute or local schools. I feel grateful for Escos in giving me the confidence to talk to my French tutors in French and letting them be a part of Escos events. It has made me think more deeply about the power of theatre in helping language learning. 

There are typically around 30 to 35 members at most, which means that you really get to know each other after hanging out every Friday, hosting socials and fundraisers, and rehearsing theatre. 

Les Escogriffes is such a fun way to meet people learning and speaking French, and it is such a great creative outlet. 

We are silly, we play theatre and improv games, and you don’t need prior experience speaking French or doing theatre. You can perform or work behind the scenes of a production, and feel super proud of what you have achieved, making friends along the way!

Are you interested in studying languages at Edinburgh?

We offer one of the widest range of languages of any UK university, including all six official languages of the United Nations, and eight of the languages of the European Union. We also offer an extensive range of joint degrees, for example, two languages, or a language with another humanities subject.