ISSUE 14 January 2010 The Alumni Newsletter...Queen of Lilliput in Gulliver’s Travels, Fox’s upcoming big budget adventure comedy starring Jack Black as the free-spirited travel

The Alumni NewsletterTHE CENTrAl sCHool of spEECH ANd drAmA, uNivErsiTy of loNdoN

ISSUE 14 January 2010

our principal, professor Gavin Henderson, has recently returned from New york where Central alumni were out in force

Following the sad death of Harold Pinter, Central began the search for a new President. Pinter’s appointment had restored a tradition of having a notable alumnus/alumna as President – a tradition upheld for many years by the likes of Laurence Olivier (A 26) and Judi Dench (A 57). One name quickly came to the fore: Michael Grandage (S 84). Already a Vice-President, and recently made an Honorary Fellow, Michael has great affection for, and commitment to, Central.

Brought up in Cornwall, Michael Grandage studied acting and graduated from Central in 1984. He turned to directing in 1996 and by 2000 was artistic director of the Sheffield Theatres – where The Crucible was awarded the TMA Theatre of the Year in 2001.

Since Sheffield, he has been the prodigiously successful Director of The Donmar in London, winning a string of awards, a number of Olivier awards amongst them.

Many of his shows have moved to the West End and Broadway – with the Donmar season at Wyndhams being a triumphant sell out and Hamlet transferring to Broadway following rave reviews.

Michael is determined to be an active President and will join us for the ‘rebrand launch’ on the evening of 22 February – which will see Central’s new signage and lighting switched on. We welcome him and look forward to seeing him in and around Central in the coming years.

It could be said that Central has taken Broadway by storm. No sooner has Blithe Spirit’s triumphant run, starring alumnus Rupert Everett (BA A), come to an end – than Carrie Fisher (S 77) opens with her remarkable one woman show Wishful Drinking. It is a poignant show, tracking her superstardom as Princess Leia in Star Wars, through many other films and then to her bestselling autobiography Postcards from the Edge (made into a film in which Meryl Streep plays Carrie Fisher).

Her Broadway show is a runaway success. Fifteen minutes into the piece she says her parents – Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher – decided that she needed a proper education; “at the age of seventeen” she says “I was despatched to London, and enrolled at The Central School of Speech and Drama – and there I had the three happiest years of my life”. This to a packed, fifteen hundred seater theatre, eight shows a week, and into a long run. You can’t buy that sort of publicity.

Lynn Redgrave (S 61) has also opened off-Broadway with her one-woman show – Nightingale, about her maternal grandmother. She makes reference to her sister Vanessa, and Vanessa’s daughter Natasha, all studying for the stage in London, as did she – indeed, all at Central.

Back on the ‘Great White Way’ our new President, Michael Grandage (S 84), has his name in lights as Director of Hamlet, starring Jude Law, as a direct transfer from The Donmar season at Wyndhams. And don’t miss the new film by Richard Linklater Me and Orson Welles. It’s all about Orson Welles’ debut on Broadway with the Mercury Theatre production of Julius Caesar. It was Welles’ great breakthrough as a director, but in the film the character playing Marc Anthony berates Welles in rehearsal, “Do you mind” he says “I was trained by Elsie Fogerty at The Central School of Speech and Drama in London”. Suitably put down, Orson Welles had no retort!

michael Grandage to be Central’s new president

Central lights up Broadway

your newsletter is about Central alumni in all fields of work (in the public arena or not) and our content depends on your contributions. if you have news or an experience to recount, please contact the Alumni office at [email protected]. Tel: +44 (0)20 7449 1628.

Gavin Henderson and Michael Grandage (© Thomas Haywood)

Top: Wishful Drinking, written and performed by Carrie Fisher (pictured). Photo by Joan Marcus (© roundabout Theatre Company). Bottom: Lynn redgrave in Nightingale at Manhatten Theatre Club, new york (© Joan Marcus).

Valmike Rampersad’s (MA AS 07) film Hotel won Best Drama at the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival. Another of Valmike’s films, Daisy’s Last Stand also won Film London’s Best of Boroughs Audience Award and Right Hand Drive, his first feature whilst still studying at Central, was nominated for Best British Feature at the British Film Festival in Los Angeles.

Matt Trueman (MA ATP 07) was awarded the Allen Wright Award for Excellence in Arts Journalism 2009. Now in its tenth year, the award celebrates the work of young journalists and their contribution to Arts writing while covering the Edinburgh Festival.

Central alumni and students made a clean sweep at the prestigious 2009 Michael Northen Awards for student lighting design. Recent graduates David Alcorta (BA TP 09) and Fridthjofur Thorsteinsson (BA TP 09) received awards for their work on The Runners at The Shunt Vaults and Godfather Death at Wimbledon Studios respectively. Current student Dan Hill (3rd Year BA TP) was judged overall winner for his outstanding lighting work on the Central Production of Woyzeck at the Embassy Theatre.

Ruth Sutcliff (BA TP 08) is one of the winners of a coveted Linbury Prize, the UK’s most prestigious award for stage design. The Linbury Prize offers a unique opportunity for graduating designers to

gain recognition and the chance to exhibit their work at the National Theatre and collaborate with some of the UK’s leading directors, theatres, operas and dance companies. As part of her prize, Ruth now has a professional contract to design the Duchess of Malfi, directed by Laurie Sansom, at the Royal and Derngate, Northampton.

Gregg Fisher (MA ATP 01 and Lecturer, Theatre Sound Design) attended the World Stage Design Exhibition in Seoul, Korea on behalf of Central and the OISTAT Sound Working Group. During the exhibition Gregg was presented with a Sound Design Award for his work on the production Sarajevo Story.

Clare Lizzimore (MA ATP 03) won the Arts Foundation Fellowship award for Theatre Directing 2009. The Foundation received over 20 nominations for this award making it the most popular category. The judges included Rufus Norris, director and fellow of the Arts Foundation, Sonia Freidman one of the UK’s most prolific theatre producers and Sue Emmas, Artistic Associate of the Young Vic. Fellow MA TP alumna Sarah Tipple was also shortlisted for the award.

Nanette Wise (nee Gregg) (T 48) was awarded a commemorative brooch and a document signed by PM Gordon Brown, thanking her for her valuable service in the Second World War. “I was called up for war service in 1944 at the age of 20 and was sent to the Code Breaking

department at the Foreign Office. I left after V.E. Day and joined Central in September 1945 having convinced the government that I would like to continue my education at Drama School. It was only after 30 years that we were allowed to talk about the work we undertook during the war, by which time many of us had forgotten the details!”

Leann O’Kasi (BA TP 06) was awarded a Professional Development Grant from the Scottish Arts Council to undertake a research and career development trip to New York for the Scottish premiere of Topdog/Underdog which she is directing for the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow.

Petronilla Whitfield (MA V 02) won a Teaching and Learning Development Award of £3,000 from the Arts University College Bournemouth. The award will support her research on acting and dyslexia and fund the creation of a technological tool to support dyslexic actors in reading Shakespeare as part of her PhD at Warwick University.

Pieter Hofman (SM 67) has been presented with two awards: the Dutch Critics Award 2009 (Dutch Theatre Critics Association) for his achievements as Director of Guest Programming at Het Muziektheater, Amsterdam for 25 years, and the Merit Award 2009 (Dancer’s Foundation ‘79) for his long time efforts in promoting Dance.

2 THe aLuMni newsLeTTer

We do our best to find out about alumni who receive awards through the press, other alumni and our faculty. please let us know if you receive an award or know of someone who has. Thank you! performers: Are we on your agent’s email press release list? please ask them to add us, [email protected].

Congratulations to our alumni for their many marks of achievement

Awards and nominations

Clockwise from top left: Valmike rampersad (by Claire newman williams); Matt Trueman (by Diego indraccolo); David alcorta, David Howe, Dan Hill and Fridthjofur Thorsteinsson (by nick Moran); nanette wise (by Julia wise); Clare Lizzimore (by robert Day); Petronilla whitfield (by Peter McKinley); Pieter Hofman (by eugene swartz); Leann O’Kasi (by James Midwinter).

Also making the headlines

Last autumn, alumna Jodi Myers joined the Board of Governors at Central. She describes her life then and now.

I have found my first year as a Central Governor fascinating, hard work and rewarding – not unlike my experience of being a student here.

It’s been rather strange returning to the place where I trained, especially as it seems that the site has almost completely changed, except for the pass door in the Embassy Theatre from front of house to backstage. Of course, it is much bigger and busier; when I studied here (1970 – 72) there were less than 300 students on 4 courses, and now there are 850 students and over 20 courses.

When I started on the Stage Management and Technical Theatre course, while committed to working in theatre, I had no idea what I wanted to do, other than it didn’t involve acting. On graduating I worked in stage management for a couple of years and found my training at Central to be invaluable. The skills I learnt at Central have stood me in excellent stead for a wider career that has now encompassed marketing, working for the Arts Council, running Arts centres, producing, consultancy, mentoring and coaching.

Theatre is continuously evolving and it’s important that training does so too. Since I reconnected with Central I have been very impressed by the dedication of students and staff, and amazed by the sheer variety and productivity of the place. Being a Governor involves many responsibilities, but it’s a great way of supporting the training of the next generation of theatre-makers.

Jodi myers (TECH 72) from Central student to Central Governor

THe aLuMni newsLeTTer 3

Clockwise from top left: andrew Garfield (by Dillon Bryden); Kate Hennig (by Joan Marcus); Helen Lederer in Calendar Girls (© Dewynters); nonso anozie (© Garricks); Oliver Chris (by alastair Muir); Jason isaacs (by Helen Tansey).

Jodi Myers (by Peter Lewy)

Andrew Garfield (BA A 04) appeared in the 2009 box office hit The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus by Terry Gilliam. The film received positive reviews and Andrew, in particular, was commended for his performance, “Andrew Garfield continues to provide powerful evidence that he is the best and most thoughtful young actor in Britain” said The Evening Standard.

Catherine Tate (S 93) is to star as the Queen of Lilliput in Gulliver’s Travels, Fox’s upcoming big budget adventure comedy starring Jack Black as the free-spirited travel writer whose visit to the Bermuda Triangle sees him end up as a giant among men on the mystery island. Gavin Fitch (BA TS 96) has also been collaborating on the project as Art Director. The film in due for release in December 2010.

Oliver Chris (BA A 00) starred as Charlie Babbitt, alongside Neil Morrissey, in the UK tour of Rain Man, Dan Gordon’s stage adaption of the 1988 Oscar-winning movie.

Helen Lederer (ACSD 87) took over as a member of the third cast of Calendar Girls at the Noël Coward Theatre in November 2009. Helen told WhatsOnStage.com; “I was thrilled when they invited me to do it”.

Jason Isaacs (S 88) was nominated for a BAFTA in 2009 for playing Harry H. Corbett in BBC drama The Curse of Steptoe. The programme also won the Royal Television Society Best Single Drama Award.

Nonso Anozie (BA A 02) won The Emerging Talent category at the Screen Nation Awards 2009. Nonso has appeared in no less than 3 features over the past year: Mike Leigh’s Happy-Go-Lucky, Guy Ritchie’s RocknRolla and as the lead actor in Cass, the true story of a West Ham hooligan.

Kate Hennig (MA VS 01) is starring in the multi-award-winning Broadway production of Billy Elliot as Mrs. Wilkinson, the dance teacher. The show is running at the Imperial Theatre on 45th Street and you can catch Kate on stage until September 2010.


From its inception in 1906 through to 1957 the Central School of Speech and Drama was based at the Royal Albert Hall. Starting from a single room, Elsie Forgerty built her small school of actors into a world-famous institution that was to foster the talents not only of performers and theatre practitioners, but also of inspirational teachers and speech therapists.

We were delighted to welcome graduates form various courses from the 40s and 50s and special guests included Joss Ackland (S 46), Wendy Craig (S 54), Cicely Berry (T 46) and Harry Landis (S 54).

The noise and energy in the room was palpable as old friends met, many of whom hadn’t seen each other for 50 years, and whoops of teenaged laughter filled the room as guests flicked through archive albums and discovered long-forgotten photos of themselves.

As part of the gathering we asked guests to record their thoughts and memories. The following extracts are taken from their words:

Wendy Palmer (T 59) I’m not one for reunions but this was different, there was such a buzz. What struck me most

was what a high-flying group of people this was; a vibrant, talented, articulate assembly who had, in their individual ways, influenced their worlds.

At 71, I was one of the ‘babies’ of the group and, for me, the reunion restored my sense of myself and reminded me what, with Central’s education behind me, I have been able to do in a long and varied career in post-school education.

Beryl King (T 50) I first met Gwynneth Thurburn and Vera Sargent at the Albert Hall on a January morning in 1944 during a lull in the bombardment of London. I had been sent by the Secretarial College, at which I had been a reluctant student, to be interviewed for the post of secretary to the Principal and Registrar of Central. A day or two later I received a letter telling me I had got the position.

Thurb explained that they would call me Miss King to make me feel more grown up but, in the lovely way she had of giving everyone special names, I soon became Missie. Their kindness to, and tolerance of, their very

young assistant was wonderful and I had the opportunity to meet many famous actors, poets and playwrites.

One afternoon in the office, I remember climbing on the radiator and looking out of the tiny window and seeing my first flying bomb, with fire in its tail, roaring towards Kensington High Street. The Proms were cancelled; Thurb and Sarge went on holiday. It seemed as though ‘Captain Hook’, the doorman, and I were the only people left in the whole Albert Hall. When the warnings sounded and those strange bombs throbbed across the park, I got under Sarge’s desk and read An Actor Prepares.

My duties as secretary at the School were many and various and they frequently involved sewing on buttons and turning up hems. When Thurb discovered that someone could sew they very quickly found themselves making stage costumes. In those days of rationing they were made of anything – felt, old curtains, even blackout material.

I was not an ideal secretary but I tried hard. Thurb, however, knew very well where my heart really was. She and Sarge, I now see,

sunday the 4th october 2009 saw a unique reunion of nearly 100 of Central’s former rAH students, gathered again in the newly refurbished Elgar room, formerly the West Theatre, on the third floor of the royal Albert Hall.

royal Albert Hall reunion

royal albert Hall reunion (by Patrick Baldwin).

were extraordinarily generous and eventually they gave me my heart’s desire and I became a student of the School in 1947, receiving the Pivot Club Scholarship. Not only did I successfully qualify from the teacher’s course, but I also met my husband, Richard Mayes, there!

David Andrews (S 58) The reunion was a landmark event and it was well worth travelling down from Scotland to meet some of my dear fellow students again. I treasure memories of a wonderful time at Central and when I became a TV director I applied many of the principles learned there as I tried to get actors of a later generation to understand the value of clarity and projection!

I was delighted to be reunited with some of my dearest friends, still as refreshing, inspiring and charming as they were fifty years ago, and Jenny Williams, whom I’d always adored from afar during our Central days, but was always too shy to ask her out! I was glad to see that she is still as lovely as ever. We had so much fun.

Delena Kidd (S 55) Well, what a day. Nothing can make you feel the passing of the years as much as going

back to a place you haven’t seen for nearly 60 years. And what about the people… “My dear, I’d have known you anywhere” (with a quick glance at the name tag). Makeup and props had been very busy – where did they get all those grey wigs, the glasses and sticks and all those prosthetic necks? But, of course it was fun and we all got very overexcited – no wonder we were addressed as slightly recalcitrant OAPs!

Sadly, I fear many of my year have passed away, but they’re all still there in my head, the girls in their felt skirts and elastic belts and the boys in their ties. Yes, they did wear them daily, and it didn’t seem a bit funny at the time.

Merry Rushton (T 55) As we entered the foyer there was the buzz and excitement of a huge family party – lots of eye contact, expectant glances, smiles, hesitant queries, and excited recognition. Then up to what was ‘our’ theatre, where I did my entrance audition, now renovated into a large, elegant reception room.

It was fun meeting people from all different decades, whether well known in the outside world or not, and feeling positively related.

Another dimension of pleasure was seeking out the staff, one being Heather Black, of whom I was terrified at the time. Talking together of mutual acquaintances at the reunion it struck me that she still has the gravitas of having been one of Central’s most distinguished teaching stars; the only difference being that the child in my autumnal body was no longer afraid!

Someone else I was keen speak to was Cicley Berry, not just for her uniquely distinguished career and reputation, but because I can remember thinking her so grown-up and cool and pretty, and thinking “I would give anything to be her”.

One frustration though was missing the opportunity to talk to fellow student Philip Bond; I had been secretly in love with him, scarcely able to breathe or look up if he passed in a corridor or the queue to the canteen – I’d like to have told him!

At the reunion, I several times did what I did many times throughout my life at Central: I left the buzz of the gathering and went a little way down the corridor and sneaked into a box, shut the door and looked over the railing into

royal Albert Hall reunion

Clockwise from top left: ann Howitt and ann Gaudin; anne syrett, Katherine newman, Pamela Buchner and Christine Drummond; Geoff Colman; Gavin Henderson, wendy Craig, Joss ackland, Cicely Berry and Harry Landis (all photos by Patrick Baldwin); nick Burgess and susan Pinkham; Cordelia Cradshaw, David Glover and Christopher english; wendy Craig and Gavin Henderson; Geoffrey Gibson and David shearmur. all photos by Patrick Baldwin.


the dimly-lit, virtually empty abyss of the main auditorium. Outstanding of my memories of doing just that was quietly watching Yehudi Menuin rehearsing, standing alone centre stage with his violin far below me.

My single most significant experience as a student at Central was when Dame Edith Evans came to talk to us. She wore a hat and sat very straight, with us students sitting in a huge semi-circle on the floor round her. Dame Edith said, “Now, you can see that I am an ugly old woman...” (Those who can will remember that Dame Edith had a lazy eye and sometimes

they looked at roughly quarter to three). She continued: “But.... when I play Millament (in The Way of the World) I stand in the wings and I say, “I am beautiful. I – am – beautiful,” and then, after a pause and with an amazing smile she said, “and – I – become – beautiful.” In front of our eyes she became exactly that – truly beautiful, but also youthful, sexual and radiant. It was a visual miracle beyond words. She finished the point she was making by saying, “If we don’t believe in ourselves, how on earth can we make others believe?”. An invaluable, and never-to-be-forgotten lesson, not only for theatre, but for life itself.

Several years ago I was in the audience of a Q&A session with Dame Judi Dench (S 57). I had asked a question from up in the Dress Circle, Judi, shading her eyes as she looked up, commented, “Jolly good voice!” I wanted to call back, “From the same stable as you, dear,” (but instead I just smiled graciously back into the darkness!). But that’s it, isn’t it? We, of the Albert Hall years do feel that we had something special and are proud to say, “yes, I was at Central”.

staff rememberedMrs Gettins – an academic in crepe de Chine and antique jewellery – her Poetics lectures in the Voice Room were sometimes drowned by organ practice in the auditorium and had to be abandoned.

Mime classes in early 1944 with Maggie Rubel. We stopped, froze – a V2 exploded, very close; slowly we realised we were safe and the class continued.

Readings with Rita Reynolds in the Library – a Speech Therapist who corrected our strident sibilants and weak R’s.

Marjorie Steel brought glamour and a contralto voice to her teaching about the Development of the Theatre.

Captain Hook (Hooky) – the Commissionaire who guarded the RAH front entrance – the sound of his hook as it slid along the bars to open the doors.

“Now, the Resonator Scale – put in your bone props”, Joyce Wellburn’s daily Voice class.

Improvisation classes with Molly Terraine were so terrifying that we had to fortify ourselves beforehand by going down to Fullers for tea and chocolate cake!

Clockwise from top left: Gavin Henderson and anne Hamilton; Harry Landis, Jean Dove and sebastian Breaks; Gavin Henderson; Peter Kay and Lisa wright; Vanessa sampson way, Priscilla sorapure, Merry rushton and Jill edwards; Pamela strong and Philip Bond; Margaret Gibson, nancy shearmur, Pamela sharman, Cynthia young and shirley Davis; Joss ackland and Cicely Berry; Lisa wright. all photos by Patrick Baldwin.


You will be aware that the economic climate and the change in costs for students are having a severe impact on all educational institutions. More than ever before, Central must be creative and hard working to remain one of the best possible destinations for people like you and must ensure that financial hardship does not stop future talent from realising its potential.

As alumni, you are not just our past, you are part of our future, and there are some things you can do to help us, which only an alumnus of Central can do. Here are some ideas. If you have others please contact the Alumni Office, we would love to listen.

financial donations will be matched by the GovernmentWe must increase the number of scholarships and hardship bursaries available to students and, until August 2011, the Government has offered to match ‘new funds’ raised by Higher Education Institutions. We’d like to talk to individuals, or groups of alumni, who would be willing to contribute.

A donation form is enclosed with the newsletter, or alternatively please contact the Alumni Office for more information.

leaving a legacy in your WillAlternatively, you may like to consider leaving a donation to Central in your Will. Including a gift (of any size) in this way would give you

the opportunity to help us shape the future of Central, assisting us to continue our tradition of providing world-class training and shaping tomorrow’s foremost practitioners and researchers

As a very personal and sensitive document, we strongly advise you to consult your legal advisor before drafting a new Will or updating an existing one. It is entirely up to you whether or not you wish to disclose any of the details of your Will to Central, however it would help us to plan for the future if we know of your intentions in advance.

say where you came fromMany alumni will have a biographical note associated with their work, as performers it might be a programme, as an academic it might be in an institutional document. However it appears, does it mention you trained with us?

introduce us to potential supportersYou may move in circles that we do not naturally inhabit. Could you introduce us to individuals who might in turn support the school in some way, for example technical industry partners, corporate/personal sponsorship, profile raisers?

international AmbassadorsCentral is making a drive to internationalise its student body. We are particularly keen to

hear from any alumni who either live outside the European Union or have good contacts there, in particular in the USA, Canada, India, Singapore, Korea and Hong Kong.

use your public profile to support our workDo you have a public profile? Could you mention us when you have the opportunity?

You will have read in this newsletter how Carrie Fisher has woven mention of us into her latest show on Broadway. While we are not expecting this extraordinary gift, those of you who have the opportunity to be interviewed on radio, TV and in print would be showing great support if a positive word were included about us.

future profile raising for the schoolAn alternative use of your profile would be to agree to attend a Central event (inside or outside the UK) and publicly show your support of the School. If you have a public profile and would be willing to offer this type of support please contact the Alumni Office.

Central alumni are already very supportive of the School and we are lucky enough to have a healthy flow of alumni through our doors supporting our courses in many ways – lecturing, mentoring, giving talks, and providing student work placements – for these and many other things, thank you.

Could you join in the support for Central?

Many Central alumni talk about the Central ‘family’ but, for some, the term has a much more personal meaning.

Luisa (MA MT 05) and Sandra Guerreiro (BA DE 06) are identical twins who both studied at Central, graduating in 2005 and 2006 respectively. Sandra pursued a course in Drama and Education while Luisa furthered her preliminary studies at Royal Holloway with an MA in Acting Musical Theatre. Both twins’ love for drama and performance led them to Central, lured by its status as a centre of excellence in drama training, and also its proximity to central London theatres.

Sandra has gone on to utilise her degree by helping to run Camden Council’s Summer University programme, an initiative providing creative workshops for young people in the borough. She has also become qualified as a

professional dance teacher in Modern Jive. Since graduating, Luisa has pursued her acting career with fervour, performing in children’s theatre productions and international tours. She has also had the opportunity to share her stage fight combatant skills and directorial knowledge with younger practitioners.

The twins are also thrilled to be appearing as Thing 1 and Thing 2 in Katie Mitchell’s production of Dr Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat at the National Theatre and Young Vic Theatre from December ‘09 until 13th March 2010.

If your family has a connection with Central which you would like to share, please do let us know so that we can feature you in future editions of the newsletter. See the Contact Us section on the back page.

family ties

Central alumni – part of our future – [email protected]


Tracy Ifeachor (BA A 07) appeared as Abigail alongside David Tennant in his last two episodes as Dr. Who which showed on BBC1 over Christmas. Tracy has also performed as Rosalind in As You Like It at Leicester’s Curve Theatre. The play received four stars from The Guardian and Tracy was given special mention in The Sunday Times who said she was “a delight as Rosalind: quick, bright, nimble, wayward, and mischievous.”

During December 2009 Tracy also performed at The Royal Exchange in Manchester in A Raisin in the Sun with Ray Fearon and in February 2010 she will be playing the lead female role in the Magma Production feature film Blooded.

Stephanie Preacher (nee Gresswell) (T 71) is working with the Ratatat Theatre Company, devising a new version of The Wind in the Willows which will be touring in late spring 2010.

Lennie Varvarides (MA ATP 05) founded msft (formerly known as missfit Productions) in 2006. The company specialises in producing annual festivals around London with the aim of putting dyslexic writers on the theatrical map. Through the msft brand, festivals such as Write Side Of The Brain, DYS(the)LEXI, Dyssing Monadys, SpeechMotion, and Sunday Surgery, msft aims to work with trained performers and directors who are interested in contributing

to the development of new writing. The company is also now expanding to include actor representation and management and will be launching an agency in early 2010. For more information visit www.makingtheatrework.com

Hugo Rocha (SM 08) is a stage manager graduate who is training to become a drama teacher. Preparing for that, Hugo has volunteered at the From Boyhood to Manhood Foundation, an organization that mentors young expelled students on getting back to school. Hugo is teaching English and Drama and says “I now feel able to pass on the inspiration and knowledge earned at Central to a challenging but immensely creative bunch of kids. It is daily that I go back to thinking ‘what would my tutors at Central do?’ and it has never let me down”.

George Sachinis (MA ATP 03) created Ohi Pezoume Performing Arts Company which includes alumna lighting designer Christina Thanassoula (MA ATP 02). The company is planning a European tour with UrbanDig 3: Rodokanakis and UrbanDig 5: Solomos, two productions dealing with the issue of exporting national symbols. The UrbanDig Project was created in 2005, and subsidized by the Greek Ministry of Culture. It focuses on using performance as a way to revisit lesser-known historic figures and contextualise them to the

urban environment by exploring their stories on sites that relate to their life or their work.

Jessica Swale (MA ATP 06) has been appointed as Associate Director of Out of Joint, a national and international touring theatre company dedicated to the development and production of new writing. Under the direction of Max Stafford-Clark the company has premiered plays from leading writers including David Hare, Caryl Churchill, Alistair Beaton, April De Angelis, Sebastian Barry and Timberlake Wertenbaker, as well as launching first-time writers such as Mark Ravenhill and Stella Feehily.

Bijan Sheibani (MA ATP 00) is the Director of a new play, Our Class, playing at the Cottesloe Theatre, London from September 2009 to January 2010. The play, by Tadeusz Slobodzianek, confronts Poland’s involvement in the atrocities of the last century and follows the one-time classmates into the next.

Bijan is also the Artistic Director of ATC, which he joined in 2007. The company has toured internationally and throughout London and the UK with two shows; the Olivier Award-nominated production of The Brothers Size with the Young Vic, and the Olivier Award-winning production of Gone Too Far! with the Royal Court Theatre.

We love to hear news about what our alumni have been doing recently and here we try to cover some of the stories and the astonishing variety of careers they are pursuing in the theatre, therapy, international work, academia, social areas and beyond.

Alumni news

Clockwise from top left: Tracy ifeachor (by Keith Pattison); Jessica swale (by stuart allen); Bijan sheibani (© aTC); stephanie Preacher (by Michael Pollard).


Ross Bolwell-Williams (BA DATE 08) has been working as a freelance workshop leader for the London Bubble Theatre Company and MakeBelieve Arts, delivering their creative and education programmes in primary and secondary schools.

Dominic Lindesay-Bethune’s (BA DATE 07) latest show, Midnight, When Trumpets Cry by Jonathan Bonfiglio, showed at Theatre 503, Battersea, during October 2009.

William Hobrs (A 59) recently worked as Action Director for the Royal Opera House on four different productions.

Gerard Benson (T 62) is a widely published professional poet and has recently co-edited Best Poems on the Underground.

Nickolas Grace (A 69) appeared in a number of TV, film and theatre productions and has also directed the Central summer short course Liberating the Text.

Ben Sumner (TP 77) was promoted to the role of Director of Technical Theatre, Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Jane McCulloch (SM 59) is Artistic Director of Opera UK.

Daniel Bates (SM 85) was recently appointed as Chief Executive at Sheffield Theatre.

Finty Williams (A 94) appeared in Ton of Money and Bedroom Farce at the Rose Theatre, Kingston.

Ruby Ireland (BA DE 02) completed an MA in Dance Studies at Roehampton and is now working for English National Ballet as Learning Project Manager.

Sam Peter Jackson’s (BA A 03) second play Public Property opened at the Trafalgar Studios with Nigel Harman and Robert Daws on the 10th November 2009.

Duncan Macmillan’s (MA ATP 03) play I Wish to Apologise for my Part in the Apocalypse, was broadcast on Radio 4 as an Afternoon Play with Bill Nighy and Amelia Bullmore.

Jennie McCusker (nee Sutton) (BA DE 01) is Head of Teaching, Participation and Research at the Young Vic Theatre.

Matt Watkins (BA TP 06) is stage manager for the North American Arena Tour of Cirque Du Soleil’s Alegria.

Alumni news

above: urbanDig 4 rodokanakis (by Marietta Gondikaki).

Central puts its own spin on the popular TV programme… Dragons’ Den

Angels’ Den, a CETT-produced Graduate Company Development Workshop held in July 2009, was attended by 25 Central alumni who had formed their own companies after graduating. The workshop was held at The Business and IP Centre at The British Library and companies participating included; [SEL] Live, Creative Performance Laboratory, Bottlefed, Freefall Theatre Company, JUMP+, Nexus Collective, PanicLab, Scary Little Girls Productions, SHIFT, White Mask Theatre Company, Spitting Distance, Marvelous World Wide, Ramification, Lost Banditos, Monsuna, Pattana Theatre and IdeasFest.

A second Angels’ Den workshop is due to take place on Monday 25th January 2010. Participants are provided with the opportunity to pitch their company and their latest production ideas to the panel who, in their roles as ‘Angels’, offer constructive and vital development advice. At the end of the day participants can also have one-to-one consultation sessions with members of the panel. The workshops are also an opportunity for alumni to feedback on how Central can help graduates prepare for developing and managing their own companies.

Angels’ Den was co-produced with Hidden Cities, a creative practice specialising in area-specific Festivals and cultural strategic partnership development, and led by CETT Fellow Lynne Kendrick. The Angels were a panel of industry experts including Nick Sweeting (Producer, Improbable), Dan Pursey (Managing Director, Mobius Industries), Shonagh Manson (Director, Jerwood Foundation) and Ed Collier (Producer, Fuel).

Could you help to ensure this work can carry on?The Centre for Excellence has sponsored the creation period for this career- enhancing event. However, to ensure that this valuable opportunity can continue, a modest contribution from sponsors (approximately £1,000) is sought. Would you be able to introduce us to interested parties? Becoming an Angels’ Den sponsor will give your organisation the opportunity to build relationships with emerging companies and create ties with a range of theatre professionals. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, how to register for the event and the Central Companies scheme please contact the CETT office on [email protected]

Angels’ den


monaco international film festivalNic d’Avirro (S 79) won a Best Actor Award at the Monaco International Film Festival for his role in the film Tracks of Saints last December.

Edinburgh festivalLauren Overs (BA DE 03) took her production of Don Juan in Soho, by Patrick Marber, to the 2009 Edinburgh Festival. Her company, N10 Productions, created a physical interpretation of this hilarious and disturbingly dark update of Molière’s classic text about the legendary womaniser. An almost sell out run and fantastic reviews ensured a successful trip to the fringe: “Sexy… witty and comical” said the Edinburgh Evening News.

Megan Ford (MA CA 06) started her own theatre company in 2009 called Racked and performed her play, The Assassination of Paris Hilton, at the Assembly Rooms for the Edinburgh Festival. Among others, the play also starred fellow alumnae Meghan Leslie (MA CA 06) and Janey Lawson (MA MT 06). The run was sold out and received fantastic

reviews, including: “High-octane, top-decibel drama that bursts with talent, potential and energy” – The Scotsman.

Matt Ball (MA ATP 04), Artistic Director of the Camden People’s Theatre, directed Icarus 2.0, which was nominated for the Total Theatre Award for Best Devised Performance and the Stage Award for Best Ensemble at the Edinburgh Fringe this year. Icarus 2.0 is the funny, twisted and moving story of the relationship between a reclusive geneticist and his ‘son’, a boy grown in a jar. In this intense and moving performance, the son struggles to achieve his father’s ambitions for him to learn to fly.

dance umbrella festivalTerry O’Donovan (MA ATP 04) performed with Bodies in Urban Spaces at the Dance Umbrella Festival during October 2009. Since 2007, the Dance Umbrella Festival has presented family-friendly, free-to-view events which have proved popular with thousands of Londoners and is one of the world’s most exciting programmers of new dance. Bodies in Urban Spaces saw 20

performers lead the audience through some of London’s most atmospheric public spaces. Live body sculptures were set up quickly before the acrobatic performers disengaged themselves and moved on. The route was revealed as the work progressed, leaving it to the audience to follow the performers and discover the next installation.

dublin fringe festivalMelanie Wilson’s (MA ATP 00) new solo show Iris Brunette won Best Production at the Dublin Fringe Festival in September 2009.

raindance film festivalGregg Duke (MA AS 07) appeared as JC, an editor who helps his friend complete an unfinished 80s horror film, in Resurrecting the Street Walker. The film was premiered at the Apollo West End in October at the 17th Raindance Film Festival 2009, where it was nominated as Best UK Feature. Gregg is also working full-time at Central in the School of Professional and Community Development.

2009 festival Circuit

Clockwise from top left: Don Juan in Soho by Lauren Overs; Icarus 2.0 (by Cis O’Boyle); nic d’avirro (by robbie Douglas); Melanie wilson (by Gemma riggs); Megan Ford, Meghan Leslie and Janey Lawson (by Jamie Zubairi); Greg Duke (by John walker).


debi Berry (BA Tp 96) photographic director, Empire magazine

When Central launched its Theatre Design degree, I was one of the lucky few to gain a place. After successfully graduating in 1996, I spent some time designing for Madame Tussauds but I also began to develop a hobby that had started at Central – photography. After a stint as a photographic studio assistant, I moved into a career in magazines.

I have been a massive movie fan since I was a child and for the last 8 years have been working as the Photographic Director for the British film magazine Empire. During that time I have been fortunate enough to work with many of my acting and directing heroes, which include a number of Central alumni.

Empire celebrated its 20th birthday this year with an issue guest edited by the director Steven Spielberg, the centre piece of which was a photographic portfolio looking back at the last 20 years of cinema. It featured, among others, Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sir Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster. Images from the portfolio were auctioned in a charity fundraiser in 2009 and raised over £50,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital. Being the Creative Director of that project was a real career highlight for me.

Without my time at Central, and the wonderfully inspiring tutoring of Jessica Bowles and Anthony Dean, I would never have ended up where I am today and I will be ever grateful.

peter Chelsom (A 78) film director

Even though I gave up acting in 1987, I cannot express how much the Central training still remains a large part of who I am as a film director.

When my agent called me to tell me that Disney wanted to meet me about Hannah Montana: The Movie, I literally had no idea what they were talking about. I had not seen anything of the TV show. Looking back, this was a real blessing. I told Disney that if I directed this film, I would not be putting on a ‘Disney hat’, I would just be doing my thing. I promised to make it commercial, but it would feel more like one of those Hayley Mills movies that I was brought up on – modernized, obviously, but a movie for all the family. Was that what they wanted? They assured me it was.

If I had not been through the three great years I had at Central, I would not have had all the techniques, devices, and knowledge to take Miley Cyrus from TV sitcom child actress to movie star. I remember most of all a day in pre-production where I hired a studio for four hours. I told Miley she would not need the script that day, instead I would be attempting to compress a three year acting course at one of the best drama schools in the world into one afternoon. We did what Central used to call ‘acting study’ exercises, we even read a Shakespeare sonnet. Yes, Miley Cyrus and a Shakespeare sonnet. And after about six readings, creating a subtext that really meant something specific to her, my hinting at the point of rhythms and line endings, she delivered an interpretation

of “When in love with disgrace...” that was nothing short of moving. She was, during the making of the film, just fifteen years old.

I’ve directed children in lead roles before and I have to confess I like it. They don’t make that mistake of playing a mood. They play the part, not the scene. They don’t overcomplicate it all. There is a purity in what they do and, occasionally, it blows you away.

One afternoon, I kept asking Miley to be ‘smaller’. Finally, she despaired and asked me, “Peter, if I’m this small, will they notice me?”. It was actually a very good question. In my reply, I found a new way of saying something I must have said many times before. I told her that the difference between sitcom acting and film acting is a case of ‘don’t come to us, we’ll come to you’. I promised her that whatever she was doing on the set, if it was interesting and specific, I would catch it, on the right lens, in the right place. And there started a trust that lasted the length of the shoot.

I miss British actors a lot. They usually arrive with so much more preparation and an easier way of getting where they want to be. I have a project that I hope to make next year which would shoot out of London. I’m already excited about the British talent whose company I shall be sharing. Not that I expect it to be easy; nothing worth doing ever is.

So, fellow Central peeps, why have I written to our alumni newsletter? I think it is to re-affirm that, at its best, acting is still a noble profession. Respectful, even! Even a job for a grown man/woman! I don’t act anymore, but I love the art of acting!

After Centralin this section we like to hear from alumni whose careers have taken unexpected and interesting turns since graduating.

Left to right: Debi Berry (by sarah Dunn); Peter Chelsom and Miley Cyrus (by Peter Chelsom).


voice reunionKaterina Moraitis, Course Leader of MA Voice Studies, recalls a successful summer gathering of inspirational Voice practioners. Voice alumni from all over the globe were reunited on Saturday 27th July 2009 to celebrate voice studies at Central School of Speech and Drama. Voice and speech have always been at the heart Central’s ethos and training, and over the years the Voice course has achieved national and international recognition, training some of the best Voice teachers in the world.

Speakers included prestigious practitioners David Carey and Patsy Rodenburg (T 76). David Carey, Voice tutor at RADA was previous course leader of the MA Voice Studies course and taught at Central for over seventeen years, training many of the Voice teachers currently practising in drama schools around London. Alumni also heard from Patsy Rodenburg, Head of Voice at Guildhall School of Music and

Drama, who gave an emotional and rousing speech about her time at the school and the value of Voice training and education.

The afternoon was also an opportunity to ask alumni their thoughts in relation to re-establishing the International Centre for Voice, which was met with great approval. Those in attendance included Christina Shewell, Barbara Houseman, Caroline Goyder and Julia Wilson-Dixon to name a few. As over forty Voice graduates looked on, a group of current MA Voice Studies students performed a brief refrain as food and wine were enjoyed by all. The afternoon was a great success, with the opportunity for alumni to catch up with old friends, make new contacts and form valuable connections.

mA Classical Acting 06 visitA group of graduates from the MA CA class of 2006 organised a small reunion on the 16th June 2009 which included a visit back

to Central and a tour of the building. The gathering, coordinated by Anna White, took the opportunity to look around the Embassy Theatre and to revisit some of their old training rooms in a walk down memory lane. The tour was followed by informal drinks in the Student Union bar. Those in attendance included Margaret Tully, Caroline Wild, Duncan Barrett, Francesca Day, Megan Ford, Katy Gibbons, Sandy King, Becky Keane, James Newall, and Claire Stanstead. Anna has created a vide montage of the visit and the changing faces of the year group – the film can be viewed at http://www.screencast.com/t/MTJkOTJl.

Teachers 1959-62 reunionFriday 31 October 2009 saw 12 alumni from the Teaching Course of 1962 gather for a reunion organised by Carol Allen, with support from the Alumni Office. Carol had spent many months tracking and contacting fellow alumni and had approached the Alumni

There is a constant stream of alumni back through our doors at Central and it is hard to overstate the contribution you make when you return! Alumni come back as visiting speakers, to collaborate on student projects, to come to a reunion, to mentor students and in an array of other guises. When you return, please do contact the Alumni office on [email protected].

Alumni in the building

MA Voice Studies reunion (clockwise from top left): Christina shewell and Kate Firth; Corin Mellinger, Thomas Lackner, Lucinda worlock, Tim Birkett, Chris Mellon, Tara shaw; Patsy rodenburg; Voice reunion; rebecca Clarke-Carey and David Carey; Voice reunion; Daron Oram, samantha Mesagno and Katerina Moraitis; simon ratctiffe, Luan de Burgh, David Carey. all photos by Hamish Pritchard.


Office to arrange a tour of the building and an opportunity to view the, now much-developed, facilities on the site.

Margot Messenger, Carlie Newman, Pauline Collins, Marie Herbert, Lissa Buck, Jenny Nicholson, Gerard Benson, Glen Wildman, Mary Nimmo, Jane Selwyn and Judy Whitfield all attended the reunion, which began with a drinks reception in the staff room, followed by the tour. Many of the group hadn’t seen one another for over 40 years and there was still much catching up to be done as the group later disappeared into the evening to enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

other newsJoseph Mercier (MA TP 08 and current PHD student) gave a lecture to MA ATP students for the Cultural Landscapes Unit.

Maddy Trigg (BA TP 08) is currently working as a note taker with a BA TP first year student who is profoundly deaf.

Mischa Twitchin (MA ATP 03), Elyssa Livergant (MA ATP), Paul Piris (MA ATP 06), Kate Montague (MA ATP), Ita O’Brien (MA MS 07) and Duncan Macmillan (MA ATP 03) have all taught on the MA Advanced Theatre Practice course this term.

Hannah Bourgault (BA DATE 09) is now working full-time in the Admissions and Student Recruitment Office.

Alex Bingley (MA VS 03) is now teaching on the MA Voice Studies course after having graduated from it in 2003.

Gareth Fry (BA TS 96) has led a sound design workshop and Finn Ross (BA TP 03) has run a projection workshop for BA Acting Collaborative and Devised Theatre and BA Theatre Practice students working on the autumn 2009 Verbatim Project. Sinead Rushe (MA TP) will be directing the show.

Mark Down (MA ATP 96) of Blind Summit, led a puppetry and development workshop with

third year Collaborative and Devised Theatre and Puppetry students. Blind Summit will be directing a public production in the Spring term based on Jack London’s Call of the Wild.

Jason Wong (BA DATE 07) is currently working as Innovation Officer for the School of Professional and Community Development at Central. Jason is also maintaining his acting work and recently played the character of Kyou in a short film for the BBC called Rapture. In January, he will also be appearing in the new and highly-anticipated CBBC show Spirit Warriors where he plays the character of Howler.

Jon Hare (BA TP 07) now runs his own production company, Pitspro and has recently been working back at Central, as Production Manager for both the ECARTE International Conference and the MA Performance Practices and Research Festival Of. Pitspro provide technicians and management to various corporate roadshows and festivals and recently successfully bid for the contract to build the stage at the Roundhouse for the BBC Electric Proms.

There is a constant stream of alumni back through our doors at Central and it is hard to overstate the contribution you make when you return! Alumni come back as visiting speakers, to collaborate on student projects, to come to a reunion, to mentor students and in an array of other guises. When you return, please do contact the Alumni office on [email protected].

Alumni in the building

Teachers 1959-62 reunion (clockwise from top left): Teachers reunion group photo; Jane selwyn (nee Olds); Carol allen; Gerard Benson, Mary nimmo and Pauline Collins; Mary nimmo and Pauline Collins; Carlie newman, Lissa Buck and Jenny nicholson (nee rutter).


CETT fellows Selected from an open application process in February 2009, the following CETT Fellows were chosen in recognition of their teaching and learning excellence and proposals to develop work that aligns with CETT and Central’s mission:

Geoff Colman is raising the profile of the distinctive vocational training at Central and is currently working with a number of organisations including the Writers Guild, Theatre Royal Haymarket and Musion.

Amanda Stuart Fisher is curating the Theatre Applications Conference and associated activities, which is being held at Central in April 2010.

Karl Rouse is working on The Entrepreneurial Artist project and developing learning models to encourage enterprise with students.

Nick Moran is developing industry focused short courses and working with the National Council for Drama Training and Skill Scene to pilot competency based accreditation for technical theatre courses at HE level.

Lynne Kendrick is managing CETT’s graduate theatre companies in partnership with Matt Ball at Camden People’s Theatre. She is also running events to help new emerging graduate companies.

Susan Oman is focusing on developing partnerships and funding opportunities for student placements and outreach work.

Henry Atwater’s work addresses pedagogical approaches to critical thinking and applied learning for contemporary theatre makers.

CETT partnershipsCETT is developing partnerships with a number of organisations and has funded numerous external projects including:

The Royal Northern College of Music and Drama Students from Central and the RNCM are working together to develop ‘the actor musician’, with Wendy Gadian, pathway leader of BA Music Theatre.

National Association of Youth Theatres Youth Leaders from across the UK attended a programme of Central performances as part of a joint CSSD/NAYT initiative to enhance the standard of work in youth theatres. Discussions are under way to develop an organisational partnership between Central and the NAYT’s ‘Big Youth Theatre Festival’ in 2011.

Association of Courses in Theatre Design CETT curated and produced a national conference of theatre design at the University of Aberystwyth.

Arts Admin CETT sponsored the London-wide Dominoes project created by Central’s creative fellow Julian Maynard Smith. In partnership with Arts Admin, a bursary for an Innovative Theatre Design Graduate has been created.

Total Theatre For the third year running, CETT sponsored the Total Theatre Awards at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and created new awards for innovative practice.

Theatre Royal Haymarket CETT sponsored the Edinburgh masterclass season this year and is working with the Theatre Royal on a programme of other collaborations.

Half Moon Theatre CETT sponsored documentation of the theatre’s ‘Exchange for Change’ programme, a three year artform development project for young people. Mid term findings of the project will be shared at the Theatre Applications Conference in April 2010.

Perform Project The Perform Project, with the Bartlett School of Architecture, is working to create the first graduate architectural practice in HE. ‘Hear/Here’, an acoustic stage funded by CETT, was awarded a distinction in its installation at UCL.

Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama CETT, in collaboration with the RSAMD, staged specially commissioned readings by eminent playwrights at the Hampstead Theatre in September.

Royal College of Art, Central St Martins and Goldsmiths These three Universities, in conjunction with CETT, are developing the Rhizome Project, a multi-user blog where video, audio, photographs and text can be posted and commented on. It is planned that the blog will help develop partnerships with US institutions in the future.

North American Actors Association CETT is working with the NAAA to develop a mentoring programme for Central’s North American students. This year, CETT will be supporting NAAA’s annual play-reading festival of new works by American and Canadian writers entitled Double X, which will be held at Central in September 2010.

The Centre for Excellence in Training for Theatre (CETT) was created by the Central school of speech and drama. it works to provide a national resource for vocational performing arts training and learning, a focus for theatre research and scholarship, and a site for collaboration nationally and internationally, between industry, Higher Education, and specialist training providers

Centre for Excellence in Training for Theatre

Opposite page (clockwise from top left): ecarte Conference (by Ching yuan su); ecarte Conference (by Ching yuan su); Theatre Materials book; Promenade performance (by Patrick Baldwin); Genty workshop (by Jemima yong); Kleinkunst.

CeTT Fellows (left to right): Geoff Colman, amanda stuart Fisher, Karl rouse, nick Moran, Lynne Kendrick, susan Oman and Henry atwater. (Photos by Villeneuve George and Lucy Pope).


Centre for Excellence in Training for Theatre


first year undergraduate promenade performance In what seems certain to become a new Central tradition, all 200 first year students from the three undergraduate programmes joined together at the end of their first week at Central to produce an outdoor promenade performance.

The event, supported by CETT, was co-ordinated by visiting lecturer Philip Engelheart, and included workshops for voice with Jo McNally (AARYA) and was choreographed by Stuart Angell. The culmination of this work was a spectacular evening performance with music, choral singing and puppetry at the Swiss Cottage Open Space.

The technical team was managed by alumna Alex Stone (BA ATP 06)and the Student Union team, lead by SU President Emma Huet. Additional support was offered by current Central students, tutors Paul Barker and Sara Kestelman and members of the CETT team.

ECArTE 10th European ConferenceCentral was delighted to host the 10th European Arts Therapies Conference for members of the European Consortium for Arts Therapies Education (ECArTE) on 16-19 September 2009.

With a combination of paper presentations, workshops, art exhibitions, discussion panels and performances, the conference, which takes place bi-annually, is an opportunity for people from the Arts Therapies Education

community to come together, exchange ideas and discuss developments in the field.

The Actor’s Body: identity & image open spaceA culmination of the work that Debbie Green and colleagues at Central have been developing over the past couple of years, the Actor’s Body: Identity and Image Open Space was an opportunity to hear from industry professionals about attitudes to the actor’s body in film, TV and the theatre industries.

In discussion with psychotherapist Susie Orbach were members of Central’s faculty – Debbie Green, Vanessa Ewan, Karin Schuck and David Petherbridge; along with several well-known industry professionals, including photographer Clare Park, director Ian Rickson and actor Emma Thompson. Drawing on their own experiences, the panel looked at the perceived pressure on actors to conform to specific body types and how this is feeding into the student experience at drama schools. Delegates experienced the process of sitting for headshots and being measured for costumes, which they then fed back on in discussion forums.

The day marked the next stage in the development of the project, which aims to promote a healthy/robust learning environment that fosters informed and confident attitudes towards the body as a professional tool, and appropriate awareness of Self within professional and industry contexts.

suspense puppetry festivalThe first festival of puppetry for adult audiences in London for 25 years took place

across several venues from 30 October to 8 November 2009. As part of the festival, CETT supported a series of Masterclasses held at Central by internationally recognised artists Compagnie Philippe Genty, Maria Dominguez Alba and Nenagh Watson. Cariad Astles also organised a one-day Symposium, Objects in Performance, as part of the festival.

Theatre materials Book launchEmerging from the debate stimulated by the Theatre Materials/Material Theatres conference which took place in 2008, CETT has published a book, Theatre Materials, which was launched at the Little Angel Theatre in November 2009.

The book, looking at the ‘matter’ of theatre and edited by Eleanor Margolies, features contributions from Anne Bogart, Alan Read, Rene Baker, Pamela Howard and alumna Beth McDougall (BA ATP 08). Also included are details on The Bar of Ideas, originally commissioned as a social space for the Theatre Materials/Material Theatres conference. The bar has since taken on a life of its own and was part of the Paradise Gardens Festival in Victoria Park in May.

Theatre Materials is available to buy, priced £10 plus p&p, from the CETT office. Please email [email protected] for details.

AAryA ChoirFollowing on from their work on the new students Promenade Performance, AARYA are running a choir this year at Central to encourage staff and students to come together and get singing! The choir meets weekly for an hour-long session looking at a

Clockwise from left: Promenade performance (by Patrick Baldwin); The actor’s Body: identity and image (by Claire Park); ecarte Conference (by Ching yuan su).


variety of music styles and welcomes everyone, regardless of singing ability or previous experience.

forest fringe at Central Following their success at the Edinburgh Festival, MA Advanced Theatre Practice invited Forest Fringe to curate three evenings at Central. Spread over three Fridays in November and December 2009, directors Andy Field and Deborah Pearson presented a programme of performances giving a sense of the full spectrum of the work they support and develop at this innovative venue.

The Practitioner Study unit has also featured presentations and workshops from companies such as Shunt and Analogue, including among their number several MA ATP alumni – Hannah Ringham, Gemma Brockis, Mischa Twitchin and Hannah Barker.

Kleinkunst 2Following the success of Kleinkunst early in 2009, Kleinkunst 2 took things to the next level with a series of performances and presentations on neo-burlesque and low-art theatre at the Roundhouse on 30 November 2009.

The evening was centred on the theme of the Pleasure of Brutality, looking at the brutal, the vulgar, the ridiculous and the disgusting. With audience discussions forming an important part of the event, questions were raised about the value of shock in performance and why (and how) such sights bring audiences pleasure.

The event featured performances from Scottee, Marawa, Lucifire and Owen Parry. Paper presentations included ‘The Grotesque Burlesque’ by Lucifire and ‘Adam Ant once

said it: “Ridicule is nothing to be scared of” ’ by Owen Parry.

Curated by Liselle Terrett and Jay Stewart, and supported by CETT, the event was emceed by Ophelia Bitz, and chaired by Professor Andrew Lavender from Central.

upcoming Events

International Conference: Theatre Applications – Performance with a Purpose, 21-23 April 2010

A three-day conference in association with RiDE: The Journal of Applied Theatre and Performance looking at the uses of performance in education, community, therapeutic and institutional settings. It addresses applied, social and community theatre, and forms of performance that are intended to make a difference to participants’ lives. Keynote speakers include: Rustom Bharucha (author of Theatre and the World: Performance The Politics of Cultural Practice) and Jan Cohen-Cruz (Syracuse University, New York; Director of consortium Imagining America which supports public scholarship and community partnerships).There will also be social and networking opportunities, a conference dinner, and an evening cabaret.

More information and online booking can be found at www.cssd.ac.uk

Student Puppet Festival, 5-8 May 2010

This is Central’s fourth International Student Puppet Festival which aims to develop and encourage the art of puppetry within the world of contemporary performance. More information can be found on the festival website www.studentpuppetfestival.com.

Left to right: Kleinkunst; Promenade performance (by Patrick Baldwin).

phd students are being encouraged to team up with partners outside academia to learn from real life case studies and develop practical applications for their work.

The Arts and Humanities Research Council sponsors Collaborative Doctoral Awards to foster research partnerships between higher education institutions and business. Central has been awarded two studentships for doctoral studies in applied theatre.

Nicola Abraham is in the second of a three-year project looking at vulnerable young people and the impact of applied theatre work. Linking up with Kids Company, the London-based charity working with inner-city children from troubled backgrounds, she is exploring ways in which drama can be used to help gain confidence and self-awareness.

Her work has taken her into schools and crisis centres, working with children and teachers. “I’m trying to show how you can analyse yourself through imagination, theatre, discussion, art, music…My eventual aim is to develop a model of practice that Kids Company can use in their work. I want to move beyond the roles of teacher or pupil and look at the person”.

Charla Givens has just been awarded a three-year studentship for a thesis on Dramatherapy and Children with Depression – an investigation into evaluation models. Having worked as a drama therapist since 2001, she sees this as an exciting opportunity to expand an ‘unshowy’ area of theatrical practice.

“I’m looking into childhood depression but also how depression is viewed in our society, and from that, how treatment is prescribed. I’m hoping to come up with a model that shows how drama therapy works effectively in addressing these issues”.

Working in partnership with the NHS, Charla is looking for placements in London primary healthcare trusts. Although just starting her research, she is very excited by the possibilities allowed by the AHRC scheme. “It’s wonderful that something that’s on the outskirts of the NHS, like drama therapy, is being funded”.

Alumni are invited to find out more about Central’s Research degrees and bursary opportunities by attending an exclusive PhD bucks fizz breakfast party at Central on the morning of Wednesday 10 February.

To register your interest in attending this event please email your full name and details of the course(s) you previously studied at Central, to [email protected]. For more general information about doctoral work at Central, including opportunities in applied theatre, please contact Admissions at [email protected] or call +44 (0)207 722 8183.

phds at Central


Central in indiaVoice and Communication training in Kolkata, India 2009

By Anne Walsh, Voice Trainer

This year, I’ve travelled twice to India as part of SPCD’s outreach programme, delivering voice training and communication to several educational institutions, including The Franklyn Institute of Language and NSHM Knowledge Group’s Kolkata campus. My first trip, with Head of SPCD Bruce Wooding, was for one week in January 2009 delivering a Business Communication Skills course. This was followed by a longer three week period in June 2009, where we were joined by SPCD colleague, Emily Pollett, to deliver an Acting for Camera course.

As a developing country, India has huge potential for economic growth. All areas of education seen to enhance professional skills and access to employment are highly regarded. There is also a strong demand for training in the relatively new area of ‘soft skills’, including verbal and non-verbal communication, interview skills and accent-softening.

The students within the workshops were eager for new information and knowledge. I had a reasonable expectation that they would respond most positively to the Neutral English speech skills area but I was also delighted to find how strongly the alignment, breath and voice work impacted upon them. In retrospect, this perhaps, should not be so surprising in a country where breathing techniques and sacred attitudes to the body are deeply embedded within its cultural framework.

I was also impressed by the degree of tolerance and mutual respect experienced between tutor and the student collective. I say this, because on paper there seemed to be several barriers to easy communication – the

groups were ‘mixed’, not just in ability, but also in their educational backgrounds and business types, yet all of the students were respectful, committed and focused.

There was also the difference in accent. Whilst most Bengalis speak English, they tend to use it much less frequently than Bengali and Hindi on a day-to-day basis. Kolkatan vowel pronunciation and speech patterns are heavily-influenced by Bengali and Hindi and can be difficult to pick up initially. As a voice and accent coach I was particularly fascinated by the unique rhythms and intonation patterns and gradually became more attuned to these over the three weeks I was there. The students also encountered difficulty with my accent (modified Cheshire), but with a little patience and slow, clear enunciation – not to mention, diaphragmatic-intercostal breathing – (very necessary with a background of noisy air-conditioning) – we made it work.

Professionally and recreationally I’ve travelled to many cities around the world, but none prepared me for the impact of Kolkata on my senses. Kolkata is a huge, sprawling city – polluted and full of noise – the car horns seem to sound day and night and the sights and smells seem much more intense than in London. Yet, underneath all this, there is a unique energy and pulse. Working in Kolkata has considerably broadened my professional horizons and enriched me on a personal level and I hope to return to work there again in 2010.

Kolkata inter-school drama festivalThe Annual Inter-School Drama Festival took place on the 14 July 2009 at Kala Mandir (a large theatre in the centre of Kolkata), organised by Central in association with the British Council.

Director Suman Mukhopadhyay, Bruce Wooding of Central and actor Parambrata Chaterjee judged the contest and Central’s Principal, Professor Gavin Henderson, gave a well received speech to the audience.

MP Birla Foundation School won the first prize with A Small Step, based on the 1970’s Chipko movement against aggressive de-forestation, and Susmita Duari was selected best teacher coordinator. Susmita Duari, along with three young prize winners, also received the chance to travel to London and attend a summer course at Central. We will be hosting the winners at Central’s Summer School in 2010. It is wonderful to be building such international links and to be working globally in the realm of drama and theatre education.

school and Community liaisonHigher Education Audition/Interview Workshops

Central’s School and Community Liaison Officer, Richard Harrison, regularly delivers a series of workshops designed to introduce secondary and further education students to studying drama in higher education. The workshops provide students, from Year 7 to Year 13, with information and advice about studying drama at drama school or university, and involve a range of practical and discussion-based exercises.

If you teach in a state-maintained school or college in England, and would like Central to deliver a workshop to your students, please visit www.cssd.ac.uk/schools to read more about the programme. Bookings can be made online, or by e-mailing [email protected]. The workshops are also offered to schools in the independent sector, though are charged at £100 per hour, plus expenses.

school of professional and Community development (spCd)

Left to right: anne walsh with acting for Camera students; schools Drama Competition; Moscow art Theatre.


school of professional and Community development (spCd)political and social Theatres: round Table report (3 November 2009)On Theatre, founded by Mick Gordon, involves ‘theatre essays’ that use devised processes and techniques drawn from verbatim theatre to explore experience. Themes so far have included death, love, religion, ego, and evolution. On Theatre is a response to a perceived lack of politically-engaged, intellectual theatre that moves beyond the old-fashioned ‘message’ play. For Gordon, political theatre should avoid being didactic. It should engage people emotionally in stories and character, but disdain any ‘easy emotional journey’.

Chris Megson, Senior Lecturer at Royal Holloway, University of London, talked about how On Theatre fits with recent interest in verbatim theatre and cultural notions of ‘witnessing’. Verbatim theatre struggles to dramatise change over time, but what makes the On Theatre project unusual is that it uses ‘real’ experiences (based on interviews and news reports) without giving up characterisation.

Nina Steiger, director of the Writers’ Centre, Soho Theatre, discussed how theatre venues are responding to the current obsession with immediacy. One strategy is ‘recipes for live events’— for instance, creating internet-based games around (or even instead of) a play on stage. These new forms of ‘theatrical’ experience make it very difficult to talk about the ‘actor/performer’, ‘text’ and ‘presence’ as fixed concepts.

This report reproduces only a small part of the discussion. Do join us next time! Central’s research events are free and open to visitors.

Nurturing staff researchMore than 20 staff members at Central have benefitted from internal research grants in the past two years. For example, Simon Donger recently showed his interactive lighting installation The Circle is Red at the Crash! Boom! Bau! Scenography Festival in Jena, Germany. Opera and the Undoing of Women, directed and choreographed by Experience Bryon (artistic director of Experience Vocal Dance) was presented at the West Side Dance Project in New York City in July 2008.

Other staff made use of the Teaching Quality Enhancement Fund, Central’s grant from the Higher Education Funding Council for integrating research into teaching. Projects included: ‘spontaneous communitas’ in arts therapy training (Richard Hougham); movement directors in conversation (Ayse Tashkiran); actor-training methods for improved footwork (Debbie Green); and empowerment of inner-city young people through applied theatre (Sheila Preston).

CASE STUDY: Staff Practice as Research

The Very Pretty War received £3,000 from the Research Office’s Performance R&D Scheme. Lead researchers were Jane Munro and Gareth White, who also hosted a round table at Central’s Theatre Materials conference (April 2008) that included participants from Projet InSitu and Lost Dog. Their work “investigates strategies for involving audience members in physical performance in ways that are playful, theatrical and exuberant, but also challenging and provocative”. Working to develop a theoretical framework for understanding participation, they hope to gain funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council for the next phase.

Left to right: The Circle is Red by simon Donger, ulrike Haage, Jon Bruggemeier and Mattia Jakob Dal Pozzo; Mick Gordon (© On Theatre)

research at CentralMoving on to Secondary School

In July 2009, Richard Harrison and Ben Buratta from SPCD delivered two ‘Moving on to Secondary School’ days at inner London primary schools. The days aimed to provide Year 6 pupils with some useful strategies in transitioning to secondary school. The days also enabled pupils to develop and perform a piece of theatre for other children within the school.

The events were enthusiastically received by both pupils and staff and, as a result of their success, SPCD will be developing a similar event for delivery in other primary schools.

Further information about the project can be obtained from Richard Harrison, School and Community Liaison Officer, on [email protected].

summer school at moscow Art Theatre SPCD travelled to the Moscow Art Theatre School (MXAT) for the fifth year in a row during summer 2009. By combining the many facets of Russian theatre training, the programme introduces students to the teachings and practices that have given Russian theatre global prestige.

Students attended from across Central’s MA and BA programmes as well as a handful of students from other training institutions. The group this year were fantastic – hard working dedicated artists who impressed the staff at MXAT. As well as classes in ballet, movement, acting and theatre history, the group were also able to see several plays and the Russian Circus.

SPCD will be running a six week course in February 2010 and another two week summer school in early September. For further information and to apply, email [email protected] or call +44 (0) 20 7559 3960


Alumni GatheringsStage 1987

The Stage group of 1987 organised a reunion get together in June 2009. The gathering, which was held in Amanda Doig-Moore’s garden, was attended not only by Laurence Kennedy, Amanda Curry, Bill Britten, Peter Hamilton Dyer, Sarah Jane Fenton, Caroline Seed, Susie Harker, Joanna Mays, and Georgie Byng but also Francesca Buller, who travelled all the way from LA, and Greg Patrikareas who visited from Greece.

Theatre Practice 1967 (Tech)

The Theatre Practice 1967 group meets annually, most recently in September 2009, at the EV restaurant in Waterloo. In attendance, many along with partners were; Evgeny Gridneff, Pieter Hofman, Imogen Pennell, George Gawlinski, Jason Barnes, David Saint, Louise Reynolds (Née Cordingly) and Rosemary Chapman (Née Webb).

Stage 1989

The Stage ‘89 group recently celebrated their 20th anniversary reunion with 26 of the 28 alumni from the year enjoying a day of merriment in The Swiss, the infamous local watering hole. David Beeler who attended said “It was an amazing day filled with so much warmth and good spirit from everyone. I didn’t realise while at Central what a truly remarkable group of people had come together to share not only three years of training, but three very formative years in our lives. At one point, in the wooden room below The Swiss where we all used to drink after class, it was as though the

interim years had vanished and I completely expected to see everyone on Monday for movement in room D”. In attendance were Lisa Van Eyssen (nee Orgalini), Jonathan Rigby, Kate McGloughlin, Doug Fields, Elaine English, Richard Cant, David Beeler, Clarence Smith, Ine Harrang, Peter DeJersey, Ed Max, Louise Bamforth, Caroline Harker, Joanne Adams, Graham Norton, Darren Lawrence, Hannah Smith, Saskia Whickem, Clara Salaman, Ian Dunn, John Firth, Sean McLevy, Elaine English, Ben Browder and Dan Mullane.

seminars and Event NewsThe following seminars and events have taken place at Central during the autumn term:

October 2009

Research Presentation and Discussion: Central’s Creative Fellows Jon Davison (Central), Julian Maynard Smith (Central), Nenagh Watson (Central), Andy Lavender (Central, chair)

Research Presentations: Extended Scenographies Simon Donger (Central), Alastair Noonan (Central), Dot Young (Central), Caroline Townsend (Central, chair)

November 2009

Presentation and Round Table: The On Theatre project and Social/Political Theatres Mick Gordon (Director, On Theatre), Chris Megson (Royal Holloway, University of London), Nina Steiger (Director, Writers’ Centre, Soho Theatre), Gareth White (Chair)

Drawing as Documentation Jane Heather (Artist), Jessica Bowles (Central, chair)

Presentations as Part of the Theatre Applications Season Tara McAllister-Viel (Central), Amanda Stuart Fisher (Central), Sally Mackey (Central), Graham White (Roehampton University, chair), Petrus Bertschinger (Project Manager, Theatre Projects Consultants), Simon Shepherd (Central, Chair)

Presentation and Round Table: Buildings for Theatre: Space and Function James Blackman (Director of Strategy and Communications, Lyric Hammersmith), Bob Sheil (Director of Technology, The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL)

December 2009

Presentation and Discussion: Research into Movement: The Machinery, Performance and the Industrial Workspace, Clog dancing as Early Noise Music Viv Gardner (University of Manchester), Sarah Angliss (Spacedog) and Caroline Radcliffe (University of Birmingham); Ayse Tashkiran (Central, chair)

Lecture: ‘Piers of the Realm’ Professor Gavin Henderson (Principal, Central)

Discussion and Reading: Patrice Pavis on Contemporary Mise en Scène Patrice Pavis (University of Paris 8, author of La Mise en Scène Contemporain), Andy Lavender (Central, chair).

To be added to the Research Events mailing list, send your details to [email protected]

Central events

Left to right: Stage 87 (seated left to right) – Laurence Kennedy, Francesca Buller, Greg Patrikareas, amanda Curry, Bill Britten Peter Hamilton Dyer, standing left to right – sarah Jane Fenton, Caroline seed, susie Harker, Joanna Mays, Georgie Byng; Stage 89 (left to right) 1st row – Lisa (Orgalini) Van eyssen, Jonathan rigby, Kate McGloughlin, Doug Fields, elaine english, richard Cant, David Beeler, 2nd row – Clarence smith, ine Harrang, Peter DeJersey, ed Max, Louise Bamforth, Caroline Harker, Joanne adams, Graham norton, Darren Lawrence, Hannah smith, saskia whickem, Clara salaman, ian Dunn, John Firth, sean McLevy, elaine english, Ben Browder, Dan Mullane; Tech 67 (partners who tagged along in brackets!), left to right – standing: evgeny Gridneff, Pieter Hofman, (Dennis Gloves, Lucy Gawlinski) imogen Pennell, George Gawlinski, (Gaspar Gonzalez), Jason Barnes, David saint, sitting: (sally Gridneff, Caroline willems) Louise reynolds (nee Cordingly), rosemary Chapman (nee webb).

stage 87 reunion Tech 67 reunion


Central events

forthcoming Events and research seminars Alumni are invited to attend the following free events:

Michael Boyd, in Conversation, 13 January, 6-7pm.

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s Artistic Director will be talking about his leadership of one of the world’s foremost theatre companies, as well as his own work as a director. For free tickets call 020 7449 1571 or email [email protected]

Performance Applications: Power, Value and Engagement, 24 February, 2-4pm

Research presentations by Central staff. Topics are: The Arraignment of Power (Tony Fisher), Misapprehending ‘inclusion’: performing value across borders (Louise Owen), and Opening Moves for Aesthetics of Participation (Gareth White). Presentations are part of the ongoing Theatre Applications season.

Beacons/Yvon Bonenfant, 24 March, 5.30-7pm

An evening of live and recorded extended voice, installations, video and digital media, presented by vocal artist Yvon Bonenfant of the University of Winchester. Yvon will be performing the latest work-in-progress from his practice-research project, Beacons, which explores sensory architectural dramaturgies. The show will be followed by a discussion chaired by Ross Brown.

For free tickets to either of the above events call 020 7449 1571 or email [email protected]

Alumni Free Ticket Night to Student Production

Each term, fifty free tickets are made available to alumni for one of our Public Productions.

Following the performance we hold a private alumni reception where you can catch up with other Central graduates over refreshments. For details of the spring term’s productions, and the date of the alumni night, please consult our website.

BA Acting Music Theatre Reunion, 4 March 2010

The unique training on the BA Acting Music Theatre Pathway offers intensive singing and dance provision within the context of the established classical acting course. The Pathway has been successfully running for 2 years and alumni can be seen performing on the West End musical stage, at the Globe Theatre and in many film and TV productions.

On Thursday 4 March 2010, Wendy Gadian, Pathway Leader and Senior Lecturer, will be hosting a reunion for all BA Acting Music Theatre alumni and related guests. The reunion will be followed by the MT public production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, the whodunit musical comedy based on the unfinished novel by Charles Dickens. Free tickets will be available for a limited number of pre-registered alumni attending the reunion. Wendy says, “We hope this will be as exciting and successful as our previous productions of Company and Jerry Springer – The Opera. I can’t wait to see everyone there”.

In the run-up to the event, please ensure that you have registered your email address with the Alumni Office so that we can contact you with more news.

BA Theatre Practice 10th Anniversary Celebration, 9th May 2010

We are delighted to announce that we will be holding an anniversary event on Sunday 9th May to celebrate 10 years of the BA Theatre Practice course. The invitation is open to all

BA TP graduates and as plans progress we will be contacting all BA TP alumni who have registered on our database with further news of the event. In the mean time, please hold the date, spread the word, and ensure that the Alumni Office has up-to-date contact details for you (email addresses are particularly helpful).

Voice Training and the International Centre for Voice (ICV) at Central

We are very pleased to announce the re-launch of the International Centre for Voice. ICV will provide membership services to voice practitioners, which will include, three workshops per year hosted by Central and run by leading voice practitioners, an online forum for members and community evenings held every two months for members to meet, share technical and social news, exchange best practice and provide mutual support and advice, particularly for sole practitioners/freelance professionals.

ICV is launching its workshops series in 2010 with tutors to include Cicely Berry, Frankie Armstrong and Margaret Pikes. For more information, or to request a membership application form, please email [email protected] or phone (UK) 020 7449 1570.

In related news, Professor Kistin Linklater, the internationally renowned voice authority and Professor of Theatre Arts, Columbia University, has agreed to deliver a two-part course at Central for voice teaching professionals on the Linklater Method. The course will last 7 weeks and will be held in two parts, the first in August 2010 and the second in August 2011, with other practical aspects of the training taking place in between. The application deadline for places on the Linklater course is 22 January 2010. Please contact [email protected] for more information.

stage 89 reunion above (top to bottom): Woyzeck (by Patrick Baldwin); Yvon Bonenfant (by David shearing).


AustraliaLucy Withers (DE 06) is currently living in Melbourne. During the past year she has started up her own company, Theatre Attack, in response to the changing ethos surrounding Arts companies in Victoria. Promoting a creative, collaborative and interactive form of learning, the company provides a variety of workshops in schools, colleges, universities and Arts institutions. Theatre Attack have also been undertaking voluntary work with schools affected by the Victoria bushfires which occurred January/February 2009 and devastated the state. Many homes, schools and lives were lost and, as a state, they are still trying to rebuild not only buildings but also the communities.

Leith McPherson (PGD VS 98) was, for the last six years, a Lecturer in Voice at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Now working freelance in Melbourne, Leith has worked as dialect coach on the Melbourne Theatre Company’s production of August: Osage County, which also starred fellow alumna Jane Menelaus. Leith also voice coached on a production of Rockabye by Joanna Murray-Smith and, in 2010, will coach on productions of The Drowsy Chaperone, Madagascar and Richard III.

Christina Shewell (ADVS 85) recently completed a four week teaching tour of five states in Australia as a guest of the Australian

Voice Association – teaching voice teachers, singing teachers and voice pathologists. Christina is also a presentation skills trainer, life coach and a speech and language therapist, specialising in voice and regularly teaches as a visiting lecturer on the MA Voice Studies course.

Amanda Barrett Hayes (MA MS 06) is Lead Artist for a regional program in Western Australia called Creative Challenge through a performance company called AWESOME Arts. She has been working on a project called Open Book, a concept based on diverse and multi-discipline artists working with regional and remote children to create contemporary versions of classic books.

The project allowed children to take part in puppet shows, films, podcasts and even live performances, culminating in an exhibition as part of the AWESOME International Arts Festival for Bright Young Things in November 2009.

BelgiumPhilip Barnes (S 80) appeared with Shirley Collins in her show America Over the Water at Ancienne Belgique in Brussels, as part of a festival in honour of the folklorist, Alan Lomax.

Shirley was Lomax’s assistant on their historic song-collecting field trip through the southern United States in 1959, and this forms the subject of the show.

GermanyMatt Daw (BA TP 06) recently finished working as associate lighting designer on the new German Production of Buddy, The Buddy Holly Story in Essen, Germany.

icelandStephanie Ward (MA ATP 07) is working as a video and television producer and presenter for CCP Games in Reykjavik. CCP Games have recently produced the most watched music video on Youtube in the UK notching up 167,248 views in the space of just one week in October. The video is called ‘HTFU’ and is performed by Permaband.

Stephanie is also a member of The Weird Girls Project, whose aim is to encourage positive body image and confidence in women. The project’s performances have made the world’s press, most recently Dazed and Confused Magazine.

KenyaAndrée Trotter (BA DATE 05) is currently running a year-long Theatre for Development project with disabled children in Limuru, Kenya in conjunction with Leonard Cheshire Disability.

Central alumni are spread far and wide. As well as the items below, read more in the ‘Where Are They Now?’ section.

Alumni abroad

Clockwise from top left: awesOMe arts australia (by amanda Barrett Hayes); Lucy withers (by David apostal); Leith McPherson; Philip Barnes (by Katie Vandyck); Christina shewell (by Mark Vaughan); a Midsummer night’s Dream (by sunny Jeon); Matt Daw (by Coen Bouman); stephanie ward (by Kristinn Magnússon); andree Trotter (by rhoda Bawdekar-sebastian).


KoreaSunny Jeon (MA ATP 08) specialised in Scenography whilst at Central and recently designed for A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Seoul Arts Centre in Korea. Sunny has also been working with Gong Myoung, a Korean percussion quartet, as they toured the UK.

polandJake Harders (BA A 03) will be in Wroclaw, Poland from March 2010 working with a theatre company called Teatr Piesn Kozla (Song of the Goat Theatre), hailed as the most exciting and innovative of the new Avant-garde theatre companies in Poland, presenting an adaptation of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible.

russia Laura Bodell (MA AS 08) is currently working as a writer and actor for a Theatre in Education (TiE) company in a town called Nikolina, 40 minutes from Moscow, helping children learn English through drama-based teaching.

south Africa Lesley Bester (MA DMT 02) has been working on the FireMaker Project with the Zakheni Arts Therapy Foundation in Johannesburg (www.zakheni.org.za). Lesley has been researching how

Alumni abroad

Donato Wharton (BA TP 08) is currently working for a Canadian Theatre Company as Sound Manager for the touring Robert Lepage/Ex Machina production The Blue Dragon, which showed in Québec City and Ottawa between January and April 2009. Donato has been working for Ex Machina since early 2008 and is currently on the European leg of the tour, having already travelled throughout Ireland, France and Spain. The show then travels to Vancouver in February 2010, where it will be showing to coincide with the Winter Olympics. The show can be seen in London in February 2011.

Meg Deere (MA AT 08) has been working as a community-based artist with Jumblies Theatre and Toronto Community Housing, creating small- and large-scale community performances. She is the Artistic Director of Theatre Caboodle, a youth theatre company that writes its own pieces and tours theatres and schools.

Meredith Scott (MA VS 03) has been on maternity leave following the birth of her second son in 2008, and will be returning to work to teach Voice and Text for the joint Theatre and Drama Studies programme at the University of Toronto and Sheridan College in January 2010.

Lorna McGinty, Meg Deere, Alice Field, Vicky Storey and Michelle Toner (MA AT 08) brought their theatre company ‘jointPredicament’ to the Montreal Fringe Festival in June 2009, where their play, Sorry... I was Going to Turn it into Something Beautiful, was performed to high acclaim. They will be returning to the festival again in 2010.

Lara Jean Chorostecki (MA CA 08) has performed two Shakespearean plays with the Toronto-based Resurgence Theatre Company since leaving Central, most recently

playing Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. She is currently filming various Canadian TV shows, most prominently as a series regular on a new half-hour comedy entitled Dan for Mayor.

Tonia Szkurhan (MA AMT) performed in the Sondheim in September concert series which took place in Toronto in 2009. She was also the National Anthem soloist for the Toronto Blue Jays (Major League Baseball) and the Toronto Rock (National Lacrosse League). She is currently on tour throughout Canada with the children’s play, The Power of One.

Jessica Sherman (BA A 06) will be performing a recital of new British musicals, entitled Secrets from London’s Underground in Toronto. She has also recently performed a leading role in Hooked at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which then transferred to London’s Theatre503.

A number of our Canadian-based alumni are involved with the renowned Shaw Festival, a major Canadian theatre festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, the second-largest repertory theatre company in North America. Founded in 1962, its mandate is to stimulate interest in George Bernard Shaw and his period, and to advance the development of theatre arts in Canada.

Robin Evan Willis (MA MT 06) will be entering her third season as part of the acting ensemble of The Shaw Festival, playing Venus in One Touch of Venus and Anya in The Cherry Orchard.

Edda Sharpe (MA VS 00) and Sarah Shippobotham (MA VS 98) work as Voice and dialect coaches at the Shaw Company.

David Schurmann (S 64) is returning for his twenty-seventh season at the festival and has appeared in over 40 production since 1981.

Left to right: Donato wharton (by alexis rivest); Jesse sherman (by Casey Moore).

Canada


to best apply ideologies from dramatherapy and the other Arts therapies to equip care workers with creative tools for the psychosocial support and care of vulnerable children. Lesley is also a founding member of The Bonfire Theatre Company (www.bonfiretheatre.co.za) which specialises in interactive and improvised theatre experiences.

usAHeather Manly (MA ATP 03) has been working in a production of Sweeney Todd at the Woodlawn Theatre in San Antonio, Texas.

Yasmin Ali Khan (PGCE 03) is on the distinguished one year Fulbright exchange programme and is based in Santa Barbara, California, teaching eighth grade English. Previously, Yasmin had spent 6 years working as Head of Media Education at Kingsmead School in Enfield.

Ben Harrison’s (MA ATP 96) production of Peter Pan will be going on a 20 month tour of the US from May 2010 following its success in Kensington Gardens and a six week run at the O2 Arena, London. A second production will open in New Zealand in January 2010 at the start of a Far Eastern tour.

Jake O’Hara (BA DATE 07) is the Head of Theatre at the Corwin-Russell School in Massachusetts and is additionally chairing the English Department this year. He also supported the Central audition panel during the New York auditions in November 2009. Jake’s 2009 direction of The Producers earned the production 9 nominations by the Eastern Massachusetts Association of Community Theatres including Best Direction and Best Musical. He is currently directing Genet’s The Maids, and the musical comedy, You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown. He will also be costume designing Singin’ in the Rain this spring.

Jane Boston (AD VS 87) and Rena Cook (V 00), Breath in Action – The Art of Breath in Vocal and Holistic Practice

This publication offers the latest theories from a variety of disciplines on how we can be taught to breathe better so as to communicate better, act or sing better, feel better, live better. Combining theory with practice, many of the chapters also offer clearly laid out breathing exercises and techniques. Published by Jessica Kingsley. www.jkp.com.

Caroline Goyder (MA VS 03), The Star Qualities: How to Sparkle With Confidence in All Aspects of Your Life

Caroline Goyder has written a book explaining the methods actors use to remain clam under pressure. By talking to famous actors about the ways they have overcome the classic obstacles of confidence, Caroline shows us that we can all find the qualities we need to shine. Not only is the book useful, it is also a unique insight into the real world of the celebrity actor explaining the methods behind their advice. Published by Sidgwick & Jackson. www.panmacmillan.com

Carolyn Askar (ACSD 87), Driftwood – Selected poems 2005 -2009

This is Carolyn’s sixth collection of poetry. Her publications also include children’s stories and song lyrics for a Swiss CD. Her work has been broadcast and widely used internationally, in schools and educational programmes. All proceeds from sales of Driftwood will be used to support WYSE International – World Youth Service and Enterprise: registered charity no. 1053940. WYSE is a United Nations-recognized NGO, which has been running residential programmes for young people from across the globe for the last twenty years. Published by Terracotta Press.

Caroline Cornish (T 53) and Roz Comins (T 47), More Care for Your Voice

As part of the Voice Care Network, Caroline and Roz have been involved in the production of this concise, professional introduction to the use and care of the speaking voice. Speech & language therapists contributed information on how to avoid voice problems and it was published by the Voice Care Network UK. In 2003, the booklet was endorsed by the Health & Safety Commission stating that – “the good advice contained in the guide should help to reduce the incidence of fatigue and voice loss amongst teachers”. Published by The Voice Care Network UK. www.voicecare.org.uk

publications

Alumni abroad continued...

Clockwise from top left: Laura Bodell (by Peter simpkin); Jake O’Hara (by Pierre Chiha); Ben Harrison (by simon annand); yasmin ali Khan.

1950s Jess Curtis (T 55) is Director of Aural Visual Communications, Plymouth Enid Davies (nee Lapworth) (T 45) is

still creating, coaching and taking part in programmes of speech, song and music which are performed to local

audiences in the Bournemouth area Sheila Mitchell (S 49) is currently working on a project called Shakespeare

United 2012, www.ShakespeareUnited2012.com with the aim of potentially offering every member of Equity, who

wants to be involved, some employment during the Olympic year Stephanie Wilson (T 53) is now working as a

psychotherapist Lisa Wright (T 53) taught drama for 40 years before becoming one of the first women in the

Church of England to be ordained as a deacon and later a priest. Now in retirement from full time parish work, Lisa is

taking to the stage with her one-woman show 1960s David Horovitch (A 66) appeared in Life is a Dream at the

Donmar Theatre Deborah Grant (A 67) appeared in two episodes of Holby City and is touring with Absurd Person

Singular 1970s Paul Butterworth (T 77) appeared alongside two other Central actors, James Capel (MA AS 09)

and Emily Plumtree (BA A 09), in a Christmas commercial for Adidas and Foot Locker. The commercial has

appeared online, on TV and in stores Frances Girling (nee Vanden Bergh) (ST 70) is working for Cornwall Council as

a Highly Specialist Speech Language Therapist Melanie Hughes (S 74) had her novel Mrs Fishers Trip published by

Legend Press and has given a series of talks at City Lit Roger Parsley (ACSD 74) has two adaptations playing the

London area during Spring 2010: Maurice is planned to run at the Above The Stag Theatre in March, and Sense and

Sensibility runs at the Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch from April to May Andrew Visnevski (S 76) directed Gogol’s

Diary of a Madman in Paris and Kafka’s The Trial for the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation in Athens, Greece. Andrew

also continues as Associate Director of MA in Text and Performance at RADA Susan Wooldridge (S 71) performed

in The Importance of Being Earnest at the Open Air Theatre in Regents Park. She also recently had her first novel, The

Hidden Dance, published 1980s Margaret Ann Ellis (ST 81) is now retired from her post as Principal and Senior

Specialist for specific language disorders. She is now a spiritual director in Devon Geoff Felix (T 80) continues to

work as a Punch and Judy showman and puppeteer John Johnson (S 88) played Richard Fuld in the BBC’s

Something for Nothing, a documentary about the collapse of the Lehman Bros. Ltd Jennifer Lloyd Lyons (nee

Cook) (S 82) is a Communication Skills Trainer and Personal Voice Coach currently working for NHS East Sussex

hospitals Catherine Russell (Stage 86) appeared in Dreams of Violence at the Soho Theatre, London Debbie

Somerville (nee Crofts) (SM 80) is now a Resource Manager in programme finance at BBC Television 1990s Garth

McArthur (BA DE 99) has been employed for the past 6 years as Learning Manager for Audio and Music, developing

projects across the BBC Jo Cameron Brown (V 98) recently dialect coached on Centurion, Ben Hur and Eagle of the

Ninth Pin Dix (BA TP 97) is Company Manager at Regents Park Open Air Theatre Angus Lindsey (A 99) is playing a

major role in the feature film Borges and I Marios Eliakis (BA TS 98) is setting up a stereoscopic video production

company and art gallery in Athens, Greece Lucinda Meredith (TP 95) is completing a PhD in Scenography Sarah

Simmons (V 98) has been working with Tattersall Training, My Generation and Citizens Voice Teresa Grimaldi (TP

95) is an exhibiting Visual Artist working with puppets and performance Juanita Hurley (SLT 91) has established a

new consultancy, SpeechTeach Ltd, which supports children and adults on the autistic spectrum 2000s Sophie

Acreman (BA TP 02) is Deputy Stage Manager for the Orange Tree Theatre and has recently been stage manager for

The Company Presents on two Sky Arts Live plays Virginia Angus (MA V 08) has been teaching voice at Italia Conti

and Bird College, Sidcup Michelle Antoniades (MA MT 08) is currently writing a play to be taken to the Edinburgh

Festival in 2010. She is also writing music and lyrics for various musicians Hannah Ballou (MA ATP 08) featured in

the 2009 London Burlesque Festival and was a quarter finalist in the 2009 Laughing Horse New Act of the Year

competition Rachel Barnett (MA ATP) had her play, Your Call is Important to Us, performed by the Freewheelers

Theatre Company at The Leatherhead Theatre during October 2009 Lindsay Lucas-Bartlett (MA ATP 07) is

currently living in Los Angeles and working on a pilot for a comedy show. She plans to return to the UK in 2010


Where are they now?Alumni abroad continued...


Joanne Beechey (BA DATE 07) has registered her own company, 2nd Chance, working with marginalised

communities Alexander Bevan (PGCE 03) is teaching at a school in Melton Mowbray, Leicester, for seriously autistic

boys Sophie Bishop (DTYP 05) is Head of Drama at Ipswich High School James Boxburgh (BA TP 08) has recently

worked as Production Manager for the UK tour of Stepping Out Michael Brett (BA A 08) is puppeteering in the West

End transfer of War Horse Natasha Coccia (MA CA 04) is now Head of Drama at The Bridge Academy, Hackney

Canavan Connolly (MA CA 06) has spent nine months touring Tie in Spain and has also performed at the Edinburgh

Fringe Festival Giles Cooper (BA A 03) appeared in Dreams of Violence at the Soho Theatre, London Paul Curran (MA

CA 04) has appeared as Biff Loman in Death of a Salesman at The Theatre, Chipping Norton and The Bridge House

Theatre, Warwick. Paul is currently reading the part of Marshall Latham in The Archers on BBC Radio 4 Peter

Czajkowski (PGCE D 04) is teaching drama at Park View Academy, London Catherine Donald (BA TP 04) recently

completed a Graduate Teacher Programme Course in Norfolk and has taken up a position as Drama Teacher at King

Edward VII School in Kings Lynn John Eastman (MA DE 07) is currently working as a tutor at Brunel University as well

as Course Coordinator for Foundation Acting and Short Courses at Arts Educational, London. John is also on the Board

of the Icarus Theatre, and continues to do voiceovers for film, television, and commercials Rose Eastaugh (BA DATE

06) works as a Participation Worker for a children’s rights team and is about to undertake an MA in Human Rights

Julian Felice (PGCE 05) has returned home to Gibraltar, having spent three years working at Brompton College in

Gillingham. He is now Head of Drama at Bayside Comprehensive School Luzita Fereday (MA AT 07) has taught a

Shakespeare Masterclass at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and directed A Midsummer Night’s

Dream for the WA Youth Theatre Company Kate Flanaghan (BA TP 07) is costume designer/maker for Austen’s

Women for Theatre Tours International Pete Freeman (MA DMT 08) is a Project Manager at a primary school in Putney

and a Drama Therapist for young people with Aspergers at Stop Gap in Watford, London Anna Friend (nee Jackson)

(PGCE 03) founded a youth theatre company in Wells, Somerset Lili Gesler (PGDip 03) played Esther in Ben Hur Live at

the World Premier in London O2 Arena during September 2009 Christina Gutekunst (MA V 00) is head of Voice at

the East 15 Acting School, London Cath Hammond (nee Woolfson) (PGCE 05) is teaching drama and performing arts

at Farnborough Sixth Form College Neil Harris (MA MT 08) appeared in a number a advertising campaigns and is

currently co-writing a musical theatre production for 2011 Jennifer Haskew (BA DATE 06) is a Drama Teacher at

Cardinal Heenan School in Liverpool and is writing a play with the Everyman Theatre Kate Hunter (BA DATE 06) is

Community Play Officer at Northumberland County Council Kate Jales (BATP 06) is currently working for Sky TV and

has also been cast for a lead role in The Marvelous Land of Oz by Frank. L. Baum Giulia James (MA PS 04) showcased

Three Tall Women at the Lilian Baylis Theatre, London, and is preparing her next performance for Il Circolo Robert

Jefferson Hall (BA A 06) appeared as Robert Martin in the BBC Adaptation of Emma Jocelyn Keates (BA DE 03) is

teaching drama and theatre studies at Highgate Wood School, North London Alex Kerr (PGCE 08) is a Drama Teacher

at James Allen’s Girls School in Dulwich Leonie Kubigsteltig (MA MS 06) is Artistic Director on the RAC tour of Days

of Significance Dan Large (BA TP 08) and Alex Stone (BA TP 06) have been involved in a production called A Little

Neck, a site-specific work commissioned from Goat & Monkey for Hampton Court Palace Gill Lamden (BEd SD 88) is

currently studying for an MA in Performance at Queen Mary University, London Sally Luff (MA ATP 05) set up and runs

the Milton Keynes Theatre Playwriting Group and is directing and co-producing a short film called Small Change

Amy Manson (BA A 06) is playing Lizzie Siddal in the BBC’s period drama series Desperate Romantics Hari Marini’s

(BA A 08) site-specific group PartSuspended performed their show Un-Re Strict-ed as part of the Arcola Create 09

Dance and Physical Theatre Festival and previously appeared at Camden People’s Theatre as part of Scenepool

To keep this page up to date, we’re dependent on your contributions. Please keep telling us what you’re up to, even if it isn't in the profession you trained in, by filling in the enclosed alumni form or emailing us at [email protected], or calling on +44 (0)20 7449 1628.

To keep this page up to date, we’re dependent on your contributions. Please keep telling us what you’re up to, even if it isn't in the profession you trained in, by filling in the enclosed alumni form or emailing us at [email protected], or calling on +44 (0)20 7449 1628.


Kate Marsden (MA CA 07) appeared in two commercials, supported a children’s roadshow touring Wales and

continues to be a children’s presenter for Espresso Education Andrew Mathys (MA AMT 06) performed in Die Tote

Stadt at the Royal Opera House and worked on three new plays at The Theatre, Chipping Norton. Andrew is also

performing in James and the Giant Peach at the Polka Theatre until February 2010 Kimberly Matthews (BA DATE 08) is

a Drama Teacher at a secondary school in London Douglas McIntyre (BA TP 03) is working as Sound Engineer for Dirty

Dancing in London’s West End Marcio Mello (MA CA 05) is Assistant Head of the Physical Theatre course at East 15

Acting School, London Aoife Mulholland (MA MT 06) recently finished playing Roxie Hart in Chicago and will be

performing in Legally Blonde from December 2009 Anna Myers (BA DATE 08) has been working as an Education

Officer at the Tricycle Theatre, London Demelza Nelson (PGCE D 03) is Head of Performing Arts at Kings International

College in Camberley, Surrey Linzi Nimmo (MA AMT 06) has worked in rep shows for a year and also played leads in

touring panto for two consecutive years and toured with TIE Productions. Currently, she is teaching music and drama at

Stagecoach, Swansea Noelle O’Donoghue (BA DATE 06) is Head of Learning at Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh Emma

Ogden (BA TP 08) is working as a PA for the Managing Director of Inlite, a commercial lighting company, in Sydney,

Australia Karla Olivares (BA A 07) moved back to Mexico after graduation and will be appearing as the lead role in the

film Crack Maurice Ord (MA DMT 07) is currently working as a freelance Drama Therapist for Lambeth Social Services

and as a Drama Teacher at Westminster School of Performing Arts, London Lee Jun Yu Phoebe (MA ATP 06) is currently

teaching English and drama in a school in Hong Kong Andy Purves (MA ATP) was on tour with Spymonkey during

2009. In January 2010 he will be making a new piece called Babel, with Rob Tannion and Liam Steel’s company Stan

Won’t Dance. In March he will be in Australia at the Sydney Theatre Company with Frantic Assembly in Stockholm by

Bryony Lavery Adrienne Quartly (MA ATP 03) designed the soundscape for the production of The Fastest Clock in the

Universe by Philip Ridley which was performed at the Hampstead Theatre in October 2009 Emma Ritchie (nee Wilson)

(DE 99) is Recycling Bus Manager for Cambridgeshire County Council, using drama and the arts to teach environmental

and sustainability issues George Sacinis (MA ATP 03) is Artistic Director of the performance group Ohi Paizoume,

specialising in site-specific theatre, dance and visual art performances in Greece Seth Sinclair (BA A 07) recently

appeared as Belvile in the cast of The Rover by Aphra Behn at the Southwark Playhouse, London Dan Skili (PGDip DMT

00) is directing Waking the Taste Buds, acting in an advert for Bornshorts Film Festival and performing with the Playback

Theatre Group Jemma Stilwell (BA DATE 07) recently passed the Graduate Teachers Programme after working in Hong

Kong for a year. She will now be taking up a position at Tring School, Hertfordshire, as a Drama Teacher Hayley Streeter

(PGCE 08) recently completed her NQT year at De Stafford School in Surrey and is now KS4 Coordinator Tom Stuart (BA

A 02) has been performing at The Globe, playing Paris in Romeo and Juliet and will be going on a tour of America with

The Globe’s production of Love’s Labour Lost Jodie Taibi (BA A 07) appeared in the ITV1 comedy drama Monday,

Monday Ben Tait (BA DE 01) has completed his PhD in Performance Research Diego Terracciani (PGCE 05) is a Media

Teacher at Holy Cross School, Surrey Rebecca Treverton (BA DATE 07) is Cover Supervisor at The Compton School,

London Kelly Verard (PGCE 05) is now Head of Drama at Riddlesdown High School, Surrey.

A = Acting AC SD = Advanced Certificate in Speech and Drama AD SD = Advanced Diploma Stage Design AD VS = Advanced Certificate in Voice Studies AMT = Acting Musical Theatre ATP = Advanced Theatre Practice B Ed. DSL = B Ed. Hons. Speech and Drama B Ed. SD = B Ed. Stage Design BA A = BA Acting BA AMT = BA Acting Musical Theatre BA DE = BA (Hons) Drama and Education BA DATE = BA Drama, Applied Theatre and Education BA TP = BA (Hons) Theatre Practice BA TP P = BA (Hons) Theatre Practice Puppetry BA TS = BA (Hons) Theatre Studies BTEC FAD = Diploma in Foundation Art and Design DE = Drama Education Dip AMT= Diploma Acting Musical Theatre Dip. DA = Teaching Course Dip. ST = Diploma Speech Therapy DMT = Post Graduate Diploma Drama and Movement Therapy MA Afs = MA Acting for Screen MA AMT = MA Acting Musical Theatre MA AT = MA Applied Theatre and Drama Education MA ATP = MA Advanced Theatre Practice MA AT DE = MA Applied Theatre Drama Education MA CA = MA Classical Acting MA DMT = MA Drama and Movement Therapy(Sesame) MA MS = MA Movement Studies MA PS = MA Performance Studies MA V = MA Voice MA VS = MA Voice Studies MA WSBM = MA Writing for Stage and Broadcast Media MVT T = MA Sesame PGCED = PGCE Drama PGCL = PG Certificate in Learning PGCLTHE = Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education PGDip ATP = Post graduate Diploma in Advanced Theatre Practice PGDip DMT = Post graduate Diploma Drama and Music Therapy PGDVS = Post Graduate Diploma Voice Studies S = Stage SLT = Speech Language Therapy SM = Stage Management ST = Speech Therapy T = Teaching Tech = Technical W = Wardrobe

The Central school of speech and Drama, embassy Theatre, eton avenue, London nw3 3Hy. Tel +44 (0)20 7722 8183 Fax +44 (0)20 7722 4132 www.cssd.ac.uk alumni Office: Tel +44 (0)20 7449 1628 email [email protected]

This newsletter is written for alumni using information from alumni. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the staff or the governors of The Central school of speech and Drama. This newsletter is printed on

environmentally friendly paper from managed sustainable forests. The Central school of speech and Drama is registered as a Company Limited by Guarantee, with exempt charitable status, in england and wales under

Company no. 203645. its registered office is as above. VaT no. GB 672 6982 88.

AcknowledgementsWith thanks to all featured alumni and photographers and to the following Central staff for their contributions towards this newsletter: Anna Terry, Anne Walsh, Ayse Tashkiran, Bruce Wooding, Caitlin Adams, Caroline Townsend, Catherine Alexander, Cariad Astles, Caroline Townsend, Gavin Henderson, Greg Duke, Gregg Fisher, Gail Hunt, James Prince, Jessica Cargill Thompson, Jodie Myers, Katerina Moraitis, Laura Douglas, Lynne Kendrick, Meg Ryan, Nick Moran, Nick Wood, Richard Harrison and Sally Mackey, Designed by: Nimbus. Printed by: Disc to Print. Photographs: All credits (where provided) have been included in the newsletter.


Alumna Sue Collen (MA VS 08) kindly wrote to us with the following memoriam.

The sudden death of our colleague and friend Trish Reading in July 2009 impacted deeply upon MA Voice Studies 2008 graduates. Those of us who had a chance to collaborate with her intimately during the year found ourselves challenged, supported and inspired by Trish’s vibrant energy, her intense commitment and her irreverent sense of humour. Recollections of her comradeship and generosity as she used her considerable IT skills to enable those of us less secure, sit alongside memories of an awesome demonstration of a full-blooded scream for the postgraduate conference!

These reminiscences from Rebecca Root (MAVS 08) eloquently speak for all of us who grew to love her. She is deeply missed.

I was fortunate to be a friend and colleague of Trish. As well as being close classroom pals, we were part of the same book club in the first and second terms, at a time when the learning curve was still very steep. I was privileged to share some wonderful conversations about voice and speech, theatre and acting with her in our meetings.

Trish was passionate and possessed a fierce sense of intellectual engagement with the subject. A voracious reader (perhaps her surname inspired her), if someone in the group hadn’t got all the way through a chapter, you could bet your bottom dollar that Trish had – and she would generously fill in the gaps for us.

Trish was an avid theatre-goer, making the most of her year in London to see most of what the West End and Stratford-upon-Avon had to offer. Later, we would (perhaps nerdishly) compare notes on the company’s voice usage, as well as the performances. These strong productions were nevertheless not beyond the reach of Trish’s theatrical insightfulness.

Trish was funny as well as brainy. Her dry sense of humour was never out of place in London. She had a wonderful ability to laugh at herself and her compatriots, seeing the lighter side of many issues that arose not only on the course but in world affairs too.

My last meeting with Trish was on 4th July 2008, after the taught elements of MAVS had been completed. The night before she left the UK to return to the States, a group of us met to bid her bon voyage. One of my brightest memories of that Independence Day evening, tempered as it was with poignant happiness, was taking a photo of Trish on the front steps at Central, beaming with joy finally to be on her way home after a year away.

We kept in touch; and it was characteristic of Trish that she continued sharing her extensive knowledge and opinion via email in the months before her death.

I learnt much from this powerful and extraordinary woman, and miss her vibrant presence hugely, as I know do many.

In order for us to communicate effectively with you about upcoming events, reunions, work opportunities and much more it is vital for us to hold your up-to-date contact records (in particular email which helps us to keep costs down). Please find the time to send the alumni team a quick email – there is an automated page created for you at www.cssd.ac.uk which you can access by clicking the alumni link at the top. Other ways to contact us are:

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: +44 (0)20 7449 1628

By post: Alumni office, The Central School of Speech and Drama, Embassy Theatre, Eton Avenue, London NW3 3HY, UK

Website: www.cssd.ac.uk (click the ‘Alumni’ tab)Update your contact details using our automated forms on the website.

Facebook: To find us search groups for “CSSD Alumni News – official site”. The Facebook group is designed to let you network with other alumni. We also use it to post news about jobs, events and other items.

Thanks from the alumni team Caroline Clark and Zoe Haddock.

in memoriam – Trish reading (mAvs 08)

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ISSUE 14 January 2010 The Alumni Newsletter...Queen of Lilliput in Gulliver’s Travels, Fox’s upcoming big budget adventure comedy starring Jack Black as the free-spirited travel