ISSUE
06
AUTUMN
this issue
Graduate news P.2 Routes at the Royal Court P.4 Graduate Features P.5-7 Postgraduate Point of View P.8-9
QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER KEEPING YOU UP-TO-DATE WITH ALL THAT IS ALRA
Upcoming shows P.10-11 The Graduate Gazette P.12 It’s Behind You! P.13 Amrita Acharia P.16
Industry Insight: Sharkey and Trigg Theatrical Agents
Meeting an Agent: Are you prepared? Pick up Contacts and turn to the Agents section. You will be confronted by dozens… hundreds… of them. The Personal Managers Association alone has over 150 member agencies. For a drama student, it’s a daunting prospect; how do I choose the agency that’s right for me? How do I prepare for that vital first meeting? You will notice that many agencies have names in their titles… they are named after the people who founded them. That is because it is such a personalised business. With the exception of the very biggest, the individual agents are the company. So remember, when meeting an agent for the first time, that you are seeing an individual; a person that you will have to like, trust, respect and, hopefully, stay with for years to come. It’s like a blind date, but try to see beyond the suit, the size of the desk and the flashy client list and judge the person. Cont’d on back page
What we’ve been up to recently:
Very soon the whizz, bang and wheee of fireworks will be heard over ALRA Towers as we embrace that nipping Autumnal air and the students huddle that little bit closer together in the courtyard. Autumn term is upon us and it is packed full of exciting projects, vibrant shows, opportunities and new connections. First up we had performances of The Gut Girls at ALRA North, directed by Joyce Branagh which boasted blood, guts and a whole load of gore, just in time for Halloween. The bewitching Grimm Tales in the South, directed by Lucy Bradley and following that, the beguiling Arabian Nights directed by Titania Krimpas. Tickets to all of our shows can be bought online at www.alra.co.uk in the ‘What’s On’ section. Remember, if you are a graduate you can get free tickets for our shows on a Friday night through Alumnights. Email hannah.bulgin@alra.co.uk for more details. The frightening fact is that Christmas is just nine weeks away; there I said it. But here at ALRA we embrace the festive spirit, the office will soon be glinting with threadbare tinsel and flashing lights. I can unveil that for the first time in ALRA history we will be holding a Christmas show! Yes, our very own ALRA North third year students will be weaving the spell-binding tale of the Jungle Book, directed by Dee Evans.
The third years and Postgraduate actors were put through their paces with their Professional Practice Auditions; which sees them perform two monologues to a panel of industry experts. These featured, John Markham from the Markham Agency, Michael Cronin from QTalent, Sara Sedhev from Core MGMT, Jess Jones from Global Artists and Sally Sheridan from Amber Management. We are always so thankful to the cream of the crop from the industry who give their time to our talented students. Our new students that joined us in September are just about finding their feet after an action packed Induction Week. As the new students begin to wear out their once brand new yoga mats we have opened up our applications for 2014 entry, Open Days and auditions are filling up by the second. Well, we think that’s enough for us to be getting along with for now so before we put our feet up by the log fire and take a sip of our cocoa we wish you a haunting Halloween, a fiery Bonfire Night and a Fantastic Festive Season. Stay sparkling,
Article: Maddy Anholt Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2013 recap "I heard a rumour that Cadbury is bringing out an oriental chocolate bar. Could be a Chinese Wispa." That right there was the funniest joke of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2013, coined by Rob Auton. He, alongside John Robins, Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag and Max and Ivan were my stand out favourites. This Edinburgh Fringe was the year of the one-woman show, and no, I’m not just saying that because I took my one-woman show, Maddy’s Many Mouths up there, it really was.
Graduate news: news: Graduate A brief selection of notable graduate news since the last edition...
This was my first Fringe and boy, was it an experience. It’s fair to say I fell to my lowest lows but also revelled in my highest highs. It was mighty tough: it broke me down, it built me back up and in the end I really, really didn’t want to leave. A bit like training at ALRA! I could never have predicted what performing at the Fringe would be like, especially having never been and deciding to go only with my phenomenally talented producer, Lauren Cameron (SMTT ‘12) by my side. I honestly don’t know what I would have done without her; she propped me up at 8am in the Participant’s Centre when we’d had 3 hours sleep and had to staple 600 reviews onto flyers, she walked 500 miles up and down Edinburgh flyering and she teched and produced a fantastic show. 4 gallons of rosé wine, 37 baguettes from the Baguette Express (it’s like the Starlight Express minus the train and add some ham), 49 hours of laughter and tears, five 4* reviews, one 5* review, some sold out shows and that was my Fringe. On the first night I swore I’d never return, in fact I sat in the Edinburgh University student Halls desperately trying to get Wi-Fi to look for train tickets to go back to London. The day after our first review came out:
"...Nothing short of brilliant... an unmissable piece of comedy… an absolute must- see..." and things began to look up, from that point on I didn’t look back. Would I go again next year? I’m just finishing the first draft of my script to hit Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2014. I’ll see you there; probably at the Baguette Express on Nicholson Street. Mine’s tuna and red pepper.
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Bridget Christie (right) (3Y ‘97) Took the Edinburgh Fringe Festival by storm this year with her show A Bic for Her, she won the Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award and is now transferring to the Soho Theatre. You can catch her Tue 5 Nov - Sat 7 Dec & Mon 6 - Sat 18 Jan, 9.30pm, Soho Theatre. ‘This hour announces her as one of the finest comedians around.’ ***** The Independent http://www.sohotheatre.com/ whats-on/bridget-christie-a-bic -for-her
Robert Lonsdale (3Y ‘08) I’m
sure you’ve all seen the lovely face of Rob staring out at you from posters and advertisements all over the underground, buses.. Well pretty much everywhere! We’re so pleased Rob is doing so brilliantly. He appears as Private Prewitt in Tim Rice’s hit new musical From Here to Eternity. Adapted from one of the greatest novels of the twentieth century, this gripping tale of illicit love and army life is a breath-taking, romantic and excitingly original show that is set to join the front rank of great musicals. The story is set on the Hawaiian island of Oahu in 1941, before and during the attack on Pearl Harbour. Lonsdale, who was described by Tim Rice on Saturday as "a young man with enormous talent", has recently appeared on stage in Brilliant Adventures at the Royal Court, A Life at the Finborough Theatre and Anna Christie (alongside Jude Law and Ruth Wilson) at the Donmar. info@alra.co.uk
Felix O’Brien (left) (3Y ‘11) The ever so brilliant Felix has been cast in Polka Theatre’s new autumn show The Planet and Stuff which will perform from 27th September – 26th October. The show is meant for anyone who has ever wanted to change the world and calls on inquisitive minds with big questions to ask! For more information and to book tickets please see: http:// www.polkatheatre.com/
Michael Lyle (right) and Stephen Lloyd (below) (both 3Y ‘08) Both Mikey and Steve, amongst a whole host of other exciting things, will be working on with Theatre Royal Stratford East on Home a bold and exciting new project that will see the creation of thirty bespoke new pieces of one person shows, made by thirty performance artists and performed in thirty homes across London. The performances are set to be performed simultaneously on Saturday 26th October and recorded live before being broadcast on Saturday 9th November, enabling audiences from around the world to see the work and be part of the conversation online. http://stratfordeast.com/home-theatre-uk
www.alra.co.uk
@ALRADrama
Student Spotlight: Felicity Elder Felicity Elder is studying on our Postgraduate acting course in the North. We chatted to her about the course and her forthcoming graduation...
Hi Felicity, how have you found being on the Postgraduate acting course at ALRA North? Hard work and definitely not for the faint hearted but completely brilliant! I initially panicked at being thrown into my first project with 14 other students of all different ages and backgrounds, but it has turned out to be such a fantastic year, and I have made some friends for life. The opportunities presented to me during the course, not only within the school but outside as well ha ve been brilliant. The course has such varied lessons from analysis of scripts to dancing the Charleston, that you are always kept (quite literally!) on your toes. The tutors are incredibly supportive, especially as the course can become quite challenging, whether that is learning lines for a play, creating your own radio/TV project or creating a written assignment, so it is nice to have a ‘drama-school family’ to help push you in order to succeed and become independent of your own studies. I do think it is important that at some point you have to realise that in order to get what you want, you need to work at it, and the sooner you realise that, the sooner it will happen for you. Your graduation is nearly upon you! Do you think the course has equipped you with the tools and skills you’ll need to make it as a professional actor? Absolutely, the one key thing I have learnt is how to behave professionally within a rehearsal process. Of course, I would like to think I have natural patience, maturity and sensibility, however, a hour in a room with your friends with a broom and being told to ‘create’ can leave you decreasing your age back to a toddler! Having had the opportunity to work with outside directors, has given us insight into their methods and etiquette of acting, which has allowed us to increase our knowledge of different skills and tools you need to put into practice. Not only this, but the classes on movement, voice and acting technique have all helped further increase my awareness to develop me as an actor. I now have a structured warm-up that I do every day, knowledge of what to do in ‘dreaded’ auditions, and I feel completely safe and ready to embark on my next adventure as a professional actor. Can you give us one highlight from your time with us? My highlight would definitely have to be my most recent performance of Finn Kennedy’s, How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found in which I played the lead role of Charlie/Adam. It was beyond anything I have ever done and left me completely exhilarated and exhausted! Only having four weeks to rehearse such a challenging script and such an intense character seemed terrifying and I was worried I wouldn’t be able to portray the extreme character that is Charlie. However, our director, Liz Postlethwaite, did not let my fears stand in the way, and after putting in such a lot of work myself, I became more focused and determined in rehearsals and outside than I could ever imagine to push myself to my absolute limits. To be able to breakdown both physically and mentally on stage every night made me realise how much work you have to put in to be able to get to this stage, but also in a way that is safe and healthy for the actor. Can you tell us about one tutor/producer/director in particular that has been really valuable to you and why? I don’t think I can pick out one individual person that has been valuable to my process and training as everyone I have met who has taught or directed me has given me insightful knowledge that will help me in the future. All the staff and directors have different backgrounds, so it has been useful to learn from them and be able to seek guidance from those who are also professional actors themselves. You trained at ALRA North, are you planning on staying up that way or have you thought about moving elsewhere? I am a Northern girl, so of course I love being near my family, however I also adore London and would have no problem moving down there…except the issue of money. It will definitely depend on where the work is. I think as an actor you have to be ready to go where the work is providing you can do that. You need to not be tied down to anything so you do appear to be the most accessible person anyone can be. Can you tell us a bit about your background and why you chose the PG Course at ALRA North? I attended Leeds University studying Theatre and Performance and have always wanted to go to drama school, and was positive I would train in London. I auditioned for several drama schools but it was only the ALRA audition that left me feeling completely exhilarated and even more importantly, feeling accepted and allowed to be unique. The audition process felt very relaxed and fun…. I thought auditions were never fun! After my acceptance letter, I initially was accepted into the ALRA South, but after much deliberation, as I live in the north, it made sense to stay up here. What are your hopes and ambitions when you leave? Do you have a dream role? In an ideal world, someone will snap me up and I will be performing professionally as soon as I leave…however, on a more realistic note, I just can’t wait to begin….whatever that may mean! I would love to move down to London at some point, and I hope to one day perform in somewhere incredible like The National, but for now, I am ready to begin anything. A dream role would be for me to either play Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar (ridiculous as it is always played by a man..!) Or I would love to play one of the big lady characters i.e – Lady Macbeth or Catherine in The Taming of the Shrew. Finally, do you have any advice for people who are just applying now for ALRA? Do it, absolutely just go for it because you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Throw yourself in one hundred per cent and aim high, because you will only achieve great things for yourself. Never say no, and don’t be afraid… I have learnt to embrace fear and tackle any challenge that may lie ahead.
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Graduates: R a c h e l D e - l a h a y & Fiston Barek Sometimes in this world people are blessed with the gift of storytelling. It’s something we try to impart in our students at ALRA throughout the progression of their course, but sometimes people are born with it. Now, that may sound clichéd but it’s the thought that stuck in my head after Hannah, Clive and I went to see 2007 graduate Rachel De-lahay’s ‘Routes’ at the Royal Court, Jerwood Theatre. A relatively small space for a big production. Not in cast or set but in ideas. De-lahay maps out 6 lives bought together by one eternal value: The need for a stable home. The stage is an unassuming square with two chairs, evoking a boxing ring and Fiston Barek and Calvin Demba what we are about to see certainly is a fight of sorts, but one I wanted all sides to win. De-lahay cast 2009 graduate, Fiston Barek as the seemingly nonchalant Bashir, a savvy, endearing teenager who knows nothing but his East London childhood. He plays against Calvin Demba who gives us Kola, an irritatingly fantastic actor who has more spark and talent than you can shake a stick at... And who hasn’t trained at all. In fact, chatting in the bar with him afterwards he tells us this was his first professional job, he seemed unaware of just how big this was, but that was actually quite refreshing. Bashir has been caught up in a fight and is taken to an Immigration Centre where it becomes clear he will never walk the grey streets of London again, born to Somali parents he has no right to remain. There is no guttural cry, no outward emotion just one devastating moment that, for me, made the play: a desperate embrace as the two boys, Bashir and Kola are torn apart. Barek has an ability to do very little yet draw you into his world completely; with the support of De-lahay’s lyrical words he plummets you headfirst into his life without family and without a home. It felt like I had been watching 70 minutes of Comic Relief pleas, but in a good way. I felt humbled and, above all, lucky. The paradoxical relationship that Bashir has with his Immigration worker, Anka (Anamaria Marinca) is bittersweet, he gives her a chain given to him by his mother, it’s clear he is falling head over heels for her, or perhaps it’s for her seemingly ‘normal’ life. The simplicity of this gift-giving is beautiful, it’s all he has and he is willing to give it away so quickly. The subject matter couldn’t be more current, with the refugee crisis in Syria it’s something we should all be reflecting on, if not actioning in whatever way we can. Overall I think it’s fair to say this wasn’t your run of the mill show, it was a candid, affecting look through eyes that we should look through more often. A minesweeper production. Maddy Anholt
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Maria Louis graduated from the Three Year Acting course in the South last year. She was signed by John Markham at the Markham Agency from the showcase and has been keeping herself very busy ever since. We grabbed her for a chat, just after she got some very exciting news... Hi Maria, thanks so much for chatting to us. So, how have you found life since graduating? Well the crazy ride of drama school definitely comes to a halt. You are so busy at ALRA, running to limber late, whilst writing logs, learning lines and trying to borrow character shoes one minute and the next you find yourself on the sofa after not getting that Eastenders cameo eating Ben and Jerry's straight from the tub. But having said that, I have had the most amazing year, met some incredible people and had some awesome opportunities. That's what I love about our job; we are constantly meeting new people. It's about making friends not networking in my opinion; I find forced 'contact-making' all a bit cringe and awkward.
Graduate: Maria Louis You have just been cast as Aldona in the forthcoming BBC 3 Sitcom People Just Do Nothing, how are you feeling about taking on this role? Yes, for the last few Fridays I've spent my evenings at Rough Cut Television Studio reading the latest drafts of the sitcom with the team which includes Ash Atalla (the dude who produced The Office etc) he's awesome, it's a bit overwhelming but I got through it. My part is small but could potentially grow if the series does, however either way it's going to be so much fun, the cast and production team behind it are hilarious. My close friends and I are always laughing at my love of Polish vodka and food, Aldona is every obvious Polish clichĂŠ so I'll be mocking myself and getting paid. Winning. Have you got any advice to actors that are just starting out?
Enjoy every second. Say yes to everything. Keep busy.
Want us to feature you in the next issue? Drop us an email: info@alra.co.uk
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Sean Turner graduated from the three year course in the South in 2008, since then he has turned his hand to directing. We had a chat to him about the transition from acting to directing and what he hopes his future holds… Hi Sean, would you call yourself more of a director or a performer now? Or are you a multifaceted actor/ director? I describe myself as a Director, I knew that I had found the area of the theatre I was meant to stand in (so to speak) as soon as I directed my first play. I think I always knew I wanted to direct but when you’re nineteen it just doesn't seem like an option, at ALRA I found myself more fascinated with the machinations of how theatre is made than actually acting. Having said that, I was forced back on stage due to cast illness in my last production and it's a great buzz. You’re currently in rehearsal directing Twelfth Night which is going to be on at The Rose Theatre Bankside can you tell us a little about your journey to this and how it’s all going? Twelfth Night has been an incredible journey, I've been blessed with the most amazing ensemble including ALRA grads; Richard Fish (2005), Bryony Meredith (2013) Jon McHardy (2011) and Luke Adamson (2010) as Assistant Director. We spent the summer touring pub gardens and I'm honoured to have been invited to transfer it to The Rose. It is the archaeological site of London's oldest theatre and where Shakespeare himself put on many of his early plays. It is a bawdy, raucous handful of a production and I'm very proud of it. Since leaving ALRA what has been your most significant/ favourite production that you have directed or performed in to date? I'm very proud of all of my work, directing at the Soho Theatre is pretty special, and getting to direct on stage in front of a full house at the Theatre Royal Haymarket was a buzz. However, the play that holds a special place in my heart is called To The End of Love which I was lucky enough to direct at the Tristan Bates Theatre earlier this year (starring 2010 grad Darcy Vanhinsbergh) it’s just a beautiful piece of new writing, it really tested my abilities and the critics loved it which helps! Did you enjoy your time at ALRA and do you feel it equipped you with the tools you needed to step foot in the Big Wide World? Totally, I loved my time at ALRA and I wouldn't change it for the world. I truly believe ALRA breeds a great work ethic and puts out some unbelievably talented performers. I always cast ALRA graduates in my plays because I know exactly how much they are capable of and what a joy they are to have in the rehearsal room. For me the sheer range of practitioners I was able to work with and learn from was incredible. Is there a production you dream of directing? I've always wanted to take on Marat / Sade - I won't say the full title as it's nearly as long as the play! It's an epic set inside a mental institute. The patients are putting on a play about the assassination of Jean-Paul Marat (a radical politician and catalyst for the French Revolution) and as is if that wasn't complicated enough their director is the Marquis De Sade - the man after whom Sadism is named! It is a bloody and unrelenting depiction of class struggle and as an actor the challenges are even more interesting (playing a mental patient that is playing a part!) Is there anything you’ve seen recently that’s really got you excited? Tough question, there's so much exciting work going on at the minute, it really does feel as though the scene is stronger than ever. I saw Rachel De-lahay's (Grad 2007) new play Routes at the Royal Court last week, that was pretty smashing. The key is to see as much as you can and it needn't be too expensive, the fringe is bursting with shows for under a tenner that will knock your socks off, be impulsive and watch Twitter and see what's buzzing. Finally, can you give any tips to actors just starting the application process as to what awaits them? Make the most of your time there, seriously. I wasted a lot of my first year and as time goes by you come to regret it. If your going to go for drink after college make sure you try and drag one of your tutors along. Make the most of being in the greatest theatrical city in the world, immerse yourself and enjoy, it will pass in the blink of an eye.
Graduate: Sean Turner
For more info on Sean's work or to get in touch - www.seanturnerdirector.com Permanently Bard's Twelfth Night is on at the Rose Theatre Bankside November 5th - 30th @ 7.30pm Tickets are just £8 when booked in advance from http://www.wegottickets.com/f/6599
Megan McCormick only graduated three years ago but has really made her mark on the industry since then. We had a chat with her just after she’d finished filming with some Hollywood greats…
Graduate: Megan McCormick Hi Meg, you’ve been flying since you graduated in 2010, one of your first professional jobs was the feature film Love Bite can you tell us a little bit about that? Absolutely. Love Bite was an incredible first job to have. It's a "horror-sex-comedy" set in the fictional town of Rainmouth-on-sea and was directed by BAFTA award-winning Andy De Emonny. I played Mary, a young girl who has the misfortune to be eaten by the werewolf that happens to be on the loose feasting on virgins! I think the main thing about this job was that I realised how lucky we are with our training at ALRA in acting for screen. Knowing what everyone on a film set does and what's going on around you technically is really important. People don't really care if it's your first job or your thirty-sixth, once you've got it, it's yours and you have to be professional and get the work done, and I think ALRA sets you up really well for that. You’re also a keen writer, your debut script Dorothy and the Scarecrow was a real success, how did you decide writing was the way to jumpstart your career and how did you find the process of writing, performing and producing your own work? You only have to look at people like Ricky Gervais, Miranda Hart, Lena Dunham or even closer to home, Papatango, Maddy Anholt, Black Coffee Theatre, who have all had such success with writing or producing their stuff. (Ah shucks, thanks for that!) Being an actor starting out is hard at the best of times, and you can often feel like you have very little control. Producing something yourself is scary and stressful and a lot of graft but the feeling of making your own work and seeing people respond to it is really wonderful. It also engaged a love for writing that I didn't know I had. Writing is a great antidote to being in between jobs. From Dorothy I have had some of my more recent writing produced by Lonesome Schoolboy Productions and that was really cool because I literally gave them the play and then turned up on the night to watch it. It was a great feeling to hear such a positive response from the audience and to see how others interpreted what I had written. I would love to do more of this as my career progresses. You’ve recently signed with Global Artists, how are you finding them? Global are fantastic and my agent works really hard for me - finding the right agent is imperative. We were really excited to hear you have just finished filming London Fields, a feature film adaptation of Martin Amis’ novel with Mathew Cullen directing and cinematography by Guillermo Navarro. You play Jim Sturgess' character's girlfriend. Can you tell us some more about that? Again this was a brilliant project to be involved in. I'm playing seventeenyear-old Debbee Kensit who goes out with Keith (Sturgess). I loved the script straight away and read the book before my first audition. Because the book is so long a lot has been scaled down to fit into the film so Debbee doesn't feature as much in the film as in the book, but Martin Amis' description of her from the novel really helped me to create the character and her back story - particularly the relationship with Keith. I like to be on set as much as I can when filming anything, even if it's not my scene or I'm not being used. I think it's really important to learn as much as you can by watching and talking to as many people as you can. Ask for a set Megan McCormick of cans and sit by that monitor, watch how different people work and the processes that they go through. Working on London Fields was great for this, I was able to learn from everybody. What was it like playing opposite the likes of Amber Heard, BIlly Bob Thornton and Jim Sturgess? Everybody was lovely, cast and crew alike. It must be hard to keep your feet on the floor after a job like that, how are you feeling now filming is complete? I'm feeling really good, can't wait for the next challenge - whatever that may be! Finally, what advice can you give to actors wanting to start on the journey you started in 2007 when you joined ALRA? Work as hard as you possibly can and be nice. Find your casting niche and don't fight it, exploit it as much as you possibly can - especially when starting out. Find things you love to do and make time for these too, having character and personality is what makes you stand out and is all stuff you can probably add to your CV. I think that's all the advice I have...Work hard. Be nice. Megan will be performing at Monologue Slam on 4th November at Theatre Royal, Stratford East
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OSTGRADUATE’s
Claire Cartwright graduated from ALRA’s Postgraduate Acting course in 2010 and since then has been a busy bee, working in both theatre and film. Most recently she has appeared in the play Thark, playing the part of Kitty Stratton. I caught up with her to find out about life after ALRA…
OINT OF VIEW
– Hi Claire thanks so much for coming in. So tell me what it has been like for you after graduating from ALRA. Do you feel like your time here equipped for what lay ahead? Well I have been very lucky; I’m quite a jammy person and managed to get an agent during the preview of our Showcase. I left ALRA and worked in lots of bits and pieces, including a commercial and a two hander at the Unicorn Theatre. What is great about ALRA is not only do you receive training in voice, movement and text but they are really good at giving you an industry training as well. They tell you how hard it is going to be and equip you for that. Working is the easy bit and what’s important is not fully relying on your agent. I don’t think that all drama schools equip you for that. I felt really strong coming out of ALRA and that I was ready to work really hard.
– And was most of your work found by your agent? The better paid work was found by my agent but I found lots of other bits and pieces. When you first come out of drama school you are still learning, you’re being paid but you are still learning and at times you don’t know what you are doing. – How long would you say that it takes for that to wear off? In certain cases I felt that I deserved to be there and in others I didn’t. I sort of hoped that no-one would find me out! I have spoken to actors who are triple my age and still feel the same and I think that this is because it’s acting and because it’s something you love so much and have always wanted to do. ALRA really provide you with that toolbox of skills which you either take or leave. Then you go in to the big wide world and you learn from that too. One of my fist jobs was on a show called The Pitman Painters which was a really big show and I was the understudy to the two female characters. This was a six month tour and then another five months in the West End. It was a huge learning curve for me, watching these experienced actors, and at times it was really hard. I have had times where I haven’t been working which have been really tough and times when I have been working and it really comes in swathes. – Have you got work that you can lean back on when it’s quiet? Yes I do tutoring and I would recommend it to any actor because it’s completely flexible and you get to choose your hours. I tutor English because that’s what I did my degree in. The pay is really good and it makes you use your brain which keeps you stimulated. Those are the key elements of working when you’re not acting; It’s not going to work if you’re working in an area that you don’t enjoy and that doesn’t have much flexibility. Often when you have to do eight hour shifts then you don’t feel like an actor and your acting feels like a hobby.
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So really it’s what works for you. I feel I need to spend all of my time acting and a little bit of time doing the job that will earn me money. For me it’s really important that I view myself primarily as an actor. – So when you did your degree in English Literature had you always known that you wanted to go in to Acting? Yes, the idea had always been to go to University and get a degree in English Literature and then go to Drama School. When I was about 16, the idea was to go straight to Drama School and then I spoke to a few people and they said, take it slowly - you might need a backup and it’s important to bring lots of life experience to your training, rather than going straight there. Being able to expand my reading consciousness and use it as different reference points in my acting really helped me and I feel I came with a lot more in my arsenal. – You have just appeared as Kitty in Thark. How was that? It was great! You know every job is different, some are amazing for your career but tough, some you get there and people don’t get on and it can be quite negative from start to finish and then others, from the first audition to the last minute are a joy – this was an absolute joy! All of the people involved in the show from the creatives to the cast, the writing, the audiences, the theatre it was in, the rehearsal space which was at the Jerwood. It was absolutely everything. When I did the Pitman Painters which was produced by Bill Kenwright, one of his producers was a lady called Sarah Loader and she had been very sweet to me and throughout my auditions and since then has sort of scooped me in. She has set up her own theatre company called ‘Snap Dragon’ and she has always had me in mind for different projects which she runs with a fantastic Director called Eleanor Road. – So do you think that’s important for an actor to have a mentor, someone to look up to and be guided by? Absolutely, and as many as you can have the better. Simone Reynolds who directed our Showcase, I had worked with her before doing a workshop and from that moment on she had been incredibly helpful towards me and has always been an amazing mentor. I think you need to have mentors, people you can go to for advice, actors and directors. You know, it sounds horrendous and quite often feels horrendous but the nature of the job is networking. People always work with people again if it has gone well. They will bring you in every time. All the work I have got is because I have worked with someone before or been seen in something, it’s all inter connected and the more you work the smaller the world becomes because suddenly you meet someone who says ‘oh I know so and so’ and it is such a saturated market. Be professional at all times and you will continue working. –What advice would you give to our current PG’s who will be graduating in December? When you are in your final term at ALRA, it is really difficult to take a deep breath and see the larger picture. I remember when you’re in that last bit, you are terrified, you are so on the cusp of your professional career which could be anything, it could be as big as you want it to be but there are certain elements that need to align. Make sure you really put yourself out there, work as a team and be helpful to other actors, because believe me it comes around.
Want us to feature you in the next issue? Drop us an email: info@alra.co.uk
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OSTGRADUATE’s
OINT OF VIEW
Micha graduated from ALRA in December 2011. In 2012 she devised a children’s show with fellow ALRA grads Alice Sillett and Lauren Cameron. Whale Tale was a two-hander involving puppetry and storytelling that the team took to the Edinburgh Fringe 2012. According to the Broadway Baby review, Whale Tale was “...raising the bar of children’s theatre…”. Other credits include comedy one-woman show Supersonic Shelly (Camden Head, 2012), new writing Quarrel by Gary Mepsted (Brighton, 2012), a short film adaptation of a Roald Dahl tale, Lamb to the Slaughter by director Elena Rapondzhieva (Coventry, 2012) and a series of poetry films with writer Fiamma Alma (2013). Micha is also trying to build up her profile as a voice artist. Recent voice credits include mobile running app Zombies, Run! (2013), TVC for Sew&Stitch Magazine (2013), ADR in feature film A Long Way Down (2013), narrator for Christies online art films (2012) and Melani in children’s app Mimi-Good & Bibi-Bad (2012). To continue training, she has done a devising workshop with Frantic Assembly, a clown workshop with Peta Lily and is currently on the Rose PLUS Shakespeare programme at the Rose Theatre Kingston, working with directors like Lotte Wakeham and Ciaran McConville. Micha has also started to experiment with writing. Her latest project, Woman in the Dunes, is an adaptation of a 1960s Japanese novel. She will Micha and 2011 PG grad Alice Sillett be directing its first run at Theatre503 in January 2014. The production will involve ALRA’s Lauren Cameron and Felix O’Brien too. Woman in the Dunes is a surreal tale about a man who finds himself trapped in a deep pit of sand alongside a mysterious woman. He is forced to dig to survive. We witness his efforts to escape, his struggle to make sense of his predicament and his increasingly fluid sense of self. Micha is crossing fingers that she will see lots of friendly ALRA faces in the Theatre503 audience in January to support her first directing venture! Woman in the Dunes will be produced under the aegis of Kagami Theatre, a company Micha has established as a vehicle to showcase Japanese work in the UK.
Alice graduated one year ago from our Postgraduate Acting Course and I wanted to see what she had been up to and how her first year after Drama School has been. It was the day of my Manchester Showcase when I found out that I had been chosen to be a part of Northern Stage’s new theatre company North. For three months I worked alongside a group of emerging artistes and actors and created the show
The Man who thought the Moon would Fall out of the Sky. The whole experience was great! It was hard work and was like having extended training, but it really taught me a lot. It was great to make my own work and I learnt a lot about producing, putting in a bid, communicating with other actors and directors and networking with other theatre companies. The whole process really taught me how to self-function. The play performed at Northern Stage for three nights and we then went on to tour it to Latitude Festival, Bestival and Edinburgh. We have been on the road with it since last December and continue to get lots of great work from it! I really feel that ALRA prepared me for my experiences after graduating and I genuinely feel that I couldn’t have received a better training from another drama school. I found belief in myself which is so important in this industry. I will always remember something Clive said: “never stop
learning, because your training will never end.” In June I went to the Queen’s Theatre in Hornchurch and performed in Treasure Island with ALRA graduates Sam Pay and Sam Kordbacheh. I had lots of fight scenes, often with two people at once but my fight training at ALRA really stood me in good stead. I finished doing that at the end of the summer and it ran for seven weeks. I am now working with Northern Stage again and performing in The Tallest Tales from the Furthest Forests which will run from October to January. I can’t believe how quickly this year has flown and I can’t wait to see ALRA’s current postgraduate students in Pornography at Waterloo East.
Alice with the Northern Stage Co. feat 2011 3Y grad Maria Crocker
The Graduate
Gazette October 2013 65p
S
ince graduating from ALRA, I've been incredibly fortunate
with some of the work I've done. Little stints on TV, a play here and there, and even a cheeky Marmite advert have helped paid the bills. Sounds nice right? Unfortunately the reality is that more often than not, I'm serving Ice Cream at 'Super Sweet 16's', making popcorn at 'Cloud Networking Conferences', and serving Crepes in Selfridges. Not so fun! However, this is a pretty normal picture for about 90% of working actors out there. When you graduate, it's pretty easy to feel a bit lost, and while I've still got a long way to go, here's my advice to help you along the road, and keep you on the path. - Be kind to yourself. Didn't get the audition? Don't worry, neither did I! My unsuccessful audition rate is around 95%. I don't get the part..... all the time. But this career is hard enough without you beating yourself up, so chin up! Chances are you had the wrong colour hair/eyes too short/tall, fat/thin. As long as you worked hard and gave a good audition, then it’s been a successful one. Speaking of... - Prepare! I can't stress this enough. And I'm guilty of it too. If you have an audition coming up, do everything you can to be ready for it. You still might not get the part, but if you impress a casting director, they will get you in again, and you never know where that could lead. (I only got a part in Skins because I went up for a different role earlier in the series). - Monologues. You always hear that horror story of when a director asks for a monologue out of the blue, but you haven't got an prepared. Probably won't happen to us though right?... Wrong! Three times its happened, and I've had to improvise my way around some half remembered monologues. Nowadays however, I've got a rep of about 6 various monologues, that I give a quick polish once a week or so. So just in case, have a few in the bag. - Stay creative. The times I find hardest are when I've not an audition for a few months, and all I've been doing is serving cheese in Brighton (My part time job is a bit weird...). But as soon as I get an audition, I feel like an actor again. Keep this feeling going, keep your skills fresh, by keeping up your creative side. Lessons, voice/ movement work, keeping fit, painting... Anything that makes you feel that reminds you that actually, you're pretty good at what you do. And finally, when you do get that part... - Enjoy it. This industry isn't easy, so when you are in work, cherish it. Work hard, play hard, and absolutely smash it out the park. Those memories of a job well done will keep you going on until you land the next one, and the next, and the next. So I know sometimes the industry seems a bit unfair, and unkind, and not very forgiving, but just by being at ALRA, you've already beaten huge odds by getting in. Enjoy the 3 years, be the best you can be, and remember why you got into acting in the first place. And if you see me serving candy floss from a novelty tricycle on the roof of some London hotel, do come and say hello!
Is Panto season really upon us already? Oh no it isn’t, oh yes it is! (And other Panto-related jibes) it’s a great time of year for our grads to be picking up a few months of solid work and here’s on who has done just that... I had a chat with the ever-bubbly, Alexandra Da Silva who will be playing Maid Marion in Robin Hood in Sevenoaks at the Stag theatre. So I hear there was a pretty crazy process in getting this part? Yes, it was a little out of the ordinary! I saw an open call for the panto, I’m normally a little scathing of open calls but I went for it. It was an X Factor-eqsue rehearsal process that was split into four rounds and culminated in one big final showdown. I was absolutely ecstatic when I heard I got the part! (I’m also very happy I don’t have to work on the customer service desk over Christmas!) It’s such a luxury to have solid acting work for a bit! It’s also great with panto because once you’re into the company you’re very likely to get employed again next year, in fact that’s actually in the contract which is very reassuring. Is this your first panto? Yes it is. I’ve always done lots of singing and I really enjoy it so it’s great to be able to use my training as an actor and combine it with the skills I already have in signing and dance. How different is the process to say, going up for a straight theatre acting job? It’s very different, for example just last week I got a call from the Musical Director asking me if they songs were all in the right key for me, so it’s much more focused on the singing side of things. I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m purposefully going down the Musical Theatre route, it’s just kind of happened like that. I would never shut myself off from straight acting roles though, I still want to take those jobs of they come my way. What about rehearsals, I can imagine they are going to be pretty lengthy? Actually, no not at all, we only 2 weeks rehearsal! That’s a little bit scary but we have already been given the script and the music so it’s a case of independently working through and learning that before the rehearsals start. The rehearsals will be more for blocking purposes; the thing is panto has a lot more freedom. It’s a reactive show, based on how the kids are reacting that night; it’s a whole new skill set. So, doing panto must mean you’ve been flung into the Christmas spirit pretty early this year?! Absolutely! Normally I’m not such a Christmasperson but this year I am embracing it whole-heartedly! I’m turning on the Christmas lights in Sevenoaks and I’m there with the firework display too so my world is pretty festive right now! How about Christmas day itself, are you working then? No, it’s the one day I have off! There are a hell of a lot of shows, 58 all together, sometimes three shows a day which is crazy! It’ll take a lot of vocal stamina, which is something they spoke about really early on in the audition process. I’ll be using all the vocal exercises I learnt with John Wild for sure! Finally, have you got some words of advice for our soon-to-be and current graduates? Never stop working. It’s easy sometimes when you have an agent to sit back a bit and get lazy but you can’t afford to. Remember, your agent has 35 or 40 people on their books who all want to work, you need to push yourself as well as your agent pushing you. Don’t ever sit and wait, no one will sell you as much as you can yourself. Maid Marion will be running 7th Dec- 5th Jan at The Stage Theatre, Seven Oaks
DIRECT FROM THE DIRECTORS Clive Duncan Life Long Learning … the buzz words of the nineties. Everyone realised education shouldn’t stop after graduation. We were encouraged to study anything from Art History to Cookery to become fuller, rounder people. It worked with the cookery! Theatre people have always understood about self-development – the background history of a play or a skill the character has. Actors like sharing so learn from each other; I once got free voice classes in return for teaching an actor to juggle. Actors have free time (even when working), so, if smart, make themselves smarter through self-development. The more you offer, the more employable you will be. So in bouts of unemployment continue the voice and movement exercises, read books on acting, watch films, TV and theatre, read plays to keep up. Take up a musical instrument, learn a language, get an editing package for your laptop and make your own films, showreels etc. Not only does this further your acting career it can give you a secondary, supporting career which has to be better than temping, pulling pints or painting ceilings. Where to begin… What are you good at? What do you love doing? Google a course… sign up! Long live learning…
In the mysterious heat of the Indian jungle a boy lives amongst beasts. Reared by wolves, all Mowgli knows is the law of the jungle and that it must be obeyed. But as he grows and his dominance as a man becomes apparent, his life beneath the canopy is in danger as Shere Khan the tiger stalks the land and he is turned away from the wolf pack. This epic adventure of survival, companionship and raw animal instinct is reawakened for the stage, presenting Kipling’s much loved story in an imaginative way that brings the Jungle Book to life. A Christmas treat for all the family, Baloo the bear and Bahgeera the panther welcome you to their jungle! Suitable for 5 year olds and upwards.
Stage Management Segment When I first started ALRA I was unsure of what I was getting into after filling the theatre with water and covering it in flames I knew that I made the right decision to study SMTT at ALRA. Since then I have worked with many great people; in particular I was lucky enough to work with Chris Monks as an ASM for The School Mistress. Working with a professional director taught me not further skills within the craft but also the importance of maintaining a high professional standard. I come from an International background having worked with many people in many languages, this has taught me to co-operate and enhance my way of working. Sometimes the strength of my linguistics wasn’t the greatness and it struck me how the simplicity of a smile is often the best communication! I’ve taken this with me through my work ever since; being nice to people gets you far. In the future I am looking forward to working on live events and theatre, in any capacity. If it was up to me I would be working for Black and White Live rigging, cabling and fault finding for a gig. http://www.stagejobspro.com/uk/view.php?uid=498685
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Amrita Acharia You graduated from the three year course in 2009, how have you found being ’on the outside’ since then? It’s been up and down like the life of an actor inevitably is. I had a great start with brilliant representation to get me in the right rooms, and started off with a couple of indie shorts and then a role in Lee Tamahori's 'The Devil's Double'. It's elating when you get the role and meet amazing people in the process. I've tried to make the most of each opportunity and open as many doors as I can for myself. Its a constant learning process, and life on the 'outside', as you put it, is as turbulent as life on the 'inside' in a very different way. You definitely learn on the job, and learn to have to cope without having a job. After roles in Casualty and Doctors, amongst other things, you were cast as the Dothraki handmaiden, Irri in the first two seasons of Game of Thrones which is huge! How did you find the whole experience? The role came my first year out of ALRA which was incredible! You are quite the linguist, you speak Ukrainian, Russian, English and Norwegian. This must be a huge boost to your acting career, making you a cut above the rest. Do you advise our students to try and pick up another language or another skill? It does and it doesn't - I don't look Norwegian or Ukrainian so those roles are far and few in between - aside from playing Norwegian-Pakistani Mina, which is quite specific in itself. I'm looking into learning Hindi as there's been interest for Indian projects and I'd like to open that possibility up. Spanish or Arabic would probably be a good one too - I've recently been taping auditions where I've asked friends or randoms to translate into Urdu or Arabic and just learn it from their recordings. I definitely picking up skills is part of being an actor- the more you experience and learn, the more you have to offer, the more varied your body of work becomes. I jumped at the chance to do creature work in full prosthetics on an indie short and ended up spending days prancing around as a demon alongside Doug Jones. Probably the fun I've had this year! You spent quite a bit of time in LA, would you love you to call that home or is there another place you feel happy calling home? I've moved around most of my life, so anywhere I feel comfortable and happy is home! But truthfully, Scandinavian lifestyle and values resonate most with me - home is Norway. LA is great because its all about the industry and there is a lot going on. I've made some great friends out there and worked with some fantastic people. And it's sunny. That always helps. I had to learn to drive though- it didn't come naturally. Most recently you’ve filmed the lead role of Mina in the incredibly popular, Jeg er Din, (I am Yours) directed by Iram Haq. It was selected as the Norweigan entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 86th Academy Awards. This is a massive achievement, can you tell us a little about how this came about and how it was to film and work with the cast and crew? It was filmed a while back actually! I've since worked on a number of projects in LA, Iceland and Norway. It started out as a short in 2011 and we developed it into a feature in 2012 with post production earlier this year. It is my first lead role, and it was a unique filming experience. Iram Haq, the director sent me the script and the controversial themes and complex character appealed to me. I flew over to Norway for a day-long audition with some of the other actors, and some weeks later was told the role was mine. The script underwent several changes during and after the process, the amount on the editing floor is enough for a whole new movie! Watching back the end product after all the work that had gone into it was really something. It was an intimate and ramshackle set that I loved working on. The film was well received in Norway this August and went on to screen internationally at Toronto International Film Festival, where it also went down very well, and where I had a brilliant time watching films back to back and checking out the city! It was one of the three shortlisted as Norway's candidate and we are extremely proud that our little indie-film has come such a long way!
In I am Yours, Mina is a young single mother living in Oslo with her 6 year old son Felix, she is constantly seeking love and a new relationship; how did you go about researching and informing the part? It is a very personal movie since it's based on the directors own life experiences, so it was a painful yet cathartic process in many ways which she had the courage to be honest about with me , and now with the audience. We worked closely on the character over the two years, figuring out the destructive psyche and very often coming away from the script entirely and working on instinct or just creating scenes on impulse. It was a study into a spiral of self destruction and a desperation to be accepted into two different societies, yet unintentionally completely alienating herself from both. The role required a willingness to be emotionally naked and vulnerable, and to explore the uglier sides of human nature. She was definitely a frustrating role to play at times, and it took a while to understand her way of reacting to situations. Coming back to your ALRA days, do you think your time here gave you the skills needed to survive, and hopefully flourish, in the business? ALRA is a college thats sets you up for the reality of the acting world, and in that sense I felt very prepared and understand the fortunate position I have been in so far. It also taught me to never wait around and wait for things to land in your lap, so having being equipped with a need to be proactive and a box of acting, voice and movement tools, I would say yes, it did what it said on the can. Finally, I think it’s fair to say, you’ve made a real success of things, can you give any words of advice to our postgraduate students that are about to graduate in December and our third years who graduate next year? Only do it if you love it, never sit and wait, don't over-think things and don't take things personally.
Be on time, be nice to everyone, and be prepared.
to alum To lea
Found with Will Croft (3Y ‘09) & Robert Saunders (3Y ‘11) with Black Coffee Theatre
RA
Katy Sage in music video Javeon—Lovesong
DU George Turvey (3Y 2011) features in UnRaj Bajaj (3Y ‘11) plays Kahled in The Djinns Of Eidgah at scorched at The Finborough Theatre http:// The Royal Court http://www.royalcourttheatre.com/whats- www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk/productions/2013/ on/the-djinns-of-eidgah/?tab=3
unscorched.php
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As we begin to delve through the ALRA Archives for a cracking Christmas card image we couldn’t help but reminisce . We wanted to share with you some production shots, old and new that we loved...
Three Birds Alighting on a Field
Widows
Animal Farm
The Ash Girl
Grimm Tales
David Copperfield
Lysistrata
Apples/ If you Really Love Me
Be My Baby
Sense
A quick word: WITH
Hamish Wyllie Starting out...
My name is Hamish Wyllie, I’m twenty years old and from Glasgow. Having started my first year at ALRA just five weeks ago, I’ve learned an immense amount in a very short space of time. First year is all about giving you the essential skills like posture, breath and vocal awareness and development, and the releasing of muscular tensions to consciously take yourself out of your habitual patterns, so that you are neutral and open when it comes to working on play texts and character development in the second year. Crucially, unlike other drama schools ALRA’s film and television facilities allow the teaching of camera work disciplines from the first week. Already, I’ve become conscious of the vast differences in subtlety and truth which are needed between stage and film and having the opportunity of an extra year of practice on camera will give me a huge advantage which many other drama school graduates won’t have. ALRA’s teaching style centres around giving students skills from both ends of the performing arts spectrum. From the abstract work of exploring the elements through physical theatre, to the naturalistic work of screen, these skills go in to forming the ultimate actors tool kit which are kept for note in logs and journals designed to be reviewed during particularly challenging points of the actors’ career upon graduation. I can think of no better method of teaching to prepare an actor for the modern industry.
Sharkey and Trigg Continued from front page… Have some questions ready: How many clients does the agency have and how many does that agent look after? If an individual agent has more than sixty, they might not be giving them the individual attention they need. What sort of casting ‘type’ does the agent see you as? Are you on the same wavelength? What area of work would they concentrate on for you? Some are stronger in theatre than television; others have musical theatre links. Unless you want to specialize, it’s best to go for a good all-rounder. The agent will want to see someone who is confident, open and well-presented. After all, much of what they do for you will be sending you for meetings, and they need to know that you will come across well. So think of your first agent meeting as a sort of audition – for future auditions! Simon Sharkey of Sharkey & Trigg
Sharkey and Trigg are a theatrical agency based in Central London. They represent a varied list of experienced actors and work with producers in theatre, film, television, radio and commercials.
@SharkeyandTrigg http://www.sharkeyandtrigg.com/
11th January 2014: Issue 7 of the ALRA: Article released
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