IS S U E 8
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this issue
SUMMER
24/7 Play Festival P.2 Graduate News P.3 The Write Stuff P.4 Beth Mullen P.5 Theatre review P.6 Voicing Off P.7
QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER KEEPING YOU UP-TO-DATE WITH ALL THAT IS ALRA
Industry Insight: April De Angelis Playwright
The World of Writing There are a lot of writer’s groups: the Royal Court, Soho Theatre, The Bush, Paines Plough; I really think they are fantastic. The Royal Court scheme I know about most; I was working there for a few years reading scripts, and so many people have come through their programme: Nick Payne, Laura Wade, it’s an amazing opportunity and of course, it’s free and it’s all about developing as a writer; you work with fantastic people. So if I was a writer starting out, that is one thing I would definitely do. Then there are the competitions; there’s the Bruntwood Prize for example, it’s an idea to go online and just research those new writing competitions. From a personal point of view, you have to take yourself really seriously, you have to read plays all the time and go to the theatre as much as you can. Once you have a script, complete it then try and get a theatre interested. As a writer what you’ve got to do is develop your own voice which means working as hard as you can, reading books on theatre; you have to work much harder than you imagine.
Continued on back page…
What we’ve been up to recently: I can’t quite believe that we are in June already, it seems only yesterday that our third year actors were knee deep in Dickensian gloom with Oliver Twist and monkeying around with the Jungle Book in the North. But here we are in our third and final term at ALRA, third year students are preparing for life after drama school and second year’s are chomping at the bit to tread the boards and put all they have learned to the test. Our graduates seem to be busier than usual and have enjoyed a huge amount of success. Rachel De Lahay has produced another cracking play ‘Circles’, Kelsi Lewis’ show received a Laurence Olivier Award, Paul McEwan will be appearing alongside Martin Freeman in Richard III at Trafalgar Studios and last but by no means least, third year student Sebastian So is filming the BBC2 drama ‘One Child.’ We have a huge amount coming up in the ALRA diary -
Our second year students will be taking their Shakespeare pieces to local schools and have partnered up with Italia Conti for a speed dating networking event in July. Our third year actors are due to perform their final productions in the North and South and we will be holding our annual graduate event on Friday 4th July (see back page for more details.) Times are definitely changing here at ALRA Towers and sadly we are bidding farewell to Clive Duncan who has worked here for 10 years, giving his heart and soul to the school we will miss him immensely. Adrian Hall will be stepping in as ALRA’s principal and we will have new heads of Acting for the North and South. So dive right in and see what everyone has been up to. As always we would love to hear from you and hope to see you on Friday 4th July for new pieces of theatre and drinks in the sunshine!
This AUGUST we are very sad to be saying goodbye to our Co-Director and Head of Acting, Clive Duncan, after ten years at ALRA. Clive will be returning to the world of acting and, after already nabbing himself a top agent we have every confidence we’ll see him on our stages and screens very soon! Thank you for everything Clive and good luck! Adrian hall will now be taking over as principal and we welcome charlotte STOREY AS HEAD OF ACTING in the south and andrew fillis as head of acting in the north.
All of our Alumni and staff are invited to come and say their goodbyes to Clive when we are holding a leaving party for him on 25th July at ALRA South. For more information and to book a free ticket please email Maddy at maddy.anholt@alra.co.uk We look forward to seeing you there!
GraduateGraduate news: news: A brief selection Got something you want to of notable promote? Drop graduate news since the last Hannah or Maddy an email edition... alumni@alra.co.uk
Chiara Wilde (3Y 2010) The ever-so wonderful Chiara Wilde is appearing as Sarah in the award-winning theatre company Third Man Theatre's Mugs Arrows, a black comedy by Eddie Elks, directed by Ken McClymont. She will be at the Old Red Lion until 21st June. Tickets: http:// www.oldredliontheatre.co.uk/ mugs-arrows.htm
Joe will be performing in Sandel which was a 5* smash hit at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Sandel was at the Above the Stage Theatre, Vauxhall. Well done Joe, what a fantastic piece to be involved in!
Paul McEwan (3Y 1992) Paul McEwan is set to appear alongside Martin Freeman and Gina McKee in Richard III at Trafalgar Studios. McEwan will play the part of King Edward IV and the Bishop of Ely. More information: http:// trafalgartransformed.com/whatson/richard-iii
Felicity Elder (PG 2013)
Sebastian So (3Y 2014)
Joseph Lindoe (3Y 2011)
Sebastian hasn’t even graduated yet and he’s already landed his first professional role! Sebastian is currently filming the new BBC2 drama, One Child. He is playing the brother of the main character - which is played by Katie Leung. He flies out to Hong Kong in June to complete filming! Well done Sebastian, that’s how you do it!
Felicity Elder who trained on the MA course at ALRA North, recently appeared in Emmerdale playing a character called Dr Penn and was in a scene with Charity, Debbie and Declan. I’m sure she’ll be getting a lot of work off the back of that!
Amy Drake (3Y 2013)
Maddy Anholt (3Y 2010) Following the 5* sell-out success of Maddy’s debut one woman comedy, Maddy’s Many Mouths at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2013, this year Maddy is back with her second show, #Desperate which will be on at the Hen and Chickens, 28th June and 9th July. To book tickets and for more information please see: http:// goo.gl/4GbSAF Interview with Comedy Blogedy: http:// goo.gl/5Uslq2
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Amy, who trained at ALRA North on the BA Hons Acting Course, is currently in rehearsals for In My Bed by Rebekah Harrison as part of 24:7 Festival, 18-25 July. You can read more about this on page 2. Prior to this, Amy appeared in JB Short’s 10 with the Reallife Theatre Company.
Kelsi Lewis (SMTT 2011)
2011 graduate Kelsi Lewis has been working with the English Touring Opera as ASM for their Spring tour. The two productions of Paul Bunyan and King Priam, which were performed at the Linbury Studio as part of their UK tour which won the team a Laurence Olivier award for Outstanding Contribution to Opera. Congratulations Kelsi, what an amazing achievement!
info@alra.co.uk
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@ALRADrama
I've always written. From my early childhood, ripping off Calvin and Hobbes, to my teenage years, ripping off Buffy, to my early 20s, attempting - and failing - to rip off Tony Kushner, I've always had the nagging impulse to create another version of something someone else has already done. However, it's only since leaving ALRA that I've placed any real weight on my writing as a potential source of revenue. Or eventual source of revenue. Or potential eventual source of revenue. Maybe. We all know that a career in acting can be intermittent at best, so I've found writing plays to be a great way to keep creatively alert. Unlike acting, I don't need anyone else's permission to write, and so the only person getting in my way is me. I think one of the great strengths of our school is the fact that it encourages creativity, not complacency. We had it drummed into us whilst we were training that we're not RADA, not LAMDA, not Central etc., and therefore won't necessarily have top agents queuing up to make it rain come Showcase O'Clock. Sam Mendes probably won't come to our Graduation and kiss us on all four of our cheeks. We are not the new DiCaprio or Blanchett. We're not even the new Van Der Beek or Love Hewitt. If we don't hear that from the faculty, we'll glean it from the fretted brows of our now-impoverished families. And if not from them, then definitely from people in the years above us. Lesser schools than ours, lesser people than us, would posit that such an environment is not conducive to success. To them, I say "suck it". The very fact that we know that nothing is guaranteed makes us among the most employable people in the business. We are committed. We are creative. We are crafty. And by God, when we get a job, are we grateful. ALRA Grads are rarely content with the hand the world deals them. So they make their own cards. The success of companies such as PapaTango, Black Coffee, Moon on a Stick and numerous others in recent years is testament to the grit and ingenuity of the talent that ALRA curates and cultivates. Events such as Stand-Up and the Five Minute Play Festival encouraged us to think of ourselves as multidisciplinary theatremakers which, in a market as saturated as ours is, is a vital survival skill. So, for me, writing's been a bit of a lifesaver over the past year. It's kept me artistically active, let me work with plenty of brilliant former ALRAnians, introduced me to loads of interesting people, got me in the door at Theatre 503, Southwark Playhouse and the Royal bloody Court, and ensured that I stay up-to-date with who's doing what where. Most valuable of all, it's given me a convenient answer when current students ask, eyes twinkling, fangs bared: "so what are you up to at the moment?": "Projects in the pipeline, my sweet child. Projects in the pipeline." Seeing something I've created being performed by great actors gives me a totally different sensation to actually being on stage myself. More stressful, more terrifying but often more rewarding as well. As long as people laugh at the right bits, I'm happy. So follow me on Twitter (@adamfelixobrien), come see some of my stuff (please) and laugh/think/be moved accordingly. Then come for a pint. Because let's face it: alcohol is the lifeblood of the theatre. PEACE. Felix O'Brien ALRA 2012
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M: So, Beth, you’re coming to the end of your three years at ALRA, how has it all been for you? B: I’ve loved it ! Blood sweat and tears, but it’s all been worth it. The training I’ve had here had been invaluable and I feel very well prepared for the industry. I’ve also met some of my best friends here that I can rely on, that's important to me as I don't have family in London M: Is there anything in particular from your training that stands out? B: I’ve enjoyed all my training, but particularly vocal technique, I feel like John Wild’s classes have really opened me up as a person and tested my ability to free myself as an actor. M: Do you think your training at ALRA has equipped you for the professional world? B: Yes I feel ready to go. We’ve been advised by actors, accountants, casting directors, theatre directors, agents the list goes on. Everyone we could have talked to we have talked to and we’ve had three years training on top of that. There is only so much learning you can do before we need to go out there and do it for ourselves.
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Beth Mullen who is soon to graduate from our 3 Year Acting course in the South talks to us about the start of her journey into the Big Wide World and what she’s done to equip herself for the long, but exciting road ahead...
M: You’ve done amazingly well, recently being crowned winner of Monologue Slam twice in a row, can you talk to us a bit about that? B: Monologue Slam has been a fantastic opportunity, I was so lucky to win it. The first slam I did I used Tom Wells’ Spacewang whilst in the second one I showcased some of my own writing for the first time. I’m very grateful to Triforce Promotions for giving me the opportunity to do that. And of course you get to perform in front of the industry’s leading professionals, which is a pretty big plus. M: Monologue Slam is run by fellow graduate, Jimmy Akingbola, how was it working with him? B: He’s lovely! I can see why he got the nickname Mr Nice. He’s so passionate and supportive about new talent, and he knows how hard it is starting out as a graduate, sometimes its difficult to get in front of the casting directors and agents you want to. He’s proud that ALRA are reppin’ at the slam too. Rachel Hine and Rosie Akerman are also graduates that have taken part. M: You’ve just been signed to Stevenson Withers Associates, how are you finding that? B: I’m really enjoying being with them. Both Natasha and Graduate Jennifer have excellent relationships Jimmy with industry and have given me some Akingbola amazing opportunities. I’m lucky to (above) have an agent that understands my casting and is always looking to widen my opportunities.
M: Your first professional job has just come in, playing alongside Matt Lucas in his new sitcom, Pompidou. How did you feel when you found out? B: I screamed and ran around the flat! I couldn’t believe my first job would be in Matt Lucas's new sitcom! Then I rang me mam and dad. I’ve always been a huge fan of his work so its a bit of a dream come true. I’m also a massive fan of comedy so to be even just a small part of a BBC primetime series means a lot to me. M: Up to this point, what has been the thing you’ve achieved that you’re most proud of? B: I’d have to say being part of the Wanamaker Festival really tested me and made me think about the strength and openness that the best actors have. I absolutely loved performing at The Globe and I’m so proud to have been on that stage. M: And finally, can you give some advice to the new students who will be starting with us in September? B: You’re going to have a brilliant time. And if you really want this you’re going to have to commit body mind and soul. It’s hard work but it is so much fun and so rewarding. I’ve had the time of my life here, and I hope you have the time of your life too.
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Review: Felix O’Brien
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Since graduating in 2007, Rachel De-lahay has won acclaim for her plays The Westbridge and Routes, both of which premiered at the Royal Court. Circles, her third play, is the first of her works to be set in Birmingham, the city she grew up in. The play premiered at the Birmingham Rep, and the sense of place is very strong. However, despite the locational shift, Circles continues to explore the themes of inner-city unrest and domestic dissatisfaction that defined and distinguished her earlier works.
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Running at a lean 70 minutes, Circles is, in essence, a dissection of the harmful effects that domestic abuse had on women, and the viral nature of violence. Despite this, De-lahay is reluctant to have her play viewed in such simplistic terms. The family at the centre of the piece - hardened Phyllis, her mercurial daughter, Angela, and Angela's self-assured daughter Demi - have all been the victims of violent acts by violent men. But these women, for the most part, don't see themselves as victims, and are in fact often agents of violence themselves. The only male in the piece is Malachi, a loud-mouthed but sweet-hearted lad who, by the shocking conclusion, becomes arguably the most innocent victim of the four. For the most part, we alternate between Demi and Malachi's clumsy flirtation on the upper deck of the Number 11 bus and Phyllis and Angela's tense confrontations in the family's front room. Of these two strands, I felt more intrigued by the two older women, as they carried an implicit sense of their characters' troubled history which held my interest.
This interest was buoyed by a pair of fine performances by Janice McKenzie and Sarah Manners. There is a palpable sense of shared misery which is apparent in every one of their interactions. Coming from the Evening Standard's Most Promising Playwright, it's no surprise that the script has moments of wit and power. De-lahey's play is at its best in the understated moments between the women. One particularly affecting moment is the first sighting of Angela, bruised and holding an overnight bag in her mum's lounge. Such wordless shorthand is eloquent and touching, and shows a satisfying restraint and confidence on the writer's behalf. There are a few shifts into melodrama later in the action which take a minute to settle in performance, but on the whole, there's a lot to enjoy, particularly in the much-needed moments of levity. In particular, McKenzie's excels at making her curmudgeonly Phyllis instantly recognisable, whilst never losing her ability to surprise to comic effect. The design by Bob Bailey is apt, conjuring up the scratched-out bus shelters that are synonymous with urban threat and Tessa Walker's light-handed direction is appropriate, save for a few moments of unnecessary chair-moving that distracted rather than intrigued. All in all, Circles dexterously navigates a difficult subject, showing three damaged women in a highly sympathetic, but unsentimental light. A lot of story and detail is packed into its brief running time. It may be a short play, but the world that De-lahay conjures up is so bleak that it doesn't invite lingering.
5 Reviewed by Felix O’Brien @adamfelixobrien
Je ss Nes li ng , curr e ntl y o n t he Post grad ua te Act ing Co ur se i n the So ut h, ta lks to 2010 grad ua te, Ja nnik Arc her who has re all y fa ll e n o n hi s fee t i n the wor ld of v oi ceov er ... I'd always had a fascination for people who do voiceovers for projects like computer games or audio books, but it wasn't until I sat down at my first Radio lesson at ALRA that I realised how fun it could be. Those classes definitely gave me the groundwork I needed to do my first few voice jobs without making any usual beginner mistakes. It's those beginner’s mistakes that could potentially stop people from calling you back, so I owe a lot to ALRA's wide selection of classes. It's always the first impression that sticks in people’s minds and you want that employer/producer to think "Thank God, this person's done this before. I don't need to hold his hand." But I would never have known about all the details to watch out for in such situations without the experience and teaching I got from ALRA. During the spring of 2013 I finally found a good and fairly priced voice reel creator. I sent the finished product to a select few voice agencies with an appropriate cover letter and had no idea what to expect afterwards. A month goes by, I'm certain that I was unsuccessful, and suddenly I get a call out of the blue from a good and hardworking agency called Soho voices.
After 2 weeks on their books they sent me off to this random audition for "a new character in commercials". I was given hardly any info about the role in the beginning (which always means it's a biggie) but after I got the final call from my agency the ball's been rolling ever since.
The best general tips I can give are very straight forward; get your reel sorted so you have something to show, do your research on agencies but don't think you'll get nowhere without one (my first few voice jobs I got myself).
Persistence, politeness, and professionalism are also key. And don't be late. Lateness is beneath you. Find what makes Well you must be great with first your voice unique and sell it on impressions, managing to get such that, but don't be afraid to branch a major role after only two weeks out where you never thought to on their books! Do you have any go before. The good thing about advice about the world of voice voice work is that only your overs? I know that a lot of ALRA imagination sets the limits and, students would be keen to learn believe me, people are always from your success. looking for different voice types. There's no such thing as an unsellable voice! There are many other things I found out the hard way about the Jannik will be playing Caliban voice industry; the precision and in The Tempest with clarity of speech needed, the Tree Folk awkwardly vague guidance you Theatre sometimes get on stressful jobs, Company at the claustrophobia of sitting in a The Cockpit this summer. foley booth for hours on end, the Tickets are monotonous redoing those 4 currently on words until a producer is happy, sale, the drinks and foods you should click here NOT have eaten before a job, the list goes on.
April De Angelis cont’d Continued from front page…
I’ve just been reading a play which I’m going to see at the Royal Court next week, Adler and Gibb by Tim Crouch and he’s just written an article in the Guardian; he developed his own aesthetic, his own voice and his own ideas about what theatre should do. He isn’t just trying to write a glorified Eastenders, he’s really thought about what theatre is to him. You have to really push yourself to ask, in your opinion, what should theatre be doing right now? Yes, you enjoy words and language but you need to be asking yourself the
Forthcoming shows and events at ALRA ALRA South: Playhouse Creatures 25th June— 27th June, 7pm, ALRA South Theatre. 28th June, 3pm, ALRA South Theatre ALRA North: Spur of the Moment 25th June— 27th June, 7:30pm, Mill at the Pier. 28th June, 3pm, Mill at the Pier ALRA South: ALRA’s One Night Stand– Scratch Night– 4th July at 7:30pm, tickets £5 ALRA South: Clive’s Leaving Party! 25th July, 7:30pm, free tickets but must be booked through: maddy.anholt@alra.co.uk Tickets £7.50 bought through www.alra.co.uk
fundamental question: what is theatre? Ask yourself demanding questions, in order to provoke and challenge yourself. Theatre is a philosophy. Use yourself as a resource; use what you’re interested in. I was always interested in history and it’s no accident that some of my plays, Playhouse Creatures, for example is a History play because I was naturally drawn to that, it was a part of me so it felt right to explore it in theatre. You can write from your experiences; get into the practice of just writing down bits of dialogue, things that have happened to you. Get used to the idea of writing from things you are curious about, something that provokes emotions - hurt, anger, fear, frustration. Don’t be afraid, nobody knows what will work in theatre; you have to be brave and bold. Be prepared to explore how you really feel and confront yourself and most of all, don’t censor yourself. It’s often the thing you shouldn’t be feeling that will help you write well, you know, “I shouldn’t be angry with my mother, but I am”… explore these feelings. There may be a universal truth in there that just shouldn’t be sanitised.
Ways to: keep in touch By email: info@alra.co.uk Facebook- find us on: ALRA– The Academy of Live and Recorded Arts Twitter: @ALRADrama Call: 020 8870 6475 Web: www.alra.co.uk
Do you have an upcoming show or are involved in a project you would like us to promote? Please send press releases and/ or info to Maddy and Hannah at alumni@alra.co.uk If you are one of our graduates? Have you joined our Alumni page? Join today to share advice, chat to fellow graduates and look at castings: http://www.alra.co.uk/alraalumni
This year’s Graduate Gathering is ALRA’s One Night Stand, a chance for graduates to showcase ten minutes of their work in front of a lively audience of industry and friends. To book tickets please see: http://www.alra.co.uk/index.php/whats-on-at-alra