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ISSUE 12 january 2009 The alumni Newsletter THE Central school of speech and drama, university of london HAROLD PINTER The Central School of Speech and Drama is mourning the passing of Harold Pinter, who had been its President for just six months before his death in December 2008. The greatest English dramatist of the post-World War II era, Harold Pinter began his theatrical career as a student at the School. When he became President in October 2008, he said, “I was a student at Central in 1950/1951. I enjoyed my times there very much and I am delighted to become President of a remarkable institution.” Up to the last moment, Harold Pinter had intended to be present at the School’s graduation ceremony on 10 December, at which he was made an Honorary Fellow. Sadly, his health prevented him coming. Proposing him for the Fellowship, Michael Colgan, Artistic Director of the Gate Theatre in Dublin, called him “the Picasso of literature and the true pathfinder of drama in the twentieth century, a man who has continually demonstrated extraordinary courage, a searing social conscience and the greatest integrity.” The Principal of the Central School, Professor Gavin Henderson, comments: “We were so delighted that Harold Pinter accepted the role of President of Central, his Alma Mater. He did so with great enthusiasm and commitment, notwithstanding his poor health. In doing so he set a benchmark for the determination and breadth of theatre practice which will be an example for many years to come.” THOUGHTS OF CICELY BERRY Central is planning a Voice reunion next year, about which Cicely Berry, O.B.E Hon.D.LIT, is very pleased. No-one connected with theatre ever needs to ask who Cicely Berry is. Her work over the decades has influenced Voice training the world over. Google carries hundreds of entries about her. After studying with us from 1943-1946, Cicely began a teaching career which brought her back to Central in the early 60’s. In 1970 Trevor Nunn invited her to start voice training at the RSC and the rest, as they say, is history. Many publications, broadcasts, awards and hundreds of eminent acting pupils later, Cicely Berry occupies a pre- eminent and affectionate place in the evolution of voice training. She remains Voice Director at the RSC, having started her work there with Trevor Nunn, Terry Hands and John Barton. All had different approaches to Shakespearean text and the actors needed help to find their own acting truths in relation to the part within the spirit or style of each production. The voice work leading from this could thus be very varied. For example, based on an intimate passion in the actor which would affect their expression of the part, the “faster and louder” approach adopted for some of the History Plays or finding nuances in the structure of the text itself. Such has been the evolution of Cicely’s work that it has become increasingly interwoven with the rehearsal process and then with the directors themselves, indeed, her latest book From Word To Play is written for them. Her methods often have a physicality which has found resonance throughout the industry but above all she presses the need for text to be heard, rather than simply read. Cicely observes that, now, much of the study of Shakespeare, particularly within education, is based on reading whereas “in the Shakespearian era the population was 92% illiterate. They did not read his plays they heard them”. She is also a strong advocate of the use of poetry in the same way. Cicely finds the actors she works with today very keen to learn and to hear, however, she feels that actors playing Shakespeare these days have a difficult task. Modern audiences, she senses, are less interested in the musicality of the text than with its message. “Actors walk a tightrope between honouring its music and poetic values without reaching the singing declamatory method of earlier leading Shakespearean actors such as Gielgud. How are actors these days to present this language as if it is being spoken for now, without losing depth and imagery?” Probably one of the most powerful illustrations of Cicely’s dedication to her beliefs is her work in the favelas of Brazil. In the 80’s she had accepted a British Council invitation to give a Shakespeare master class in Rio di Janiero where she met the journalist and actor Guti Fraga. Fraga mentioned a project of his, a Designed by: Nimbus. Printed by: Disc to Print. Photographs: All credits (where provided) have been included in the newsletter. Many thanks to all photographers whose photographs have been included in this edition of the Alumni Newsletter. Cicely Berry (© Katerina Moraitis) young persons theatre group in the slums on the hills behind Rio where “I experienced some of the most perfect and elegant performances of 17th Century Portuguese short stories I had ever seen.” To this day Cicely returns every year to teach Nos de Moro (We of the Hillside) and in 2006 trained them in a production at the RSC. At Nos de Moro she works in one of the most dangerous environments in the world. Some of the young she has taught have been shot and her daily visits up to the hills must always be in the company of two teenagers, one from each of the major drug gangs. Any reading of Cicely Berry’s career to date fill one with wonder that just one person can have achieved so much. We are our deeds and there can be no more eloquent expression of her irreplaceable contribution than the vast spectrum within which Ms Berry works and moves with such ease and inspiration. The Alumni NEwsletter AWARDS Congratulations to our alumni for many and varied marks of achievement. Clockwise from top left: Judi Dench (© Gayle Cook), Philip Glenister (© Ken Mcreddie Associates Ltd), Riz Ahmed (© Paris Jefferson), Kristin Scott-Thomas (© Colin Bell), Luke Norris (© Sally Hope Associates), Robine Landi (© Fatimah Namda), Stephen Tomlin (© Esme Allen), James Nesbitt (© Phil Fisk), Laura Kerr (© Chris Baker), Alexis Zegerman (© Jane Lehrer), Valmike Rampersad (© McVirn Etienne), Richard Maxted (© Casey Moore). On 10 December Harold Pinter, incoming President of The Central School of Speech and Drama was awarded an Honorary Fellowship at the school’s graduation ceremony. Dame Judi Dench (S 57) was awarded an Honorary Degree, (D.Litt) by St Andrews University in June 2008 and at the 21st Annual European Film Awards in Copenhagen held in December 2008 received The Lifetime Achievement Award. At this ceremony Kristin Scott-Thomas (B.Ed 80) was awarded Best Actress Award for her role in I’ve Loved You So Long. Philip Glenister (S 90) plays DCI Gene Hunt in Life On Mars which won Best Drama at the International Emmy Awards in November 2008. At the Evening Standard Theatre Awards, Michael Grandage (S 84) Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse, was awarded Best Director for his productions of Othello and The Chalk Garden. On 30 November Alexis Zegerman (BA A 00) won Best Supporting Actress at the British Independent Film Awards for her role in Mike Leigh’s film Happy Go Lucky. The event was hosted by fellow alumnus James Nesbitt. Other alumni nominated were Kristin Scott-Thomas (B.Ed 80) and Riz Ahmed (MA CA 06). Valmike Rampersad (MA AfS 07) won Best Film Award at the Buffalo-San film festival for his film Open Secrets in November 2008. Luke Norris (BA A 07) won the Alan Bates Bursary for the best new actor, beating 129 other graduating actors to first place. His award took place at the Actors Centre on 3 November 2008. Mary Kalemkerian (ACSD 76) won the Station Programmer of the Year Award at the Sony Radio Academy Awards in May 2008. Amy Manson (BA A 06) received the Critics Choice Award for Best Actress in a theatre role 2007/2008 for her performance in Six Characters in Search of an Author with the National Theatre of Scotland in March 2008. CONGRATULATIONS ALSO TO… Alia Al Zougbi (MA AT) who was nominated for a BAFTA Award in Scotland in November 2008 for Trouble Sleeping by Theatre Workshop/Makar Productions. We would also like to congratulate Laura Kerr (BA AMT 08) who was runner up in the prestigious Sondheim Student Performer of the Year 2008 Competition at the Trafalgar Studios, London in June. She was also performer of the winning song for The Stiles and Drew Award for the Best New Song of 2008. Congratulations also to Richard Maxted (BA AMT 08), Robine Landi (BA AMT 08) and Katherine Lawrence (BA AMT 08), who were all selected to take part in the Showtime Challenge 3 charity performance of Me and My Girl at the London Palladium on 26 October. Richard took the leading role (www. meandmygirl2008.co.uk). We also congratulate Stephen Tomlin (T72) whose demi-paradise theatre company was shortlisted for the Equity Ensemble Prize at the 2008 Peter Brook Empty Space Awards for their production of Hamlet at Lancaster Castle. 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]. The Alumni NEwsletter SONY AWARD WINNER On Monday 12 May 2008, at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Mary Kalemkerian (ACSD 76), Head of Programmes for BBC’s digital comedy and drama station, Radio 7, won the Sony Gold Award for Station Programmer of the Year at the 26th annual Sony Radio Academy Awards ceremony hosted by Paul Gambaccini. It was said of her achievement: “Mary has created a rich, speech- based station that provides a real alternative to the other networks. The high calibre of the comedy and drama archive is complemented by Mary’s commissioning of contemporary writers and performers not found elsewhere. Her creative scheduling of such rich programming from the BBC and beyond has produced a service that has gone from strength to strength and proves that a digital station can thrive and find a loyal audience.” Launched in 2002, Radio 7 broadcasts 10 hours of drama and 10 hours of comedy from the huge BBC archive every day, and also encourages writers and performers new to radio by commissioning original work. Mary sent us a thumbnail sketch of the route she took to this career pinnacle: I left school at 15, and later trained to be a primary school teacher in Edinburgh, specialising in drama. In the early 70’s I was appointed as a member of Lothian Regions first T.I.E. team as “teacher –adviser”. The other members of the team had all been drama trained, and I desperately wanted a drama qualification The opportunity came along to take a year off to study for 1975/6 (on full pay – unheard of now!). On offer were: Dorothy Heathcote’s course at Newcastle, Rose Bruford College in Kent, and Central. The minute I came to Swiss Cottage and saw Central for the first time, I knew it was for me. I loved the higgledy piggledy rooms and the character of the building. I was accepted for the ACSD course – and what a great year that was. Our Course tutor was David Herbert, who was challenging and inspirational. I remember fondly our dance teacher Chrissie Hearne who was like a little bird, with exquisitely graceful movements. Gerard Benson taught us speech, he was very entertaining and I always think of Gerard when I’m sitting on a tube reading the poems on the underground. My family were worried that I would go back to Scotland “speaking posh” and to be frank, I had a secret longing to speak RP, but at Central I was encouraged to hang on to the Scottish accent. My dissertation at Central was about the history of T.I.E., which was really in its hey-day back then. My year at Central inspired me with confidence – I returned to Scotland, taught in a drama centre, and began writing for schools radio. And that was the beginning of a 28 year career in the BBC. I was offered a producer contract to launch a daily pre-school series for Radio Scotland in 1980. The budget was so miniscule that I could either afford one actor and one writer, or two actors and write the scripts myself – with no fee! I chose the latter, and ended up writing about 300 scripts. To compensate, I was also given some “grown-up “ programmes to produce on a hilarious radio soap opera set in a fictitious Health Centre, called Kilbreck. In the early 80’s I moved to England and was producer on several series for Schools Radio, followed by a stint in Manchester as Senior Producer for a Radio 4 children’s programme, Cat’s Whiskers . 1990 saw the launch of a new network BBC Radio 5, and I was given the job of Chief Producer for Children and Youth magazines. I moved from broadcasting to the commercial arm of the BBC in 1993, to become Editorial Director on the Radio Collection at Worldwide. This was a wonderful job, as I was responsible for selecting radio comedy and drama for commercial release, and working with such legends as Spike Milligan, Galton and Simpson, Alan Bennett, and the king of the spoken word – Martin Jarvis. After almost 10 years, and at a time I was beginning to think about retiring from the BBC, I was offered a job I couldn’t refuse: The opportunity to launch a new digital radio network consisting of archive comedy and drama programmes. Mary Kalemkerian (© Mik Wikojc) On 12 March 2002, with a staff of 3, I had a blank piece of paper, a small office with one computer and a remit to bring in listeners new to speech radio, by providing 20 hours of “pure entertainment” every day, plus 4 hours of children’s programming. It was a daunting task, but after a 9 month gestation period, BBC Radio 7 was finally delivered on 15 December 2002. It felt like seventh heaven. We had tentatively hoped we could build a listenership of around 60,000, but nearly 6 years on, with an audience of almost a million, Radio 7 is recognised as the “star performer” of the BBC’s digital portfolio. So it’s been quite a journey for me from Swiss Cottage to Broadcasting House. I still have a photo of the “class of ‘76”, sitting on the steps of the Embassy Theatre on a gloriously sunny day and I still have my long black “practice skirt.” I just wish it still fitted! For those interested in finding out more, an account of Mary’s work at Radio 7 appeared in The Guardian on 24 August 2007. 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 7559 3997 The Alumni NEwsletter ALUMNI NEWS As always our alumni have been writing to us about themselves and the astonishing variety of careers they are pursuing in the theatre, teaching, therapy, international work, academia, social areas and beyond… Photos (clockwise from top left): David Horovitch (© Conway van Gelder Grant Ltd), Anna Martine (© Logan Riehl), Valmike Rampersad (© McVirn Etienne), Clare Hibberd (© Leah Brooker), Mark Down (© Darius Brazauskas), Alice Pillar’s Design (© Nick Moran), David Harris (© Victoria Grove). David Horovitch (S 66) MARK DOWN (ATP 96) David Horovitch played Major Arnold in Taking Sides and Stefan Zweig in Collaboration at the Chichester Festival Theatre in July 2008 following his run in Absurd Person Singular at The Garrick Theatre. Mark Down is co-artistic director of Blind Summit Theatre with Nick Barnes. He has just returned from New York where he was reviving the puppetry in Madama Butterfly at the Met Opera directed by Anthony Minghella, (this runs until March 2009 and returns to London ENO in May 2009). He recently performed in On Emotion directed by Mick Gordon at Soho Theatre. Blind Summit’s Bukowski themed show Low Life toured China in November 2008 and the company is working on a new production of George Orwell’s 1984 with BAC. Blind Summit is working on Shunkin with Complicite at the Barbican, in February 2009 and on His Dark Materials with Birmingham Rep and West Yorkshire Playhouse which opens March 2009. More information can be found at www.blindsummit.com. Anna Martine (BA A 08) Anna Martine wowed the audience of the Spotlight Showcase in August 2008, receiving a special mention in The Stage for her ‘supreme confidence’ and excellent physical theatre skills in her performance of Steven Berkoff’s Decadence. Valmike Rampersad (MA AfS 07) Valmike Rampersad was recently described as ‘One to Watch’ by Moviescope magazine. Directly out of drama school he played to sellout shows at the Edinburgh Fringe, followed by his appearance as the lead in Get To Know Me shot on green screen in Denmark at Lars Von Trier’s Zentropa studios. His new short film, Open Secrets, sees him playing the lead alongside BAFTA nominee, Saeed Jaffrey and has just been selected for the 6th Buffalo-San film festival. His first US feature film, Right Hand Drive is due out end of 2008. CLARE HIBBERD (BA TP 04) Clare Hibberd is Sound No.3 on the International Tour of Mamma Mia. Alice Pillar (BA TP 08) Alice Pillar took her first bow as designer in Dartington this August, alongside Sir Peter Maxwell Davis. Alice designed the set and costumes for Sir Peter’s chamber opera The Lighthouse, which was presented as part of the International Summer School at Dartington. The production, which was directed by Orpha Phelan with singers from the Royal Academy, was extremely well received by the Dartington audience. Sir Peter himself, who has seen many productions of his opera all over the world, was impressed at how well Alice’s set worked for the opera. After the show he was heard to comment to a producer asking about staging the opera in London, ”you have to take this production,” he said. DAVID HARRIS (86) David Harris is the creator of The Actors Company. After graduating from Central, David travelled to Toronto where he was co-founder of the York University Drama Department and the co-founder and Head of Voice and Acting at the Ryerson Theatre Department. These have gone on to become two of the most established training programmes in North America. He spent 7 years with CBC Television and Radio, directing, producing, writing and acting (including in many films) and was a member of the Stratford Festival Company under Robin Phillips. He returned to England in the 70’s to create The Acting Company (later renamed). Sandy Foster (BA A 08) Chris Tester (BA A 08) Sandy Foster (BA A 08) and Chris Tester (BA A 08) took part in the BBC Carleton Hobbs Radio Contest on 13 March 2008. The Alumni NEwsletter FESTIVALS Central students and alumni participated in a great number of festivals during the year, some are reported below: CHIDDINGLY FESTIVAL Students on the BA DATE course undertook a project with the village school celebrating the history of Chiddingly. BAAC students went to the festival and performed various historical characters around the village. WANAMAKER FESTIVAL Rachel Winters (BA A 08) and Phil Harker (BA A 08) performed at the Wanamaker Festival at the Globe on 6 April 2008. MINACK FESTIVAL Students from the first year of BA DATE worked with Twisting Yarn Theatre Company on a production of Yann Martel’s Life of Pi for the famous cliff top theatre at Minack in Cornwall. EDINBURGH FRINGE At the Edinburgh Fringe this year, Central Alumni contributed to a number of very successful productions including: The Boy From Centreville by Complicite at The Pleasance 1 and Life at the Molecular Level by Present Attempt at the Big Belly. Olivia Neville (BA A 07) performed at the Edinburgh Fringe’s UnderBelly during August in her one-woman observational comedy sketch show Summat an’ Nowt. Photos (top to bottom): The Accidental Festival (© Gareth Martin), Olivia Neville (M.A.D Photography). Olivia comments on her experience: During the second year at Central we had the opportunity to do a self direct piece where I performed my own comedy sketches. From this I went on to write a character sketch show Summat an’ Nowt. A month after graduating, I first performed Summat an’ Nowt at the Buxton Fringe. After that it was performed both in the north-west and London and extracts were done live on BBC Radio Lancashire. Then in February I took the huge step of entering it for the Edinburgh Fringe and was very fortunate to get a slot at the Underbelly. My first experience at the fringe was fantastic and also hugely nerve racking to be producing and performing a one woman show. At times it was very daunting but I was lucky to be in the company of many other Central graduates who were involved with other shows and so it was great to have the network of support. The festival has opened doors and I am still developing Summat an’ Nowt whilst working on a new show that will be performed in London around January, with the aim of taking it to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2009. ACCIDENTAL FESTIVAL Students from the BA TP Performance Arts strand produced this event at The Institute of Contemporary Art in May 2008. 50 International artists took part. Do you have connections overseas? Would you like to be an International Alumni Ambassador? Alexis Zegerman (© Jane Lehrer) NEWS FROM A MENTOR Alexis Zegerman (BA A 00) has written the play Lucky Seven – a comedy about growing up, class, love, disappointment and hope, which premiered at Hampstead Theatre and starred Susannah Harker, a fellow alumna. Alexis’ recent acting work has included filming the German feature film Storm directed by Hans Christian Schmid and the ITV drama U Be Dead which will be transmitted early in 2009. Alexis also won a BIFA Award in 2008 (see awards). Central alumni are providing mentoring for a number of acting third year students. Central is launching an international student recruitment campaign to increase the number of students from outside the EU. In a large number of universities around the world, it is a tradition that their graduates help with this sort of student recruitment. The alumni office is working with Meg Ryan, our recruitment officer and our course leaders to set up a network of alumni around the world who would act as our eyes and ears, channelling any interested candidates towards us. Your support, on the ground, often in areas where we are unable to have access, would be invaluable. Our work together would be informal and voluntary. If you would like to learn more, please contact: Meg Ryan on [email protected] +44 (0)20 7449 1632 or contact Central by post (Attn Meg Ryan). Please note: Meg is a part-time member of staff, working on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Once we have assessed response levels Meg will contact you further. Reminder Forthcoming events in USA Auditions & interviews New York: 21 and 22 February Los Angeles: 4 and 5 April Chicago: 1 April Please visit http://www.cssd.ac.uk/ us_auditions.php for information. Alumni evening receptions will take place after the auditions in New York and Los Angeles, please contact us if you are able to attend at [email protected] The Alumni NEwsletter ALUMNI in the building It is hard to overstate the contribution you make when you return to give back to us. Whether you return hours or many months either way, please contact the alumni office on [email protected]. Thank you. PRESENT ATTEMPT – graduate residency award Present Attempt are 2007 MA ATP graduates Alex Eisenberg, Matt Trueman, James Bush, Venla Hatakka and John Pinder, a collective concerned with devising contemporary performances and projects in other media and contexts. They are currently enjoying a graduate residency at Central awarded by the Centre for Excellence in Training for Theatre. This achievement and its preceding events seemed to occur almost as a result of irresistible gravitational forces rather than any grand design, a process which they would probably deeply approve. To grasp the totality of Present Attempt would take longer than space here permits but when asked, they describe themselves as an intellectual ensemble who believes in the organic and experimental development of live performance and events. “We address fundamental questions about the nature of the live event creating passionate, anarchic work with a comic undercurrent. Our fresh experimental approach does away with the polish and relishes the tarnished performance: work that we believe resists the sense of apathy that dominates our society as well as the traditional practice of theatre.” Their previous work includes You Are Here,“guided audio tour” lighting, peopleing and performing in rooms throughout the buildings and outside spaces of Central at night, in a stylish and unsettling work for the alumni gathering in October 2007. Attempt 3.4 was performed at the Edinburgh Fringe in August of that year; a studio-based piece that set the performer’s the impossible task of building a city in 60 minutes. Other completed works are Domestic Drift and Wait Until it Gets Dark. In the safe environment of the MA ATP course, led by Nick Wood and Ayse Tashkiran they spent the first six months devising work, at times with others on the course, taking risks and testing their ideas. They began to notice a better energy when they formed the members of the group which gradually fixed most of them as an entity within the course membership (John, a puppeteer, joined in January 2008). In developmental terms their hand was forced in March 2007 when they committed to performing at the Edinburgh Fringe later in the year. It gave their sessions a focus it had not had before. A School public production performance in June was well received and led to invitations to perform at the Manchester International Student Festival (MIST) and The Graduates Festival at the Battersea Arts Centre in July. In Edinburgh they received a nomination for Best Emerging Company from Total Theatre magazine. This capped off a stellar year during which Central offered them the 12 months residency which they complete this month. Within their creative process Present Attempt aim to stay open at all times to unexpected influences, collecting and translating real experiences into conceptual start points and eventual performance material. They are passionate about the democracy of their creative process and disagreements are apparently absorbed as part of it. Alex explained “it’s not about compromise; it’s about a shared idea.” As for the future, it seems as full of different possible pathways as their work, Alex feels impelled away from traditional theatre towards live art, Venla envisages the group diversifying into writing, workshops and research – the shared idea there has yet to emerge…However all of them agree ruefully that Present Attempt is a very fragile child. The ugly, familiar reality of simply financing themselves to be able to go on working is a constant struggle. But one senses that their complete absorption in what they are pursuing puts these concerns at the back of the room. For as long as it’s possible they will continue. As Venla put it “we have got to the point where we cannot not do it”. MENTORING RECEPTION In December a warm and lively reception took place for the acting alumni who have agreed to mentor our third year students on the three strands of the 08/09 BA acting course. At the event Geoff Colman, Head of Acting took a few minutes to thank the alumni who had come along. This is the second generation of mentors, the first of whom helped us to launch the scheme through a pilot last year. It has proved enormously popular and we plan for this to be a regular feature. Acting alumni generally mentor for two years. CICELY BERRY Cicely Berry OBE Hon.D.Lit visited Central to lead a 3-hour workshop for MA Voice Studies 07-08 students in June 2008. This related to text and coincided with the release of her new publication From Word to Play. TALK for FIRST YEAR BA ACTING STUDENTS Alumni Scott Handy (S 93) and James Lindsay (BA A 08) joined Tricycle Artistic Director Nicholas Kent in a discussion with first year acting students about a life and career in acting. Nicholas Kent gave his valuable perspective on this from the point of view of a director. BA DATE REUNION Central was truly overflowing with alumni last October when the 15-year celebration of the creation of the BA DE / BA DATE degree course was hosted by Dr Sally Mackey (Deputy Dean, Reader in Applied Theatre and creator of the course) and Dr Stephen Farrier (Senior Lecturer and Course Convener). We took the opportunity to surprise Sally with the announcement of the award of her PhD at which the assembled alumni noisily expressed their approval. We send her our congratulations and our thanks to them both for their exceptional faculty support for this alumni event. Thanks also go to Jamie Crabb for his superb audio and visual displays. The Alumni NEwsletter to the building for just a few Sally has sent us the following account. On 17 October, well over 200 people celebrated the 15th anniversary of the BA (Hons.) Drama and Education/Drama, Applied Theatre and Education degree. The evening was a gracious and generous affair. In the Embassy Theatre, the Principal outlined changes to Central followed by a speech by Dr Stephen Farrier, who currently runs the degree, delivered in his usual witty style (with the pre-requisite number of jokes at my expense! Sigh.) Finally, I was allowed to speak! In rather a daze of memories, I tried to convey how important our alumni were to us and how much we valued your continued interest in the School. Graduates from 1996 to 2008 filled Central’s foyers. In addition to the exuberant noise from greeting old friends, alumni watched edited videos/DVDs, looked at photos, toured the building (with the absolutely expected refrain of “We never had anything like this”) and wrote memories of Studio 1 onto sheets of cartridge paper in that space. This is for future embedding into the fabric of any changes of structure that may take place on that site. Without wishing to seem fey, this really was a wonderful night to remember. To have representatives from 15 year groups (current 2nd and 3rd years kindly ushered) in the same space was a powerful and deeply rewarding experience for staff – past and present. The ‘job’ is nearly always pleasurable, of course. Occasions like this allow us to revel, in one brief slice of time, at the overwhelming achievements in people’s lives, often because of taking the degree. (We can’t lay claim to the babies though!) The sheer number working in the field was impressive and affirmed the value of what we, the staff, do. So thank you to all of you who came and made us feel very good about ourselves! More than anything, however, just thank you for coming because it was so very good to see you. Photos of this reunion are available at www.patrick baldwin.co.uk please contact the alumni office on alumni@ cssd.ac.uk for access information to the photo folder. Photos (clockwise from top left): Katerina Moraitis, Cicely Berry, Tara McAllister-Viel (© Rebecca Root); Cicely Berry with MA Voice Studies 2007-2008 (© Rebecca Root); Eileen Battye, Paul Goodwin, Cicely Berry, Katerina Moraitis (© Rebecca Root); Nick Moseley, Scott Handy, Christine Morris, James Lindsay, Nicholas Kent; Dr Stephen Farrier (© Patrick Baldwin); Dr Sally Mackey (© Patrick Baldwin); BA DATE Reunion (© Patrick Baldwin); BA DATE Reunion (© Patrick Baldwin); Studio 1 at Central during the BA DATE event (© Patrick Baldwin). The Alumni NEwsletter CENTRAL USA We’d like our own special relationship. Please read below about plans to meet up with you in the USA and send us news if you have worked or lived in the USA recently. Alumni receptions in USA Spring 2009 Rebecca Gross (BA A 06) Jana Zenadeen (MA AT 08) If you are living or working in the US at the moment, we are currently trying to contact you about plans for two receptions to be held for you in New York (23 February) and Los Angeles (6 April). All alumni with a US contact address were sent an email in December 2008. If you have not had this email from us please update us with your new email and postal address as soon as possible on [email protected] and please title it US ALUMNI. Thank you. Having been spotted by an American producer at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Rebecca Gross and Jana Zenadeen toured California with theatre company Conflict Relief, which they co-founded to unite actors from Arab and Israeli / Jewish backgrounds. They performed The Arab the Jew and the Chicken at the Gallimaufry County Theatre Festival in October 2008. Recruiting Students from the USA Kara Tsiaperas is currently teaching voice at New York University, AMDA and Marymount Manhattan and is the International Resource Manager for the Voice and Speech Trainers’ Association. The alumni receptions are being held to co-incide with our New York and Los Angeles auditions on 21/22 February and 4/5 April respectively. We are campaigning to raise the number of US students studying with us and if you would like to share any insights in connection with this project your comments would be very welcome. Photos (top to bottom): Rebecca Gross & Nour Alkawaja, Conflict Relief (© Imad Shawa), Kara Tsiaperas (© Kara Tsiaperas), Jennifer Fell Hayes (© Bryant Hayes) KARA TSIAPERAS (MA V 06) JENNIFER FELL HAYES (T 65) Jennifer Fell Hayes is a playwright for Algonquin Productions in Manhattan and is published by Samuel French and New Plays Incorporated. Her new one-act play Seal Song was recently chosen to be in the Samuel French Short Play Festival at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre on Theatre Row. DYSLEXIA TAKES CENTRE STAGE Dyslexic Alumna Lennie Varvarides (MA TP 05) has written to us about her journey in the creation of her forum for dyslexic practitioners. Missfit Productions (www.missfitproductions. org) was born while at Central to present my MA show – a wonderful experiment in which I mixed performance and film in a photobooth – made out of wood and a computer monitor. This is where it began, this interest in crossing the boundary between the forms. After graduation I knew that if I did not carry on making work straightaway, there was a chance I may not make anything at all. Once you graduate it’s so easy to get caught up in life and work and surviving, that the privilege of actually being able to make theatre seems like a luxury most cannot afford. Feeling a little lost I became self-employed and began teaching drama, even though I did an MA in writing for performance. I worked with Bigfoot for about 18 months and then fell into the corporate sector as a Marketing and Business Development person. All freelance work with the ideology of perhaps being free... In 2006 an opportunity arose to hire a small theatre for a week and I jumped for it. A friend and I went halves on the fee and we set up new festival called Write Side of The Brain which invited filmmakers, poets and playwrights to submit their work. Another friend sorted the website which made missfit real in cyber space, I got some postcards made, a logo and before I knew it, a producing energy was in force. February 2008 Burning Houses and missfit co-produced Write Side of The Brain 2008. I wanted to do it again only the second time I was looking for a new angle...the angle was me, a dyslexic writer, a secret poet and an aspiring filmmaker. I knew there had to be more people like me out there. I was convinced that if missfit produced a festival for dyslexic storytellers, a new experience of entertainment was on the horizon. The concept of the odd becoming accessible excited me. DYS(THE)LEXI opened its wings in 2007 – the odd kids were telling their stories and now people were paying to hear them, it was wonderful, I felt like I was building my own playground and inviting all my friends to play. It had a raw energy to it, a raw and low production quality that somehow worked and continues to work into DYSSING MONADYS. During the DYSSING MONADYS Festival, there were ups and downs and wonderful moments of complete synergy. Most of all it has been emotional because missfit is creating a playground where the ‘odd’ kids rule and play their, ‘games’, even if it is only for one night. This concept coins the philosophy that ‘in the playground we play and by playing we discover, and by discovering we learn and by learning we become all knowing’... Every night I learn something new about the kind of theatre I want to be part of. The kind of event I want to create. I discover the possibilities and limitations of my own imagination and will. (Like I said...its been emotional) So, how do you make good theatre and build a great festival? Bottom line, money, because money means good lights, technicians, props, design, costume, salary, venue...and everyone seems impressed with the smell of it too. If you don’t have money, you hope to have some of the magic that money cannot buy. This magic is priceless being so really hard to cultivate. But it can be found in the people you work with, their generosity and faith in what you are trying to do. These three words, Magic, Generosity, and Faith have made DYSSING MONADYS happen and continue to happen. I would like to say thank you to the writers, filmmakers, poets, directors, actors and every audience member who has believed in my playground. Please visit http://dysthelexi.blogspot.com for up to the minute information or to support the festival. The Alumni NEwsletter VOICE ALUMNI MARY FIELDER (SLT 60) Mary Fielder (née Rutherford) was awarded her M.Phil on Stroke Assessment and specialised in swallowing disorders and training nurses. MARIANNE MICALLEF (MA VS 05) Marianne Micallef left CSSD in 2005 to become voice tutor at Questors Theatre for its foundation course. She has a private practice which provides (inter alia) workshops on voice care, she is also affiliated with Moss Health Skills. Her theatre work has included dialect coaching at the Finborough Theatre Company and The Royal Court. Most recently she has trained intensively with Experience Vocal Dance Company on an experimental new practice which appeared in Backstage. Ellen Newman (S 72) Ellen Newman is head of Voice at RADA. CAROL FAIRLAMB (PG Dip 95) Carol Fairlamb was Voice Coach for Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre this summer season and recently finished dialect coaching on Riflemind at the Trafalgar Studios directed by Phillip Seymour Hoffman. She worked for Sydney Theatre company last year including a production of David Harrower’s Blackbird directed by Cate Blanchett. Photos (clockwise from top left): Mary Fielder (© Mary Fielder), Marianne Micallef (© Marianne Micallef), Ellen Newman (© Clare Park). Voice Care Network UK Roz Comins (née Dorey) (T 47) is founder and trustee of Voice Care Network UK which provides training for the safe use of voice to the teaching professions. Below is her account of its formation, its work and why. Every year over six thousand teacher trainees, teachers and academics experience a participative introduction to how to avoid voice loss and to use their voices safely and effectively at work. Among the 90 experienced voice coaches and speech therapists who deliver the work are myself and eighteen who trained at Central. We combined skills in 1993 to further the work and created the Voice Care Network UK (VCN). Our motivation grew from studies indicating teachers formed up to 30% of voice clinic caseloads, and from therapists reporting that half of these teachers would not be in clinic if they knew how their voices worked. Voice work hardly existed in teacher training and some teachers came to workshops with voice loss and serious hoarseness they termed the “hazard” of teaching. Interactive Study Meetings attracted new members who enjoyed the stimulus of working and learning together on effective ways to work with teachers. Teachers’ responses to our work were overwhelmingly positive. Now the Network membership is over 200 including 40 who trained at Central. It stretches to Edinburgh – Cathie Owen (ADVS), Exeter – Caroline Cornish (T 52), Scunthorpe – Bryony Simpson (Speech Therapy 79), Chester – Julie Mclean (MA V 03) with many more between, also in Iceland, New Zealand and Poland. We gained Cicely Berry (T 46) as Patron and became a publisher of modestly-priced, user-friendly voice booklets. We sought links in Education with Government Departments, Health & Safety, Teachers’ Unions, research and the press. All enquiries for advice, information and training received swift responses. The Board made us a charitable company, Jo Eliot (T 63) developed the regions, in 05-06 Lesley Hendy (ADSD 80) instigated Year of the Teachers’ Voice culminating with a conference at Central. Our most recent, ambitious, September venture was publishing Voice Catcher, an anthology, with contributions from many members and Editor Heather Kay (T 47). It celebrates voice and languages, revealing intimate, comical and deep reaches of the human voice. www.voicecare.org.uk email: [email protected] 01926 864368 Photos (top to bottom): Roz Comins, Heather Kay (© Roz Comins), Caroline Cornish (© Roz Comins), Julie McLean (© Roz Comins), Lesley Hendy (© Roz Comins). 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 7559 3997 10 The Alumni NEwsletter Photos (left to right): Susan Ferguson in Helmand Province, Anthea Cox (3rd from left) at No. 10 Downing Street (with thanks to Christian Aid). AFTER CENTRAL In this part of the newsletter we like to hear from alumni whose careers have taken unexpected and interesting turns since graduating. Below is an account from War Zone Radio Journalist Susie Ferguson (BA DE 99), and Anthea Cox (MA AT DE 07), Methodist Minister, and now Human Rights law undergraduate. FROM SWISS COTTAGE TO A WAR ZONE Susan Ferguson (DE 99) has travelled a long way since graduation, both literally and figuratively. Below is from her laptop… somewhere… War reporting may not seem like the most obvious of career choices following three years at Central. My initial ambitions of theatre directing were replaced with another interest – journalism – and of a career as an arts correspondent. I started in local radio in Scotland, and then spent eighteen months as a newsreader on national stations. But five years ago I had an opportunity too good to miss – becoming a radio reporter specialising in military issues, as troops were massing on the Iraq/Kuwait border. Weeks later I was roughing it – living out of a tank in the desert alongside the infantry and ended up as one of the first war correspondents into Basra in 2003. Since then I’ve reported from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Lebanon and Sri Lanka to name a few. Reporting from Iraq has become a staple, as has Afghanistan – most recently presenting news programmes from Helmand province. I’ve been privileged to tell the stories of some extraordinary people, and to travel to awe- inspiring places that I would otherwise never have got the chance to see. It’s all very far removed from the Embassy Theatre, but perhaps isn’t as surprising a career as it might first appear. From the early days to the present there have been a long line of radio presenters and announcers who’d started out in theatre. And every day of my working life I use techniques learned at Central. I still tell stories – they’re just based on fact rather than fiction. They benefit from thinking about how to frame the narrative, what techniques can be used to bring them to life – to grab the listener’s ear – and how to entertain as well as inform. There’s a fair amount of performance and voice work involved in radio to take the story off the page and communicate with the listener. And there’s also a closeness with the audience as people listen to the radio while waking up, in the bath or while driving – there’s an intimacy and interaction there which is similar to live theatre. Methodist Minister to Human Rights Lawyer via an MA at Central Anthea Cox (MA AT DE 07) who is currently studying Human Rights Law, has written to us describing what must be a fairly unique career path. When Anthea came to Central in 2002 to study for her MA AT she held a portfolio of roles: the founder (in 1994) of Goldhay Arts, a day service for people with learning disabilities, a City Councillor in Peterborough (the leader of the Labour Group there) and for the NHS, a non-executive director on the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Trust. She was then appointed to a senior leadership role in the British Methodist Chuch – an achievement she puts down to a “storming presentation” as a result of her training with us. Her Methodist Church appointment involved considerable international travel and talking extensively to the media often on controversial subjects at short notice. As she writes: I became heavily involved in 2005’s Make Poverty History campaign, which meant mobilising volunteers, being a leading voice for the movement, and attending the occasional breakfast in Downing Street! Other work engaged me with key issues of justice, including Darfur, Israel/Palestine, Trident, climate change, and countering political parties that promote racism. Continuing work on the MA provided valuable help in fulfilling this role, with its insistence on academic rigour and encouraging creative and lateral thinking. I am now at another turning point, having moved on from my role with the Methodist Church to study International Human Rights Law at Oxford Brookes University. When I campaign in the future I am looking forward to being able to write my own briefs! It is a considerable mental shift to move from an arts subject to international law, but once again the learning I experienced at Central has equipped me to do this. To bring things full circle there is a plan for a campaigning theatre show that will address human rights issues, so watch this space. The Alumni NEwsletter 11 Alumni abroad Thanks to everyone abroad who has been in touch. As well as the items below read more in Where Are They Now? Peter Hinton (© LB Photography) PETER HINTON Peter Hinton finished at the RSC with King Lear and The Seagull in February 2008 and went on to perform in The Revenger’s Tragedy at The National Theatre. He is currently in postproduction for a TV Pilot that he directed in March 2008 called The Academy, starring Ian McKellen, Jonathan Hyde, Sylvester McCoy, Frances Barber and alumna Carol Harvey (S 81). He cast a number of Central graduates in the show, including Ed Grace (BA A 06), Owen Morse (BA A 06), Jessica Sherman (BA A 06), Rebecca Gross (BA A 06) Ailidh McCay (BA A 06), Neet Mohan (BA A 08), Emily Patry (BA A 05), Tori Hart (BA A 06) and John Fitzpatrick (BA A 08). He is planning to film a six part series at the end of 2009. Peter is one of a group of acting alumni who has agreed to join our mentors scheme to mentor the acting third year students. Photos clockwise from top left: Maria Goiricelaya Buron (© Patricia Lorenzo), Fiona Gross, Eleanor Wedderburn (© Intrepid Arts), Intrepid Arts (CHAT), Simon Breden, Alice Williams. SPAIN AUSTRALIA Simon Breden (MA ATP 03) is continuing collaborations with The Royal Court International Department as Director and Translator and has been working on A Wake at the Southwark Playhouse Secret’s Season. Lucy Withers (BA DATE 06) has been living in Melbourne, Australia for the past 16 months. She works as an arts practitioner for the Arts Centre, Melbourne – the largest theatre in Australia, in their Education Program. She develops and facilitates educational art programs across the whole of Australia, which involves substantial work with the aboriginal community. She also works with St. Martins Youth Theatre in Melbourne (the oldest and most renowned youth theatre in Australia) as a teaching artist, conducting youth programs with ages ranging from 5 - 25 years. Maria Goiricelaya Buron (MA AMT 07) is teaching Voice at the Escuela de Musica y Artes Escenicas y Visuales de Bilbao, in the Basque Country, Spain. She recently received a grant to continue studying theatre at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos de Madrid. SINGAPORE Eleanor Wedderburn (DE 03) is currently working in Singapore. She has recently set up the Children’s Arts Therapy project; CHAT with Intrepid Arts. This is a community project helping children who have suffered abuse to share ideas and experiences with young people in Singapore, and other countries, through the medium of art, poetry, film and music. View their website www.intrepidarts. co.uk for news of their latest works. TANZANIA Fiona Gross (BA DATE 07) recently worked on a 2 month English/Drama Education project in Tanzania. CHINA and KUALA LUMPUR Alice Williams (née Reid) (PGCE D 01) after teaching in London, moved to China for four years with her husband Douglas and set up the Drama department at the British International School in Shanghai. Her daughter Lois was born last year in China. They moved to Malaysia this summer and Alice has taken up the post of Teacher of Drama at the Garden International School, Kuala Lumpur. Paul Piris (© Monika Kita) Puppetry Related PhD AT CENTRAL After gaining his MA at Central, Alumnus Paul Piris stayed on to pursue a puppetry related PhD in 2007. His research, based on his practice as a theatre director, focuses on the SubjectObject, binary actor- puppet relationship with reference to the Subject-Object relationships developed by Sartre and Girard. Central has given him access to key resources and high profile academic interlocutors to pursue this work, which is funded by AHRC. 12 The Alumni NEwsletter CENTRE FOR EXCELLENCE IN TRAINING FOR THEA Photos (left to right): Dionysus Body Enactment (© Jay Steward); The Bar of Ideas (© Alexander Corrie), The Devil’s Tale (© Gail Hunt); The Boy From Centreville (© Patrick Baldwin); Minack 2008 The work of the Centre for Excellence falls into three areas: Interface, Innovate, Incubate. Interface: Where Industry and Education meet CETT provides opportunities for students to benefit from a unique interface with industry professionals and ensures increased opportunities to train within cutting-edge theatre practices and technologies. the Edinburgh Festival Fringe This year Central took a show up to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The Boy from Centreville started as a course curriculum project with students from the 2nd year BA Acting (Collaborative and Devised Theatre) course collaborating with students from the BA Theatre Practice course. The project was based on the events of 16 April 2007, when Seung-Hui Cho, a Korean student majoring in English, killed 27 students and 5 faculty members at Virginia Tech University in the most deadly school shooting in US history. The students worked with a wide range of associated designers from Complicite, including Gareth Fry (BA TP 96) (Olivier award winning sound designer), Finn Ross and Paul Anderson, to develop a theatrical response to the events surrounding that fateful day. Catherine Alexander, lecturer at Central and an associate director with Complicite, was the director. The show ran for 9 performances at Pleasance One and was well received by critics and audiences alike with two 5 star reviews. The George Pompidou Centre Project Ten MA Performance Practice Research students were joined by six graduates of the MA PPR 2007 cohort and two MA Movement Studies students to perform Urban-I-city at the George Pompidou Centre, Paris as part of their Les Jeudi’s season. Faculty member Ana Sanchez-Colberg was the producer and Vicky Spanovangelis was the space director. UrbanI-city was a live event that transformed the CGP by physical theatre and dance artists who questioned the relation between space (the urban-city), architecture (the museum), and the body (the collective bodies of the art work(s), the performers and the audience). Paradise Gardens Festival The Bar of Ideas (pictured above) which was created as the social space of the Theatre Materials / Material Theatres conference was transported to the Paradise Gardens Festival at Victoria Park in East London over the May Bank holiday weekend. The Devil’s Tale Students from MA Music Theatre took part in The Devil’s Tale, which was the finale of the Flow Festival at Stourport-on-Severn in July, to celebrate the re-opening of the canal basins. The students worked on this one-hour spectacular show with SPIRAL, an international theatre and events company, Stourport Brass Band, Local Choirs, Percussion Ensemble from Royal Northern College of Music and international soloists. Yamaha Training Central Industry Partner Yamaha Commercial Audio held two hands-on training seminars at CSSD for industry professionals and Central students in November. The seminars covered ‘Audio Networking’ and ‘Digital Audio for Theatre’. The Accidental Festival The Accidental Festival has been produced by 3rd year students of the BATP Performance Arts strand for the past three years. This year CETT sponsored the festival so that Richard Foreman and Kevin Khulke from New York University were able to attend the Festival and give keynote speeches. Innovate : A laboratory for Academic Exploration Pioneering conferences, research-based fellowships and the publication of academic studies make CETT’s work available and accessible to external audiences and participants. CETT provides a platform for delving into and challenging these academic notions. Dionysus Body Enactment A one-day conference with the Sesame Institute UK and the International David Holt On-Line. Dramatherapists, psychologists and theatre makers, came together for workshops, a performance of Brekekex Coax Coax, based on The Frogs by Aristophanes and a keynote speech by Mark Saban ‘Fleshing out the Psyche’. Lu Santo Jullare Francesco Francis the Holy Jester Mario Pirovano performed an extract of the English version of Dario Fo’s one-man show Francis the Holy Jester for the first time. The event was in association with Trinity Theatre, Tunbridge Wells and preceded a World Premiere. The Alumni NEwsletter 13 HEATRE (© Dr Stephen Farrier) Experience Vocal Dance Company (EVDC) International Puppet Theatre Festival at Bialystok CETT awarded Ros Philips, of MA Movement Studies, a Student Ambassadorship to serve as assistant movement director for the production of Opera and the Undoing of Women in New York. CETT had previously supported EVDC with the presentation of its research into the Integrative Performance Practice. Alumni Rachel Hickson and Emma Savell were also sponsored by CETT to perform alongside EVDC Principal Vocal Dancers in New York. MA ATP and MA MS students took part in this annual international puppet theatre festival in Poland. The company Yalla performed Transitions and Iron Door performed Hooray for Hollywood. Borowski / Grotowski collaboration – The Song is Over This documentary film by Polish director Piotr Borowski was screened in collaboration with the British Grotowski Institute led by Paul Allain, which is based at the University of Kent. Incubate: The best Vocational Training CETT ensures that students receive the highest quality and experience in ground-breaking and contemporary working practices. Minack For the first time this year at Minack, first year BA DATE students worked with an established theatre company, Twisting Yarn, on its production of Life of Pi. CETT commissioned the documentation from first read through to final performance in order to capture the challenges of making large-scale work for an outdoor theatre in tandem with creating workshops with the local community. When is a Door Not a Door? by John Arden On 2 June 1958, playwright John Arden’s oneact play When is a Door Not a Door? was first performed by acting students from The Central School of Speech and Drama. 50 years later, on 2 June 2008, current acting students and Central alumni revisited this play in honour of Arden, as the School celebrated his career. Central was delighted to welcome Arden back to Central for this special occasion where there was a rare opportunity to hear him talk about his career. Lantern Procession For the first time ever at Central, first year students from all three of the undergraduate programmes joined together to give them the opportunity to meet their peers and set up contacts. The project culminated in a procession to the Swiss Cottage Open Space, where 200 students carried the lanterns they had made during the week and gave a short movement and choral performance to live music. MA Music Theatre Kitchen Workshops Students of the MA Music Theatre course took part in workshops with working professionals in the music industry. Future CETT Events Street Arts in Camden 19 January 2009 CETT is working in partnership with Camden Council and the Independent Street Arts Network to host an Outdoor Arts Networking event. Dyslexia Workshop 31 January 2009 A dedicated workshop for post graduates who attended the seven week Mindfulness Dyslexia courses last year. The Milton Project 28 February 2009 A performance and post-production discussion of a devised work commissioned for St. Paul’s Boys School (for their 500th anniversary) based on Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’. Student Puppet Festival 17-19 March 2009 The third annual conference will feature work of recent graduates together with students and new and emerging practitioners from the UK. This year, we are also hosting international groups from schools across Europe to show their work. Disability Symposium 11 May 2009 This symposium will look at Access to Training in Drama, Theatre, Performance and related vocational subjects in Drama Departments & Drama Schools. 14 The Alumni NEwsletter SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL and COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Bruce Wooding the Head of SPCD reports on the growing activity of this enterprising part of CSSD. MXAT trip Award from Xcel Central continue their relationship with the Moscow Arts Theatre School (MXAT) and as part of the Summer School 2009 are offering a two month course for professional actors. This training is an intensive combination of classroom exploration and application of technique that will help them gain an understanding of their training methodologies by experiencing their classes in person. Anna Nguyen of the Central School of Speech and Drama was awarded the Xcel Performing Arts Student of the Year on 6 October. Her achievement, along with that of 15 other fellow students from all backgrounds was acknowledged at the Xcel Student of the Year Awards. Vanessa Blake, also from CSSD (PGCE Drama), was commended. For more information, please contact SPCD on +44 (0)20 7559 3960 or send an email to [email protected] Photos (top to bottom): SPCD Production (© Craig Sugden), SPCD Summer Party (© N Moran) RESEARCH Seminars and EVENTS The following seminars and events took place last Autumn at Central: Documenting Practices Expo October An exhibition on ‘Documenting Practices’ was held in the Embassy Theatre and Studio on 6 and 7 November. Among the exhibitors were a number of eminent artists, photographers and theatre-makers including Rae Smith, Quentin Blake, Manuel Vason, alumnus Gareth Fry, and some of Central’s own staff. Participating organisations included the Cameron Mackintosh and Delfont Mackintosh Theatre Archive, Rambert Dance Company, LIFT, the National Theatre, and the V&A. At a related symposium, industry professionals, archivists and media lawyers discussed theoretical, practical and legal issues involved in recording theatre. In Discussion: Katie Mitchell An online catalogue will be available on Central’s website. December Research Presentations Creative strategies for contemporary performance Central staff: Jane Munro, Jo Parker, Gareth White and Nick Wood November Round Table Auteurship and Collaboration: Developments in Facilitated Creativity Catherine Alexander (Central/Complicite), Karen Fricker (Royal Holloway), David Rosenberg (Shunt) and Helen Freshwater (Birkbeck) Research Presentations Real People and Performance Dee Heddon (University of Glasgow) and Derek Paget (University of Reading) Photos (top to bottom): Part of Living Archive designed by Aldona Cunningham and Joanna Parker (© Martin Hartley), Exhibit at Expo by David Harradine (© Martin Hartley) The Alumni NEwsletter 15 forthcoming events Alumni may wish to attend some of the following events: Diploma Courses The School of Professional and Community Development (SPCD) is running a new parttime one year Diploma in Acting. On the course students will learn skills in Stage Combat, Movement, Voice and Acting. For further information contact [email protected]. VOICE GRADUATES REUNION EVENT 27/28 June 2009 Voice graduates will be pleased to know that Central is to hold a major voice reunion next summer which Cicely Berry hopes to attend. We’d like to invite you to contribute views and suggestions towards its production. A letter is arriving with this newsletter for all voice graduates to RSVP. If you have not received a copy please ring or email us for a copy (+44 (0)20 7449 1628 or [email protected].) ALUMNI FREE TICKET NIGHT TO STUDENT PRODUCTION March 2009 Each term, 50 free tickets are to be made available to alumni for one of our Public Production performances. Following the performance there will be an opportunity for catching up with other alumni over refreshments. For the Spring term dates please consult the website in January 2009. If you need more information about a specific event please give us a call at the Alumni Office and we will be only too happy to help, on +44 (0)20 7559 3997 or at [email protected]. Conference exploring Russian Theatre practice hosted at the Moscow Arts Theatre School (MXAT) 19-23 April 2009 The Moscow Arts Theatre School is hosting a Conference exploring Russian Theatre practice and the School of Professional and Community Development can take you there. This conference builds on the relationship established between MXAT and CSSD through holding the Voice conference that took place in Moscow April 2006 and Movement Conference in 2007. The conference is international whilst still enabling a key focus on Russian physical theatre practice. This allows an introduction of new methodology, shared knowledge and should catalyse reflective thought on your own work. Amongst the key speakers there will be directors Sergey Zhenovach, Cyrill Serebrennikov and Victor Ryzhakov, as well as famous theatre teacher, actor and Art Director Satiricon theatre, Konstantin Raikin. Theatre Noise conference 22-24 April Central is hosting Theatre Noise, an international conference that takes place 22-24 April 2009. Three keynote speakers are confirmed: Cicely Berry (world authority on voice), John Collins (artistic director of the New York company Elevator Repair Service) and Heiner Goebbels (internationally renowned composer and director). Theatre Noise will examine auditory phenomena in theatre, including sound design, music for performance and voice production to ask how hearing and listening shape our experience and perception of a theatrical event. There will be examples of innovative performance practices; presentations; workshops, round tables and a ‘playback room’. For more information, see the website www.cssd.ac.uk or contact CETT: [email protected]. Edinburgh Fringe festival Summer 2009 Daphna Attias is working with dANTE OR dIE, developing a site specific production on a chair lift for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2009. Audiences will arrive at sunset to sit on the precarious chair lifts and slowly be lifted up the side of the Pentland Hills. Movements of natural beauty will sit alongside new music composed specifically for the site and a plethora of striking theatrical images. MINACK FESTIVAL Summer 2009 CSSD students will be performing The Greek inspired by the novel Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis, at the Minack Festival 2009 in collaboration with Cartoon de Salvo. Alumni Reunion Albert Hall second half of 2009 Following on from the announcement of this event made in our last newsletter, we are delighted to report that the Albert Hall have now confirmed they would like to join with us in putting on an event in the second half of 2009. Further information will be posted on our website in early March, we will issue an email to those having an email address and will be writing nearer the time to send you an invitation. If you studied at the Albert Hall and have not been in touch with us in the last 12 months please make contact so that we can add you to our guest list (see Contact Us on the back page of this newsletter). Seminars Spring 2009 Round Table and Workshops New theatre development and production Wednesday 28 January 4.00-8.00pm With Ed Collier and Kate McGrath (co-directors, Fuel); David Jubb and David Micklem (co-artistic directors, BAC); and Purni Morell (director, National Theatre Studio). Photos: Royal Albert Hall (© Marcus Ginns), Daphna Attias, dANTE OR dIE (© Tim Morozzo) THE CRAIG LECTURE Actual work, theatre design and creative collaboration Thursday 5 February 6.00-7.00pm Given by Michael Levine. In association with the Society for Theatre Research. RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS Intentions and spontaneities Wednesday 25 February 2.00-3.30pm Central staff: Paul Barker and Richard Hougham. ROUND TABLE Research organisations for theatre and performance Wednesday 25 February 4.00-7.00pm With Maggie Gale (Chair, Theatre and Performance Research Association); Edward Scheer (Chair, Performance Studies international); Christopher Baugh (The Society for Theatre Research); Brian Singleton (Chair, International Federation of Theatre Research). RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS Nervousness and performance Tuesday 10 March 5.30-7.00pm Caroline Goyder (Central) on actors’ preparation; Dr Tamara Russell (Affective Neuroscience Group, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London) on meditation and mindfulness; Professor Andrew Steptoe (Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London), Chair. For further information please visit www.cssd.ac.uk 16 The Alumni NEwsletter Where are they now…? 1940’s Christine Hayes (née Caldwell) (Dip. DA 40) is now retired, having worked as Chairman of all Drama Training for the LEA in Devon and taught and directed theatre for the English Dept. at the University of Exeter. She was also greatly involved with the Exeter Northcott Theatre 1950’s Phebe C. Tyson (née Pope) (T 54) worked for 34 years in schools and produced many plays including The Government Inspector and Macbeth in Nepal’s National School. She now coaches WI competitions and Church readers John Neill (T 51) was employed as British Centre Lektor by Swedish Folk University in Sweden, Germany and at the University’s School in Hove Sussex. He is now retired Valerie Mars (née Stern) (SM & W 59) is now working as a social historian, an honorary research fellow in dept. of Anthropology at University College London. Special Interests: material culture and culinary history Jennifer Warner (Dip. ST 57) has retired after 44 years of work as both a speech and language therapist and lecturer. She was course director at Central on Dip.S.T course 1960-1974 and also worked part-time as senior speech therapist at St Thomas’ Hospital. She is now trustee and governor for a Charity Independent School for Children with Autism Jess Curtis (T 55) is Director of Spellbound Community Arts Theatre and Aural Visual Communications and a Board Member of Shout-it-Out (literacy) Theatre Projects Shirley Jaffe (née Jacobs) (A 54) is directing and playing with White Room Theatre’s Bite-Size plays in Brighton and is also Director and main session leader of Dramacare Reminiscence for residential and nursing homes and day centres while doing occasional TV and corporate filming 1960’s Lynette Reade (S 66) has recently appeared in A Slight Ache by Harold Pinter at the North Devon Fringe Gerard Benson (T 61) is writing poetry for children and adults and runs Poems on the Underground and is Poet Laureate for the city of Bradford June Mitchell (T 67) is freelancing at Mountview teaching improvisation and character development Jane McCulloch (SM 61) is the Artistic Director of both The English Chamber Theatre and Opera UK while also freelance directing both theatre and opera Deborah Grant (S 67) has worked on Mutual Friends (Hatrick Productions) Doctors (BBC) and Absurd Person Singular – Tour for Bill Kenwright Penny Harris (SLT 66) is working for the NHS as a Speech and Language Therapist part-time Domini Blythe (A 67) is currently making a film in Montreal called The Trotsky and has recently acted in several seasons at The Stratford Shakespeare Theatre, Ontario Canada Wendon Evans (ST 64) is living in France. Of interest to therapists might be the fact that the world famous ear department of the Clinique Causse in Colombiers, Hérault, uses speech therapists to give exercises for treating vertigo following ear infections. Janet Lesley (née Thompson) (SLT 65) is retired but working part-time as an intermediary for the criminal justice system and parttime with people with little or no speech who use alternative methods of communication 1970’s John Shuckburgh (S 77) is a wine consultant Susan Rogers (Tech 73) is working as a Production Buyer on Skins Series 3 Susanne Marsh (ST 75) is employed by Barking and Dagenham PCT as a Band 8b Speech & Language Therapist Sue Meek (née Hemming) (T 71) has been Head Teacher of St Mary’s Hall in Brighton for 11 years and is involved in a project converting the church of St Mark’s in Kemp Town into a Community Arts Centre Sue Holderness (S 70) is playing Marlene in the fourth series of The Green Green Grass – nine episodes Bonnie Taylor (ST 72) is a Speech Therapist in a specialist Parkinson’s Disease Unit in Edgware, North London. She is also a semi-professional jazz singer Virginia Pavey (SM 79) is a Research Support Manager at Kingston University Stephen Farris (T 79) is Head of Performing Arts at West Kent College, Tonbridge, Kent Karen Parkinson (ST 75) is practising as a counsellor in primary care and supervising counsellors in a variety of settings as well as teaching counselling skills at the Minster Psychotherapy Training Institute Robert Colston (ACSD 79) worked as a speech teacher instructing accountants, banks and the army (M.O.D) in Presentation. He also worked in Broadcasting as an announcer and retired from ITN in 2000 Jenny Grant (S 71) is a special needs teacher Susanne Marsh (SLT 75) has been in full-time practise in the NHS for thirty-three years in the North East Thames Region David Parry (T 78) is Deputy Head of The Coopers’ Company at Coborn School Upminster John Parsonson (A 75) is a writer, director and acting teacher. See www.johnparsonson.com Fran Dendy (née Anderson) (T 79) is a lecturer in Voice on Foundation Degree Programmes (Bournemouth University) at Bournemouth and Poole College and Head of Tutoring at Poole Maggie Dean (S 74) has taken time off to bring up children. She has joined the actor’s centre now to hopefully go back to acting Susan Templar (Rogers) (Tech 73) is a production buyer for TV and has recently finished on Waking the Dead for the BBC Michael Townsend (Tech 77) is the Concerts and Hirings Manager at Really Useful Group Theatres 1980’s Mark Carey (S 83) appeared in The Invisibles (BBC TV) and A Table for Death (BBC Radio Drama) and played the title role in Macbeth at Bridge House Theatre, Warwick Russell Grant (S 80) recently appeared in Criminal Justice on BBC and also works as a Blue Badge Guide in London Dianne Gammage (née Grimshaw) (84) is a Dramatherapist and Play therapist. Currently undertaking an MA in Buddhist Psychotherapy and setting up an MA programme in Play therapy in Exeter Sarah-Jane Morris (T 80) is recording an album in Rome with 14 cellos including songs from Morricone, Ravel, Paolo Conte and Boy George. She is to play Mere Ubu in the opera version of Pere Ubu at Queen Elizabeth Hall and is headlining three nights at Ronnie Scott’s Mina Smallman (Henry) (T 88) was ordained at St Paul’s Cathedral on 1 July 2006 and is currently in her second year as assistant curate at St John the Evangelist in Great Stanmore Sean McLevy (A 89) recently directed The Killing Game by Ionesco at the BAC and appeared in Hood at The Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh Rupert Vansittart (S 82) is filming Margaret for the BBC and playing the role of Peter Morrison – Margaret Thatcher’s Parliamentary Private Secretary Emma Victoria Winn (ST 87) is a Speech Therapy Clinical Manager in Camden and Islington Sara Stewart (S 88) is an actress and currently appearing in a new series of The Prisoner for ITV Judith Downes (B.Ed T 82) is now Head of English at North Devon College FE & HE linked to Plymouth University Geoff Felix (B.Ed ESD 80) is a puppeteer www.geofffelix.com Nick Corfield (SM 82) is teaching drama to Autistic Boys at the Special Needs School – Cruckton Hall School, Shrewsbury Shropshire Amanda Kipling (T 84) has recently been appointed PGCE Drama Course Leader at Goldsmiths and is delighted to be appointed in what she considers to be the most rewarding job in education Wendy Wall (Bsc SLT 88) is working in SALT at Merton & Sutton PCT – part-time Alison Stewart (SLT 89) is the manager of Speech & Language Therapy Services to Education Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster Michael Cuckson (A 84) is acting, directing, writing, doing photography and music. His next acting job is The Eva 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 train The Alumni NEwsletter 17 Cassidy Story – National Tour 1990’s Phil Kingston (A 92) is acting for Bedrock Theatre Company in Smock Alley in Dublin Jo Cameron Brown (PGDVS 97) is working as a dialect/dialogue coach on movies and is currently working in Berlin on Desert Flower Rebecca Lenkiewicz (96) is a playwright and has an adaptation of The Enemy of the People playing at the Arcola and a new play Her Naked Skin at the National Theatre Kate Keen (née Rowe) (PGCE 99) is a Drama Teacher at Kingswood School in Bath Sarah Barnfield (DE 98) trained as a theatrical agent and has been running her own agency for seven years Sue Martin (98) is a Speech and Language Therapist – working in Camden Adults with learning disabilities Shaun Canon (DE 97) has moved to the FE National Consortium and become their new Head of Learning and Teaching Solutions Irenka Griffin (Sesame DMT 96) is the Principal/Director of the company Sailnetuk.com Andrew Cuthbert (PGDVS 93) is teaching Voice and short courses at RADA. He is still acting in fringe and worked on Radio 4 Melina Gammell (B Ed DSL 92) is teaching in a Pupil Referral Unit Justin Brett (A 95) has toured with Return to the Forbidden Planet and was Dame in panto in Ipswich as well as touring Dick Barton. He is also doing Stand-up and writing. Mary Smail (MA D & MVT T 90) is directing a Sesame Institute Charity and establishing Drama and Movement Therapy training in Ireland and Wales and also undertaking PhD Research Samantha Tu (née Cones) (MA VS 99) is married with 3 children and will be returning to voice coaching in September 08 working with bankers, traders and lawyers Deirdre (Dee) Forrest (PG VS 98) is Deputy Head of Voice at the Mountview Academy Claire Smith (B Ed SD 91) is teaching Special Needs in Sudbury, Suffolk Mel Churcher (MA VS 99) is working as an acting and voice coach in theatre and film. Her book Acting for Film: Truth 24 times a second pub. Virgin Books 2003 Toni Williams (MA ATP 99) is the Technical Manager for Lighting and Sound at the Circus Space Sarah Simmons (V 97) is a voice dialogue coach Nina Ayres (BA TS 97) is a freelance Theatre Designer/maker in film and TV. She has just had the book Creating Outdoor Theatre published by Crowood Press 2000’s Kate Somerset How (06) is working as a singer and actress for Lush Handmade Cosmetics movies and events. She will also appear in a production of Jekyll and Hyde at The Cochrane Theatre in July 2009 Marion Tucker (BA TP 04) is working as a shop assistant, studying couture p/t and is a member of a textiles group. She raised money for Langside school for disabled children by selling items she’d made Beckie Mills (PGCE D 05) was Assistant Director on the RSC’s production of The Taming of the Shrew directed by Conall Morrison in Stratford Upon Avon Kate McGregor (DATE 07) is currently directing Crimps’ Fewer Emergencies at the Unicorn Theatre and Final Pay at the Tabard Theatre Aoife Mulholland (MA MT 06) is playing Maria in The Sound of Music at the Palladium Toby Olie (BA TP P 06) has been reprising the role of Joey in War Horse at The National Theatre and is Puppetry Consultant for Liberty at Shakespeare’s Globe Caroline Anne Wild (BA & MA A 06) runs a children’s theatre company and also a classical theatre company – The Distracted Globe, which recently produced Hamlet Radene Carter (BA DE 01) has left the Albany to be Associate Producer for Birmingham Rep Theatre Rodrigo Sanchez (BA DATE 07) has begun an MA History of International Relations Course at The London School of Economics Tori Hart (BA A 06) is working as an actress in theatre, TV and film and running Mr Hart’s Theatrical Company Susanna Bishop (BA A 06) is still an actress and also the director of the New Wolsey Youth Theatre, Ipswich and Head of Drama at Ipswich High School Adela Kobic (BA TP 02) works for Autism West Midlands as a Day Services Support Worker Nicola Watson (PGCE D 04) is Head of Drama at Belfast Boy’s Model School Amy White (BA TP 07) is working as a prop-maker for a company called Theme Traders Janice Claire Holtby (DMT 01) is studying for a Graduate Diploma in Law Karen Maycock (BA TP 05) is a Technical Assistant for the Royal Festival Hall – Southbank Centre Helen Williams (née Murphy) (PGCE D 02) is Head of Drama at Gateacre Community Comprehensive School, Liverpool Nancy Walker (MA Sesame 08) works as a Drama Therapist on behalf of bereavement charity Grief Encounter and Watford Mencap, and also works as a business trainer for Crag Rats Ltd Lucy St John (BA DATE 05) is working with children and young people, facilitating, devising and teaching music, dance and drama Naana Agyei-Ampadu (MA AMT 06) is acting in The Frontline by Che Walker at the Globe Theatre Holly Whymark (PGCE 00) is Head of Drama at St Albans High School for Girls Kelly Jenkinson (PGCE D 07) is teaching drama full time at The Matthew Arnold School in Staines John Adam-Baker (MA PS 00) is a Cultural Facilitator for New Wolsey Theatre (Ipswich) and part-time Lecturer at University Campus Suffolk (BA in Performance) Kate Wood (PGCE D 02) is a teacher of AS and A2 Theatre Studies in Cambridge at CCSS Matt Morris (TP 04) is working worldwide as a touring crew boss for a lighting department and freelancing in music and events Ros Simmons (MA VS 03) has just led the Spoken English summer course at Central Voice Support for Mountview, Accent Coaching MD 2000 and LCTS and also working as a private coach through The Real Speaking Company Kirsten Fiona Maclean (PGCE D 06) is Head of Drama at Overton Grange School Sara Bexell (BA TP P 07) is a puppeteer in Stockholm, Sweden and is performing in a show that tours around Sweden and Europe and will soon be leading a puppetry workshop in Laos Piia Surakka (VS 04) is a freelancer and studying to become a Feldenkrais teacher Miriam Birch (BA TP 07) is a freelance costume supervisor/wardrobe mistress for the Tobacco Factory, Bristol and White Horse Theatre, Germany Victoria Meager (PGCE D 02) is now Co-ordinator of Performing Arts at City & Islington Sixth Form College Gemma Ashford (Dip. AMT 01) works in TIE, is also a photographer and has a dog clinic in Thailand! Caroline-Louise Armstrong (PG Dip AMT 03) is Head of Drama at Cumnor House School, West Sussex Guy Davey (BA TP 02) is the Technical Manager at Hurtwood House Guy Davies (BA TP 00) is a sound engineer Emma Rogers (MA VS 01) is a part-time teacher of ‘Foundation’ students at Mountview (speech & voice) and is a full-time mother of a five year old Catherine Gilchrist (PGCE D 01) is Head of Drama at Purbeck School Alison Waters (DE 00) is Head of Drama at St Nicholas’ School, Old Harlow, Essex Kate Greenaway (BA DATE 05) moved home to Cardiff and is working as a freelance Drama Facilitator for Stage Schools, Youth Theatres and Community Projects mostly in areas of regeneration Amy Todd (MA CA 05) is currently acting with Riding Lights Theatre Company and in between acting work temps as a PA in the city Alex Bingley (MA VS 03) is a full time voice teacher on BA (Hons) Acting Course at Italia Conti and going Freelance in 2009 Nicola Shortman (BA TP 05) is teaching Art & Design at Boston College in Lincolnshire and will be starting a national diploma course there this year Tracey Ashmore (PGCLTHE 05) is an HE study advisor for ned in, by filling in the enclosed Alumni form or emailing us at [email protected], or calling on +44 (0)20 7559 3997. 18 The Alumni NEwsletter Where are they now…? University Creative Arts and is studying for an MA in Design Studies at Central St Martins Emily Hardy (BA TP 07) is a freelance stage manager and is regular freelance ASM at the Royal Opera House Linbury Theatre Gina De Marco Scanlon (MA WSBM 07) is currently working in media archiving at ITV and is also a staff writer for a website based out of California called WeEarth.com Charlotte Cherie Graham (MA VS 06) is Managing Director of WebbGraham Communications LLC providing voice training to actors, politicians, executives and public/gov’t professions, reporters and presenters based in Washington DC and London Gavin O’Donoghue (MA VS 06) is teaching in the Culture Studies Department, Dundack Institute of Technology Daniel Bartrope (MA AMT 07) is currently swing on UK number 1 tour of Hello Dolly starring Anita Dobson and Darren Day. He began ‘ensemble’ in Annie in September for another UK tour Paul Piris (MA ATP 06) is studying a PhD at CSSD funded by AHRC on the subject of puppetry. He is also the Artistic Director of Rouge28 Theatre Luisa Guerreiro (MA AMT 05) is currently preparing to teach Musical Theatre courses for Camden Summer Universities Paula Baker (MA AT 07) is setting up a site-specific theatre co. called Footprints and is also teaching freelance dance and drama Honor Roche (MA AMT 07) has been auditioning, teaching dance and drama to children and young people as well as musical theatre workshops, voice-over work and modelling Vivienne Buckley (MA AT 08) is Head of Performing Arts Gorseman College and Artistic Director – West Glamorgan Youth Theatre Jonathan Niton (BA A 07) is rehearsing for Plaza Suite for The Mill at Sonning Theatre Directed by Anthony Valentine Ed Bartram (MA AT 08) is a Theatre Director and Creative Education Specialist Katie Marsden (MA CA 07) is acting in a kids road-show touring Wales Kim Medcalf (AMT 00) has just finished the ITV production of Harley Street. In 2007 she played Sally Bowles in Rufus Norris’ production of Cabaret at the Lyric Theatre, West End. Before that, she played Sorrel Bliss in Sir Peter Hall’s Hayfever alongside Judi Dench Victoria Beeby (BA TP 07) is working as a Sales Associate in Harrods Li E Chen (BA TP 04) has been working as a new media designer for theatre, opera and public arts Temitayo Oyeniyi (MA CA 07) is working as an education practitioner at Shakespeare’s Globe. She is currently working on a new devised piece of theatre Charla Givans (DMT 01) is working as a Drama and Movement Therapist, freelance and employed Andrew Royle (MA Sesame 08) is working as a drama-therapist with autistic children and working with bereaved children Nina Lucy Wylde (05) recently got married and moved to South Africa. She is acting whenever possible for both camera and stage, and also directing stage productions Juliet Goo Birks (TP 07) has been working as a company assistant for Improbable Theatre and has directed projects at the Bristol Tobacco Factory and has been Education Assistant at the Hampstead Theatre Anthony Mark Barrow (BA A 01) has recently finished filming episodes of Eastenders (BBC 1) and recording Silver Street (BBC Radio) and has been touring with Cheek by Jowl’s Production of Troilus and Cressida Shereen Ali-Hassan (BTEC FAD 00) has been doing a PGCE in Art & Design at Goldsmiths and is an Art Teacher Sophia Shaw (PGCE D 04) is teaching both Drama and Dance in a secondary school in East London Becky Clatworthy (BA TP 05) has just finished working on silent witness and starts Eastenders in January Georgina Morelle (BA DATE 06) is acting in a comedy show around Spain, based in Madrid for Face2Face Theatre Maya Ercole (née Stevanovic) (MA DMT 06) is working as a Drama-therapist in education (primary school) and visiting lecturer (Human Development strand) on MA Drama & Movement Therapy at CSSD Dan Skili (PGDip DMT 00) is a drama and movement therapist working for Sutton and Merton Primary Care Trust (NHS). He is also directing The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen at Dalston Culture House Kitty Winter (MA MS 05) is a freelance movement director and choreographer, specialising in work for young audiences. She was commissioned to make a dance theatre installation piece for CTC theatre last autumn, Five, which is touring the UK and Germany this year. She is also in the process of setting up her own company Winter/ Walker Bella Tristram (BA DATE 05) is Acting Education Manager at Hull Truck Theatre – setting up and implementing Education and community projects to use drama to improve well-being, learning and creativity Polly Agg-Manning (BA DATE 03) is the Participation and Education Manager at Exeter Northcott Theatre Caroline Watsham (MA DATE 04) is running a small pre-school music franchise (Rhythm Time), teaching newborns – 5 year olds, (whilst also keeping very busy as mother of two primary school age daughters!) Julian Olive (BA DE 02) is an education associate at York Theatre Royal Anna Lewis (MA WSBM 06) teaches English and Drama in a comprehensive school in Croydon Gemma Nicol (BA DATE 07) is working as Education Officer at Dundee Rep Theatre Angela Gasparetto (MA MS 04) is Co-Head of Movement, Italia Conti (Acting BA) Jane Crook (BA TP 02) spent 5 years touring nationally and internationally relighting (and designing lighting when possible) for a variety of contemporary dance companies. She is now in the West End working on video at We Will Rock You Matthew Taylor (A 08) has been filming Robin Hood for the BBC in Budapest and is now at the Dundee Rep Theatre working on Beauty and The Beast Gavin James (A 00) is currently playing The Bishop of Digne/Combeferre in Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre, West End Stephen Woolmer (BA TP 06) is Technical Manager for The Georgian Theatre Royal, Richmond, North Yorkshire Clare Stansfeld (A 06) is working at Markham & Froggatt Jake O’Hara (BA DATE 07) is Head of Theatre in a Special Education High School in Boston MA USA and a freelance Community Theatre Director and Set and Costume Designer Ben Eedle (MA VS 02) is teaching Voice and Acting Sandy Foster (BA A 08) took part in the CDS Spotlight presentations at the Strand Palace Hotel in July 2008 Tunde Aleshe (BA A 08) took part in the CDS CDS Spotlight presentations at the Strand Palace Hotel in July 2008 Dave Brinson (PGCE 02) is serving on the National Executive of the National Union of Teachers and is a trustee of the East Sussex Youth Arts Trust 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 Alumni NEwsletter 19 Photos (top left to bottom right): Vanessa Ewan, Alan Pearce, Tom Gilbey, Matthew Markwick; Dominic Gerrard with mentees Katy Baker, Thomas Luke-Taylor and Elana Martin; Alexis Zegerman and Ben Carruthers; Lianne Tucker, Chetna Pandya, Catherine Alexander and Geoff Colman; Zoe Tapper and Peter Bray; Greg Bartlett, David Hartley and David Emmings; Luke Osborne and Reeda Ouzerdine; Sally Tatum between mentees Hannah Day and Grace Rowe; Rhidian Marc, Tom Stuart and Helen Worrall; Andrew London, Sam Peter Jackson and Ana Nguyen. 20 The Alumni NEwsletter PUBLIC PRODUCTIONS Contact us Information about production nights and our courses is posted on Central’s website just as soon as the dates are set – www.cssd.ac.uk – can we reach you? Last term’s productions were; The Love of the Nightingale by Timberlake Wertenbaker, Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage, Les Liaisons Dangereuses based on the novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos and adapted by Christopher Hampton, The Sightless and Interior by Maurice Maeterlinck. Our alumni free ticket matinee performance of The Sightless and Interior was held on 6 December. Publications Dawn French (T 80) Dawn French has written her memoir Dear Fatty which was published in hardback by Century in October 2008. Email [email protected] Nina Ayres has written the book Creating Outdoor Theatre – A Practical Guide which was published by Crowood Press in July 2008. IN MEMORIUM With great sadness we learned of the death of alumnus John Matshikiza (S 77), actor, widely recognised and respected South African poet and political journalist. John was born in 1954 in a Johannesburg township. After training with Central and the Royal Shakespeare Company he worked for the Glasgow Citizens Theatre company. His career was heavily influenced by his keen support for the African National Congress: He believed in its activism and was instrumental in the formation of its cultural arm – Mayibue. In the 1980s his reputation grew not only as a film actor but as a poet. His films included Cry Freedom (1987), Mandela (1987), There’s a Zulu on My Stoep (Leon Schuster 1993), Hijack Stories (2000) and Wah-Wah (2005), Richard E Grant’s film of his childhood in Swaziland. His published In order for us to do this and to pass on other news, it is vital for us to hold your up to date contact records, (in particular email, which helps us to keep costs down) and we rely completely on you keeping us accurate. Please find the time to send us a quick email or there is an automated page created for you at www.cssd.ac.uk and hit the alumni tab at the top. Other ways to contact us are: Telephone +44 (0)20 7559 3997 Nina Ayres (BA TS 97) John Matshikiza Job Alerts – these days we are trying to be more actively useful to you by sending out relevant work opportunities and helping you to network. poetry, which won critical acclaim, includes South Where Her Feet Cool on Ice (1981) and Prophets in the Black Sky (1986). A recent Nelson Mandela anthology includes one of his poems. In the 1990s after working in Holland, the USA and a number of African countries (including as culture director of the Goree Institute in Senegal) John returned to South Africa after Nelson Mandela was released. A significant voice observing South African politics, he was widely respected for his willingness to speak out and not to be seduced by the trappings of recognition. His journalism won him several prizes as a regular contributor to many prominent newspapers and magazines in South Africa the US and UK. He also presented a BBC radio series. Facebook We now have an official Facebook Group. It is designed to let you network with other Alumni and we also plan to inform Group members with news of jobs, events and other items. To find us, log on and search Groups for “CSSD” and then select “CSSD Alumni News – official site”. By post Alumni Office The Central School of Speech and Drama Embassy Theatre Eton Avenue London NW3 3HY UK Update your contact details using our automated forms on the website: www.cssd.ac.uk then click on the ‘alumni’ tab. John died of a heart attack on 15 September this year. Acknowledgements With thanks to all featured alumni and photographers for their contributions towards this newsletter and also to the following members of CSSD: Caitlin Adams, Catherine Alexander, Cariad Astles, Jessica Bowles, Ross Brown, Geoff Colman, Susan Emanuel, Vanessa Ewan, Stephen Farrier, Wendy Gadian, Gavin Henderson, Gail Hunt, Sally Mackey, Peter McAllister, Peter Maccoy, Catherine McNamara, Nick Moran, Katerina Moriatis, Nick Moseley, Karl Rouse, Meg Ryan, Debbie Scully, Ayse Tashkiran, Nick Wood, and Bruce Wooding. 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 7559 3997 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. 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