Guest blogger Professor Leon Rubin from East 15 Acting School explains why our unique approach is developing talent which we all need to celebrate.
Are we having the wrong argument about the future of theatre and film? The success of Benedict Cumberbatch, Damian Lewis, Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne and a clutch of other privately-educated actors is provoking a fresh wave of concern about whether the world of theatre and film is becoming closed off – the realm of the upper classes.
‘Posh-bashing’ does not get us very far and actually damages all sides. Acting is a profession where the whole point is to persuade an audience you are someone else and Cumberbatch, Lewis and Redmayne – no matter what their background – have built their reputations on powerful performances which connect with people. Audiences choose their acting heroes because of the way an actor touches their hearts rather than where they have come from.
The success of Cumberbatch, Lewis and Redmayne does not mean that there is a dearth of other talent from different backgrounds. We should not let the hubbub surrounding the Oscars and national headlines obscure the incredible range and depth of the talent pool.
If you want the next Brit to win an Oscar to be from a state school, then don’t be afraid of celebrating the Eddie Redmayne’s of this world, but start paying attention to the new theatre work and the films being created in the UK – often by East 15 graduates.
You won’t be surprised to hear that privilege won’t get you a place at East 15 Acting School, one of the UK’s largest acting schools, where I am director. But, we do believe in nurturing talent from all backgrounds and countries, and our ability to spot and nurture talent is a matter of conviction. Admission to East 15 is selective but based on a rigorous audition process that assesses students’ potential, irrespective of their background or experience.
Perhaps East 15 Acting School is more conscious than any other acting school of the importance of drawing in people from diverse backgrounds and giving them a forum to debate issues and express their ideas. We were founded in 1961 and set ourselves apart from conservatoires, challenging their methods and the types of students they take. We were set up under the influence of the ‘Mother of Modern Theatre’ Joan Littlewood and the Unity Theatre movement which aimed to use theatre to get working-class audiences to connect with contemporary social and political issues.
Graduates like Wahab Sheikh, BA Acting and Contemporary Theatre (2011), represent this continuing tradition. He did not come from a privileged background or private schooling. He came from London’s East End and had first-hand experience of gang culture. He used this experience to create his first play Thugz and Tearz, which received outstanding reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe, with playwright April de Angelis naming him “a modern day Jacobean”. Danny Boyle subsequently cast him in feature film Trance, and he has gone on to appear in Red 2, the BAFTA Award winning Complicit, and the Academy and Golden Globe Awards nominated Zero Dark Thirty.
I spoke to Wahab about his experiences at East 15 for this blog. He told me: “East 15 was a truly captivating, energetic and explosive experience. The days were physically and mentally challenging, breaking down and then rebuilding the individual, filling our bags with tools and benefits. Think of it as planting a seed of versatility within the core of ones being, and then that seed, with the right direction and moulding will grow gradually into what becomes the fruits of that intense yet fulfilling method acting process. Any success that I gain within the acting industry is rooted in this place, I will forever be grateful to the mentors that aided my journey.”
We nurtured Wahab’s inherent talent and expected him to excel. He is just one of many recent and diverse alumni that we are incredibly proud of. Recent graduate Lee Armstrong from the North East secured the lead role of Albert in the National Theatre’s UK and International tour of War Horse; Leah Brotherhead from Hull was Jane Seymour in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies, and Andrew Leung played against Ben Wishaw in the BAFTA-nominated Lilting. Other East 15 alumni include Alison Steadman, who has twice won an Olivier for Best Actress, Blake Harrison and Jenny Platt.
Of course the film and theatre profession is not just about great actors – none of that would be possible without great film and stage directors like Cannes Palme d’Or winner Mike Leigh, who has worked with East 15 graduates on numerous occasions, and other leading directors like Academy nominee Stephen Daldry, who studied at East 15, and playwrights like April de Angelis, also from East 15.
Dame Judi Dench, Julie Walters and David Morrissey have all recently said that working-class talent is being squeezed out of the arts. Following a public spat with James Blunt in January, Shadow culture minister Chris Bryant continues to voice concern that more must be done to ensure diverse representation in the arts.
My own call to action is to champion the next generation of actors. You can go and see now the next Judi Dench or Julie Waters, they are probably touring around venues across the UK and around the world at the moment, if they came to East 15 they probably created their own show.
A new generation of actors are creating wonderful work here and now. If you want to nurture more diversity in theatre and film – start watching.
Professor Leon Rubin East 15 Acting School
