Free online workshops with theatre and TV professionals

For the last few years we have held a free-to-all drama workshop in January. It has to be a bit different this year but we are thrilled to say that we have lined up online workshops with a stellar cast of five amazing theatre professionals –

Tuesday 19th January - JAMIE WILKES - Story Craft for Actors 

Jamie Wilkes is a top level professional actor whose TV credits include His Dark Materials, Mr Selfridge and Vanity Fair. His theatre roles have been many and include Two Noble Kinsmen, The Comedy of Errors and Oppenheimer for the RSC and Titus Andronicus at The Globe.  He is also a member of The Wet Mariners who play regularly at The Willow Globe in Rhaeadr. 

Tuesday 26th January - LAURA NORMAN - Character Development

Laura Norman is the Creative Learning Practitioner at the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich where she works with schools and groups of young people to develop and enhance their love of theatre. Through a series of games and exercises used in the rehearsal room, this session will guide you through the process of building a character physically and emotionally. Explore the building blocks of the rehearsal process. Find unique personal forms of vocal and physical expression to unlock a role and feel the exhilaration of creating a character in which you can find yourself.    

Tuesday 9th February - MICHAEL CORBIDGE - Finding the Laughter in Shakespeare's Comedy Speeches

Patron of The LADS, Michael is known to us all as a Royal Shakespeare Company Voice and Text Associate.  What you may not know is that he is also a published poet, an established director and writer.  He runs his own studio and theatre company in Kent, teaches MA studies at the Rose Bruford drama school and until lockdown was working with a group of circus theatricals and touring internationally to teach and direct.

Tuesday 16th February - LOVEDAY INGRAM - Unlocking Shakespeare

Loveday Ingram has directed musicals and plays in the west end and extensively throughout the UK as well as Internationally. She trained at the RSC with John Barton, was Associate Director at CFT for 3 years and was Assistant Director on the original production of Mamma Mia. Her recent work includes Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville which played at the National Theatre of China, Henry V and Julius Caesar for Storyhouse in Chester, and the critically acclaimed production of Aphra Behn’s The Rover for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Her productions in the West End include four-time Oliver Nominated Gershwin musical My One and OnlyThe Blue Room and When Harry Met Sally at the Haymarket Theatre Royal, and Bedroom Farce at The Albery with Richard Briers and June Whitfield as well as Rockaby at The Barbican as part of the Samuel Beckett Centenary Festival. 

Tuesday 16th March - IAN BARTHOLOMEW - Working on Stage and TV

Ian Bartholomew is an actor and singer whose career spans more than 40 years. His latest high profile part has been as Geoff Metcalfe in Coronation Street. On the stage, he has played everything from musical theatre to Shakespeare. Ian is a four times Olivier Awards nominee, has won the Manchester Evening News award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Doolittle in Pygmalion at the city’s Royal Exchange and had rave reviews for his role in Brecht’s The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui in Liverpool and Nottingham. On television, his back catalogue includes Heartbeat, The Darling Buds of May, Wycliffe, Crown Court, The Professionals, Minder, The Bill, Spooks, New Tricks, Foyle’s War and Maigret.

Places are limited so to take part please email us asap for further information.

All workshops will start at 7.45pm. For more information email us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call Alison Utting on 01691 622093.