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Teachers

Russell Bolam

Russel Bolam

Russell trained at Middlesex University and GITIS Academy of Theatre Arts, Moscow.

He has directed two Olivier Award winners Kathryn Hunter and Matthew Kelly and three of Chekhov's major plays in new versions by Evening Standard Award winning playwright Anya Reiss. These critically acclaimed productions had casts featuring Holliday Grainger, Amanda Hale, Olivia Hallinan, John Hannah, Lily James and Paul McGann.

Theatre includes A Month of Sundays (Queens Theatre Hornchurch), The Titanic Orchestra (Pleasance), Marriage (Assembly), Uncle Vanya (St James Theatre), The Merry Wives of Windsor (Ivan Vazov), Cyrano de Bergerac, Crushed Shells and Mud, Three Sisters, The SeagullShivered (Southwark Playhouse) Ghost From a Perfect PlaceIn Skagway, The Road to Mecca (Arcola Theatre), The Roman Bath (Arcola Theatre / Ivan Vazov) Alfred (Vineyard Theatre) and SomersaultsCaptain Oates’ Left Sock (Finborough).

His comedy directing includes shows with Edinburgh Comedy Award Nominees Pappy's and The Beta Males.

Russell is a visiting director at Arts Ed, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Central School of Speech and Drama, Identity School of Acting, LIPA, Oxford School of Drama, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. 

And he is a part time teacher at Kent University, a Connections Director at the National Theatre, a Globe Education Practitioner and Visiting Artist at the National Student Drama Festival.
https://www.russellbolam.com/

Dorothea Myer-Bennett

Dorothea trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

Theatre includes: Carol - This Was A Man - Finborough Theatre, Rosalind - As You Like It, Lady Croom - Arcadia, Julia - Two Gentlemen of Verona, Lady Anne - Richard III, Varya - The Cherry Orchard, Regan - King Lear, Celimene - The Misanthrope, Adriana - The Comedy of Errors (Andrew Hilton- Shakespeare at The Tobacco Factory). Goody - The Spire (Salisbury Playhouse, Gareth Machin).  The Fitzrovia Radio Hour (Gilded Balloon, Edinburgh Festival and tour). Daphne Stillington - Present Laughter (number one tour- Belinda Lang). Jessica - Transparency (Ransom Theatre-Rachel O'Riordan). Mary - Freshwater (Charleston Festival-Jonathan Munby). Jackie Coryton - Hayfever (Manchester Royal Exchange-Greg Hersov). Kate Hardcastle - She Stoops to Conquer (Birmingham Rep and number 1 tour-Jonathan Munby). Anne - Restoration (Headlong-Rupert Goold). Fanny Mendelsshon - Mendelsshon in Scotland (City of London Sinfonia-Jonathan Best). Maria - The Tamer Tamed (The Globe, William Poel Festival-John Hartoch).
 
Television and films includes: Elizabeth Montagu - The Honourable Rebel (MF Productions), Gaby - Plastic People (Green Dot Productions), Arabella - Jude the Obscure/Dead Man Talking (BBC), Tanya - The Payback (Future Films).

Video Game: Inga - Fable Legends (Lionsgate and Microsoft).

Dorothea has facilitated many theatre workshops for Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory, schools, and numerous corporate events.

Alex Humes


Alex trained in Russia, has been teaching at City Acting for over five years and was nominated a BIFA Rising Star 2015.

Feature films include: Mile End (nominated Best UK Feature for Raindance Film Festival 2015), World War Z, Forest Of The Damned II, Run Away With Me, Selection, The Hooligan Wars. He is currently filming the British independent feature Hilda.

TV credits include: HBO's Strike Back, Spacecadets, Mind Of A Murderer, Unanimous, Bloody Foreigners, Space Race, Brotherhood Of The Sea and New Blood. He appears in Britannia for Sky/Amazon, due to air in January 2018 as is Locked Up Abroad, in which he plays the lead. 

His theatre credits include: Miniaturists 54 (Arcola Theatre), A View From The Bridge and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Oxford Playhouse), Observe The Sons Of Ulster Marching Towards The Somme (Pleasance Theatre), Landfill (Sheffield) and The Duchess Of Malfi (Charing Cross Theatre), Romeo and Juliet (East Africa/ Tour), Love's Labours Lost (Japan/Tour).

Alex also recently appeared in several performances for children, including a series of devised plays on Turkish islands and the City Acting pantomime for St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington in which he played the Big Bad Wolf.

Claire Prempeh

Claire Prempeh graduated from RADA in 2006.

Claire is an actress, writer, and theatre director. Claire has 11 years of teaching experience. She facilitates workshops for RADA and teaches LAMDA – Bronze, Silver and Gold.

Theatre credits include: A Streetcar Named Desire (Young Vic Theatre), Decade (Headlong Theatre Company), As You Like It (Rose Theatre), England people Very Nice (National Theatre), Ocean of Rain (Almeida Theatre), As You Like It (Watford Palace), The Arsonists, Rhinoceros, Drooping Palms (Royal Court), Generations (Young Vic), Orestes (Shared Experience). For television: Dead Boss (BBC3), Misfits (E4), Identity (ITV1), Holby City (BBC1), The Bill (ITV1). Her writing/directing credits include: August Town, The Living Room, Going Down The Rabbit Hole, FEED, Bumper (Soho Theatre), Blood, City and Nuns in Pink Stilettos.

Richard Neale

Richard trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and is currently the full time acting tutor at Guildford School of Acting. He is also an Associate Director for Actors from the London Stage. 

As an actor: Cornwall 'King Lear', Ketch/Robbie Ross 'Our Country's Good' for Out of Joint. Iago 'Othello' AFTLS. John/Templeton 'Charlotte's Web' for Derby Theatre. Claudio 'Measure for Measure', Titania 'A Midsummer Nights Dream', Cassio 'Othello', Bagot 'Richard II' and Dromio of Syracuse 'Comedy of Errors' for Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory. Caliban/Iris/ Gonzalo 'The Tempest' and Edmund/Edgar/France and Burgundy 'King Lear' both for Actors from the London Stage. Richard has also worked at the Soho Theatre and Arcola Theatre with a cabaret based on the the life and times of Kurt Tucholsky, and collaborated and performed in a premiere of Spike Milligan’s 'Puckoon' for Big Telly. 'Privates on Parade' for Rupert Goold, Cinderella for Qdos. Rehearsed readings for The Globe. TV and film includes 'European Pyscho', 'Holby City', 'Just Deserts', 'Living in Hope', 'The Orchard', 'My Best Friend's Wedding', 'New Tricks'.

Voice work covers radio plays for BBC 4, numerous ADR work including 'Spooks', 'Hustle', 'Great Expectations' and various BBC drama’s. Richard also recorded 'The Tempest' as a speaking 'ap' for Notre Dame University, America.Assistant/Co Director work includes 'Comedy of Errors' 'Alls Well that Ends Well' 'The School for Scandal' for LSDA and 'Richard III', 'Othello', 'King Lear', 'Pericles' and 'Cymbeline' for Guildford Shakespeare Company.

As a tutor/facilitator Richard has worked extensively for Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory, Creation Theatre Company, Stratford-upon-Avon College, The Natural Theatre Company and delivers programmes in schools for Tender educating teenagers about domestic violence. He is a resident tutor at the London School of Dramatic Art. Richard has also taught in Universities across America

Ben Clark

Ben Clark is a Comedian, Actor and Writer, best known as one third of the award winning sketch group Pappy’s. He co-created, wrote and performed in two series of the accomplished BBC3 sitcom Badults. Pappy’s, one of the best sketch acts in Britain, have twice been nominated for Best Show at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards.

Recent acting credits include GameFace for E4 and Porridge for BBC1. Ben also writes and performs for the highly popular podcast Pappy’s Flatshare Slamdown, nominated for the Internet Award at the 2013 Chortle Awards, and the equally successful Bangers & Mash Podcast.

An acknowledged writer and actor in his own right, Ben has written and performed for some of the following productions: Host the Week C4, E4’s Meet the Parents, 50 Funniest Moments and Robert’s Web, the live panel show Humble Quest for Universal Genius, and John Bishop’s Big Year for BBC1. As a Director Ben regularly directs shows for the Edinburgh festival, two of which have been also been nominated for an Edinburgh Comedy Award.

As a Director Ben regularly directs shows for the Edinburgh festival, two of which have been also been nominated for an Edinburgh Comedy Award.

Jaimi Barbakoff

Jaimi trained at LAMDA.  On graduating she won the inter-drama school Carleton Hobbs BBC Radio 4 award and has recorded over 40 plays.  She previously read a BSc Hons in Psychology at Birmingham University.

Theatre includes: Chatroom/Citizenship (National Theatre / Hong Kong Arts Festival / National Tour), Daisy Pulls it Off (Watermill Theatre), Arsenic and Old Lace (Salisbury Playhouse), The Travels of the Three English Brothers (RSC), Making History (An Grianan), Market Boy (National Theatre), Avocado (Kings Head), A Brief History of Helen of Troy (Soho Theatre), Precious Bane (Pentabus), Pains of Youth (The Gate) and Carrot (Theatre 503).

Television includes: Holby City (BBC), Trial and Retribution (ITV), Black Mirror (CH4), Bad Girls (ITV), Eastenders (BBC), The Bill (ITV), Last Rights (CH4) Doctors (BBC). Jaimi also works regularly as a voiceover artist in video games and commercials. 

Jaimi currently teaches Speech and Drama at Godolphin & Latymer School.  She has lead workshops in acting, voice and text for the National Theatre. She has worked as a personal tutor preparing students for entry to Drama School and been involved in the Royal Court Young Writers Workshops.

George Rainsford

George trained at LAMDA, graduating in 2006. Before that he read a BA (Hons) in Drama at the University of Manchester. As an actor, he works extensively in  theatre, film, television, radio, voice overs and commercials.

Theatre includes: Love, Love, Love (Royal Court); Roald Dahl's Twisted Tales (Lyric Hammersmith / Liverpool Playhouse); The Man (Finborough); Days of Significance (RSC); All's Well That Ends Well (National Theatre); Polar Bear (Birmingham Rep); Chatroom/Citizenship (National Theatre / Hong Kong Art's Festival / UK Tour); Men Without Shadows (Finborough); The Three Musketeers (Bristol Old Vic) and The 24 Hour Plays (Old Vic). 

Film includes: Waiting For Dawn; Wild Target and Souvenirs. 

Television includes: two series of Call The Midwife (BBC); three series of Waking The Dead (BBC); Law & Order (ITV); Secret Diary of a Call Girl (ITV); Doctors (BBC) and Panorama: A Good Kicking (BBC). 

George has run 'Shakespeare for Schools' workshops at the National Theatre, and, whilst on a number of professional engagements, has lead workshops in acting, voice and text work. He has also worked as a practical Speech & Drama teacher and a Drama & Theatre Studies tutor.

Charlie Walker-Wise

Charlie is a professional actor, director, trainer and teacher. Charlie trained as an actor at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and has worked extensively in film, television and theatre. He has been running workshops for several years both for individuals and for the business world.

His work includes West End theatre, Television and Film. Charlie currently divides his time between working for RADA’s business arm, City Acting and directing projects.  His work has taken him all over the UK and abroad, including Bristol, the Ludlow Shakespeare Festival, Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre, the Oxford Playhouse, the Exeter Northcott and theatres in Chicago, Utah, Indiana and North Carolina.

Charlie has a particular interest in Shakespeare and voice, bringing his professional experience in these areas to his work with City Acting.

Laura Rogers

Laura trained at RADA, graduating in 2000.

Since then she has enjoyed working extensively in theatre and television.

Theatre includes: Lead female roles in 39 Steps, West End; Hannah in The Dark Philosophers, National Theatre of Wales; Lady Macbeth in Macbeth; Celia in As you Like It; Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Bianca in The Taming of the Shrew – all for Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre; Sorel in Hayfever, Chichester Festival Theatre; Penelope Toop in See How They Run, Manchester Royal Exchange; Bad Girl’s the Musical, Garrick Theatre, West End; Celestina, Birmingham Rep and Edinburgh; Jamaica Inn, Salisbury Playhouse, Milady in The Three Musketeers and Rosine in The Barber of Seville at Bristol Old Vic; Title role in Blackwater Angel at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin.

Television includes: Dark Matters, Twelfth Night, Doctor Who, Midsomer Murders, Holby City, Doctors, Missing, Bad Girls, Relic Hunter, Tales of Pleasure Beach and The Sins.

Gareth Aled

Gareth trained at the Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama.

Theatre credits include : The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe West Yorkshire Playhouse, Running Wild Regent's Park / Chichester Festival theatre UK Tour, The Machine Stops York Theatre Royal/Pilot Theatre, The Beggars Opera York Theatre Royal, The Magic Flute Complicite/ENO, War Horse National Theatre, The Heart Of Robin Hood RSC, (150) & Branches National Theatre Wales, The Hub Clwyd Theatre Cymru,

Television, Radio and Opera: The Tsars Bride, Tosca Royal Opera House, Boom Boom & True To My Land BBC Radio 4, Miliband Of Brothers Channel 4.

Alongside his acting commitments Gareth has worked extensively facilitating workshops covering a variety of approaches and performance techniques.

Josie Brightwell


Josie trained at The Central School of Speech and Drama and graduated with a 1st class BA(Hons) Acting. She also won the Laurence Olivier Award Bursary whilst training.

Theatre credits include: ‘Baba Yaga/Mother’ in Hansel & Gretel with Iris Theatre; ‘Jane' in Gift Return at The Park Theatre; 'Factory Girl' in Les Misérables at The Queens Theatre: 'Flora' in Tennessee Williams' 27 Wagons Full of Cotton14/48 Project at The Lost Theatre 'Young Mary' in Merrily We Roll Along workshop at The Menier Chocolate Factory.

Josie has a real passion for teaching and loves seeing the benefits that acting classes can have on people’s lives. She hopes to inspire her students through positivity, creativity and fun! 

Caroline Kilpatrick

Caroline is an actor, director and voice teacher and coach. She trained at RADA and has an MA with distinction in Voice Studies from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.

Caroline currently teaches at Rose Bruford College and Italia Conti, and runs voice and text workshops for RADA and Rada in Business. She has been a voice coach for professional theatre companies Tara Arts and The Print Room. She also works with leadership development company Olivier Mythodrama, and coaches voice and speech privately to actors and people from the business sector.  

Theatre credits Ariel in The Tempest and Frosine in Kanjoos: The Miser for Tara Arts, and roles for the Arcola Theatre, the Southwark Playhouse, DryWrite, Rough Fiction, and Tangram. Film includes The Invisible Woman dir. Ralph Fiennes.

Tom Larkin


Tom trained at Drama Centre London, a school with a strong base in Stanislavski, Uta Hagan and Laban.

Theatre credits include Demons (Split Moon Theatre Company), Peter Pan (Off-Broadway US Tour), Warhorse (National Theatre- UK Tour), An Inspector Calls (National Theatre/Peter Wilson Production), 55 Days (Hampstead Theatre), Robin Hood (Cambridge Theatre), The Emperor Self (The Arcola), The Boy With The Cuckoo-Clock Heart (The Pleasance), Tomten (The Little Angel).

Throughout his performing career Tom has delivered workshops all over the country in a broad spectrum of disciplines from Puppetry to Acting Technique.

George Ryan


George is Head of Voice at Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts - BA acting. In addition to his work at Italia Conti, George is a voice tutor and vocal coach at Arts Educational School, and resident vocal coach for The Butterfly Theatre Company, he has also taught at Mountview, RADA Studios, and Rose Bruford College, as well as coaching actors and business professionals in private studio. George holds a BFA from Adelphi University, diploma from American Academy of Dramatic Art and earned his MA in Voice Studies at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London. George has taught extensively in the United States at such professional theatres as: The Paper Mill Playhouse, George Street Playhouse, Pershiable Theatre Company, and the Huntington Theatre Company as well as private studio. Beginning as a professional actor, George has had the privilege to work with World-class artists during his career both as an actor and producer.

Highlights include: A.R. Gurney (The Cocktail Hour), Arthur Laurents (Gypsy, West Side Story), Jack Klugman (TV’s The Odd Couple), Chita Rivera (West Side Story, Kiss Of The Spider Woman), Estelle Parsons (Bonnie and Clyde), Amy Irving (Crossing Delancey), Nicolas Martin (Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike), Robert Falls (Artistic Director of the Goodman Theatre), Maria Aitkin (The 39 Steps), Frank Dunlop (Address Unknown) among others. Directly before moving to the UK, George was General Manager at the Huntington Theatre Company in Boston and prior to that, Producing Director at the George Street Playhouse. George’s voice can be heard on UK Radio and Television through his ongoing work as a voice over artist.

David Carlyle  

 

David trained as an actor at Rose Bruford College.


Theatre includes: You Stupid Darkness! (Paines Plough/TRPlymouth), The Tell-Tale Heart (National Theatre), TheOutsider (L’Etranger) (The Print Room at The Coronet), Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh), The Government Inspector (Birmingham Rep and UK Tour); To Kill a Mockingbird (Regents Park Open Air Theatre/Barbican/UK Tour); Three Sisters (Southwark Playhouse); Carpe Diem (National Theatre); Victoria (Dundee Rep); Somersaults (Finborough); Yellow Moon, The Monster in the Hall (National Theatre of Scotland; Citizens Theatre, Glasgow); Caledonia (National Theatre of Scotland); Hansel and Gretel (Citizens Theatre, Glasgow); You Once Said Yes (Look Left Look Right, E4 Udderbelly); Dead Heavy Fantastic (Liverpool Everyman).

Radio includes: Kitchen Confidential, Behind Her Eyes, The Stroma
Sessions, Chernobyl (BBC Radio 3 & 4). For his work as part of the cast of The Monster in the Hall he received The Stage Award for Best Ensemble.

Amelia Sciandra  

Amelia holds an MFA in Acting (The British Tradition) from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Her thesis was a one-woman show delving into the monologue audition for drama school; the performance earned her a Distinction. 

Theatre in the US includes: Perfect Arrangement (Raleigh Little Theatre), Bad Mothers & Neglectful Wives (Summer Sisters), Every Brilliant Thing (Piccolo Spoleto Festival with Threshold Repertory), Mine (Threshold Repertory), Shotz (AMIOS - NYC), Tartuffe (Calvary Theatre Guild), Witness for the Prosecution (Cumberland Theatre), She Stoops to Conquer (Deep Dish Theatre).

Theatre in the UK includes: Saving Jonah (Cockpit Theatre), October (Union Theatre), In Thanksgiving Union Theatre), The Merchant of Venice, The Rivals, and The Vortex (Royal Birmingham Conservatoire) , Hamlet (1603 Quarto) and Gethsemane (Crescent Theatre Studio), Habeas Corpus (Patrick Centre at the Hippodrome). 

Amelia is also a director, most recently directing Much Ado About Nothing at Threshold Repertory, and Godspell at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She has run workshops in North and South Carolina and is excited to bring her mix of Anglo-American approaches to City Acting.