Young Actors Theatre (Islington)

The Young Actors Theatre is a community theatre school for children and young adults in Islington, London, run on a non-profit sustainable-funding basis.

The School

The Young Actors Theatre provides drama classes, workshops and productions for young people with the aim of training them for professional careers in the performing arts. It aims to have fun through drama, develop social and life skills, foster an appreciation of the arts and develop talent through an accessible community environment.

Classes are divided into those aimed at children aged 6–11; children aged 11–16; and young adults aged 16 and over.

History

Anna Scher Theatre

The theatre group started as an after-school drama club at Islington's Ecclesbourne Primary School in 1968. Run by inspirational teacher Anna Scher, the popularity of the club was such that the classes expanded rapidly. First occupying a council hall in Bentham Court on Ecclesbourne Road, the group moved to a converted mission hall on Barnsbury Road in 1976.

Despite maintaining its status as an after-school activity centre, as opposed to a drama school — something Scher was adamant about — the organisation expanded to accommodate a theatrical agency, finding professional work for both its young students and for the increasing number of adults who attended the community classes introduced later. As Scher's alumni became known for their distinctively natural acting style — often credited to her reliance on improvisation in class — the theatre's popularity continued to grow to the extent that those wishing to attend had to be put on a waiting list.

In 2000, Anna Scher suffered a breakdown and stepped down during her hospitalisation and recovery period. Scher was never reinstated as head of the theatre, despite a vociferous campaign led by her and her supporters, The Friends of Anna Scher. She now teaches her own classes as "Anna in Exile" in a church just two minutes walk from the theatre she founded.

Young Actors Theatre

The theatre is currently run by Artistic Director Andrew Harries, formerly of the Theatre Royal, Bath, and Absolute Theatre.

Former students

  • Freema Agyeman
  • James Alexandrou
  • Glen Berry
  • Jesse Birdsall
  • Mark Burdis
  • Ray Burdis
  • Kathy Burke
  • Natalie Cassidy
  • Barney Clark
  • Charlotte Coleman
  • Lisa Coleman
  • Charlie Creed-Miles
  • Phil Daniels
  • Josie D'Arby
  • Adam Deacon
  • Tameka Empson
  • Dexter Fletcher
  • Samantha Fox
  • Devin Griffin
  • Suzanna Hamilton
  • Judith Jacob
  • Leee John
  • Gary Kemp
  • Martin Kemp
  • Skandar Keynes
  • Brooke Kinsella
  • Julian Morris
  • Nisha Nayar
  • Scott Neal
  • Sid Owen
  • Patsy Palmer
  • Dominic Power
  • Pauline Quirke
  • Linda Robson
  • Thea Sharrock
  • Joe Swash
  • Gillian Taylforth
  • Dickon Tolson
  • Susan Tully
  • Joe Wright
  • Jake Wood
  • Adam Woodyatt

See Also

Young Actors Theatre (Tallahassee, Florida)

Young Actors Theatre and School for the Performing Arts (YAT) is a non-profit youth theatre located...