#dramaschool

Dublin Central School of Acting

Whilst perching for my daily coffee in Caffè Nero Darlington, I thought I might share a bit about what’s happening for me at the moment. Exactly a year ago today I made the same post, and it’s rather interesting seeing how much my life has changed since then. Plus I’m back home for my first weekend off in a month so here goes...

Firstly, LAMDA. We have 5 weeks left until we graduate. I am trying to make the most of every moment, take risks and challenge myself. We recently finished our Movement Project with Vince Manna called ‘Gravity and Levity’ performed for the rest of the school- an incredible experience of self discovery and confidence! My aim was to be more in body and enjoy it more, which I believe I achieved! We also had dance night this week, where we performed some historical dances and a movement piece about social media with another of our movement teachers, Heriberto. What a family LAMDA can be!

Before that we had our Shakespeare show-backs with Jenny Lipman, who is the Queen of Shakespeare. Our play was A Midsummer Night’s Dream where I played Titania and Snout (Wall) and I learned so much which payed off in performance. Now we are beginning to research and write our devised piece which is in just under a month’s time, with James Kerr and Donnacadh O’Brien as our directors. Life will feel rather strange without LAMDA when we finish in April (hopefully only for a few months)...

Secondly, auditions. This year I applied to RADA, Guildhall, Bristol, Central and of course, LAMDA. I received straight up rejections from RADA and Central but I had final round at Bristol and still have my final round at Guildhall in May. My LAMDA audition is in a couple of weeks time! Guildhall and LAMDA are both really the schools for me in different ways, and I’m not giving up- I am ready and I will fight to the end!

I’ve also done some modelling recently, here are some shots by Darina Mohammed and Sorrel Baker:

So what happens after the LAMDA Foundation?

I am currently looking to rent out my room from May-August to free me up a little in terms of money and location. I have been offered work in a 6 week panto tour through June and July in Leeds and Sheffield, plus I am filming for Ruth the Musical up North in August. I hope to get up to the Fringe festival this year and to hopefully take a short break somewhere (or a long one depending on my auditions) in summer/autumn. I want to continue writing poetry and maybe think about plays too, catch up on guitar and paint some more, also continuing reading because it has opened me up to so much for myself; I haven’t had much time to do much for ‘me’ outside of school, but that’s ok, plenty of time for that.

Regardless of what happens over the next few months, I know I am strong and that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to. I’ve realised happiness is far more important than earning a little better wage and being lonely or in-content. Relationships are everything, with loved ones and acquaintances, and you decide your road not anyone else. Spontaneity and change is a gift, and it’s often scary but I’d much rather be challenged every day than locked in and safe.

Close your eyes and IMAGINE Damian Lewis is your teacher :) Well, he thought camera work at Guildhall School of Music and Drama. ENJOY!