Lloyd Webber attacked over ‘samey’ drama schools jibe

Published Tuesday 1 August 2006 at 13:45 by Alistair Smith

Andrew Lloyd Webber has come under fire from drama school chiefs after he claimed that the training sector turned out performers with “a certain sameness”.

The three principal bodies representing theatre tuition in the UK - the Conference of Drama Schools, the National Council for Drama Training and the Council for Dance Education and Training - have all condemned Lloyd Webber’s comments, which he made at a screening of his new television project How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? in which he uses an X Factor-style auditioning process to discover a lead for his West End production of The Sound of Music.

While justifying his decision to allow untrained performers to audition for the role, he was reported by The Guardian as claiming: “Stage schools tend to turn out performers with a certain patina. There is a certain sameness. You can almost tell which school they have come from.”

NCDT spokesperson Nicole Hay commented: “I am surprised that someone who is seen as a spokesperson for the industry is somehow suggesting that training in your craft is a barrier to success. What a message to be giving out to the talented youth of today. Training at drama school is about consolidating your individual talent and building up the skills and stamina necessary for a life long career, not just one shot at fame, especially when it comes to musical theatre training.

“It is essential that actors, singers and dancers learn the necessary techniques to ensure that they can not only avoid injury but also have the stamina needed for daily performance. Is Lloyd Webber suggesting that the majority of West End performers have a certain sameness? Because the majority have certainly trained.”

Meanwhile, CDET director Sean Williams said he would certainly contest the composer’s claims, adding: “You cannot replicate three years dedicated training over a two or three month period… you don’t just train for the short term, you train for longevity.”

Peter Barlow, director of GSA Conservatoire and a director of CDS, also reacted angrily to the impresario’s comments. “He perhaps needs reminding that all of his musicals have relied on highly skilled, trained performers from all these drama schools and I wonder where he will find the rest of his cast for The Sound of Music.

“I would like to extend an invitation to him to visit our schools and conduct an audition with our students and see whether they are all the same.”

However, Lloyd Webber insisted that his comments had been taken out of context and he had not meant to denigrate the training sector.

He told The Stage: “I have read with interest the media’s reaction to my recent comments regarding stage schools and, I am sorry to say, the extent to which these comments have been taken out of context. Stage schools are the lifeblood of the West End providing an invaluable pool of exceptionally talented performers - many of whom I have worked with.”