How did you start off in theatre?

My mum worked in the charity sector, in an office that was based off of Shaftesbury Avenue, right by many of the West End theatres. One of the perks of her job was that her workplace would often get complimentary tickets for theatre shows. I loved it – although at the time, I didn’t know
it would be how I would make a living.

What instigated the move into teaching? 

After training at drama school, and between acting jobs, I did some assistant-directing at youth theatres. This led to me doing a postgraduate degree at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in Applied Theatre. From there my applied theatre practice continued. I’ve worked with refugee and migrant groups, people affected by the criminal justice system, schools and colleges, and my practice as a facilitator informs my practice as an artist and vice versa.

What is the best piece of advice you have for drama students and graduates today? 

Find your niche and find your tribe.

What would you change about the industry if you could?

I think most things can be solved with an extra £10,000 – so maybe I would just make the wages higher? I guess that could be considered quite a trite and reductive take, but, in all honesty, I think that better wages for artists (especially freelancers) would allow the industry to be more sustainable and also accessible to people.

With a theatrical background and now teaching about screenwriting, what skills do you feel are transferable?

I think the embodiment of character and leaning into a character’s interior and exterior life can be applied to screen acting. As a writer, I would say the ability to write engaging dialogue and dynamic characters is vital for a successful screen play.