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Alumni Party – 11 December 2011
This December the Academy hosted an alumni party. Over 200 alumni from graduating years 1956 to 2011 joined us to celebrate LAMDA’s 150th Anniversary with mulled wine, minced pies and a LAMDA cake, cut to the strains of a rousing Happy Birthday to the Academy. Those who attended enjoyed recent student short films, the opportunity to look through production photographs spanning 30 years, tours of the Talgarth Road site as well as the chance to meet up with old friends and tutors, past and present.
Our two LAMDA Dames, Vice-President Janet Suzman and alumna Harriet Walter, spoke to the assembled throng from the ‘Hogwarts’ Gallery, recounting some early LAMDA memories and reminding all those present of the great strengths of the LAMDA experience and what the LAMDA family can still offer .
The full complement of photos are available on our facebook page or at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajquinn/sets/72157628378836883/ and any alumni who would like to join the Alumni Network can do so by emailing the development team.
Here’s to the next 150 years!
Fortnum & Mason Charity Christmas Party – 1 December 2011
As part of the Big Give 2011
Guests came along to this exclusive event to support LAMDA whilst enjoying an exclusive shopping and tasting event at London’s Fortnum & Mason. Performers from the top UK arts charities, including LAMDA, entertained at this special festive event. Talented LAMDA alumni The Ruby Dolls delighted shoppers with their 1940s style Cabaret act.
After the event guests were encouraged to donate their full ticket price to LAMDA online at theBigGive.org.uk, which was then generously matched by The Garfield Weston Foundation.
Poetry Night – 9 November 2011
This November saw the return of LAMDA’s Annual Poetry Night, a much-loved event in the Academy calendar. A platform for the LAMDA Examinations Poetry-Speaking Competition, Poetry Night is a fruitful and entertaining collaboration between LAMDA Examinations and the Drama School.
Students from the Drama School competed in either the Published Poem category, where they interpreted a published poem, or in the Original Poem category, where they presented a poem that they had written themselves. The panel of judges included Dawn Postans (Head of Examinations), Gerard Hargreaves (Councillor for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea), and Liverpool poet Brian Patten.
Following the judges’ deliberations and the awarding of prizes, Brian Patten delighted the audience with a very funny presentation of two of his own poems.
This event was an internal Academy event, to which we welcomed LAMDA Guardian Angels, Principal Guardian Angels and Archangels.
'Poems in the Park' – 6 November 2011
The Academy was delighted that two LAMDA alumni, Matthew Field and Holly Janowski, were invited to join current student Adam Blampied to perform at the Friends of Richmond Park’s Poetry Competition, Poems in the Park. The actors presented 22 shortlisted poems, which were selected from 650 entries. Judges of the competition included Dame Jacqueline Wilson and Sir Trevor MacDonald.
Richard Gray, trustee of the Friends of Richmond Park commented:
‘The audience were completely absorbed by Holly, Adam and Matt’s readings and each of them received rapturous applause. Huge thanks to them all for their skilled, thoughtful and talented renditions of the poems; they brought them to life and made 22 amateur poets very happy indeed.’
Click here for more information about the competition.
‘Behind the Scenes’ series – Designer’s Focus, 27 September 2011
Following our successful Director’s Focus in May, we were delighted to host an exclusive ‘Behind the Scenes’ – Designer’s Focus in September around the production of Nicholas Wright’s Cressida.
Professional designer Richard Bullwinkle gave an insight into the design process behind a LAMDA production and the creative concepts informing the sets of the October Repertoire.
Following a fascinating introduction to the model boxes used to design the set, guests explored the life-sized version in The LAMDA Linbury Studio before enjoying a drinks reception with Richard Bullwinkle and the show’s director, John Baxter.
The Academy looks forward to welcoming guests to our next event in the ‘Behind-the-Scenes’ series. ‘Behind-the-Scenes’ – A Day in the life of a LAMDA student’ will take place in the spring term and will be open to LAMDA Angels and those who support the Scholarships & Bursaries scheme .
LAMDA Summer Reception – 14 July 2011
LAMDA's 2011 Summer Reception. Photograph by Ann Pownall.
LAMDA was delighted to host its first Summer Reception at the Academy, which took place on Thursday 14 July 2011. The evening was a chance for LAMDA Angels and supporters of the Academy’s scholarships and bursaries programme to celebrate the year with the graduating class of 2011 and enjoy a preview of their Diploma Day performance. Chairman Luke Rittner offered thanks to all of LAMDA’s dedicated supporters for their ongoing generosity and led a toast to those students nearing the end of their time at the Academy.
LAMDA at The Queen’s Club 125th Anniversary Ball – 8 July 2011
This July, Queen’s Club members saw a showcase of LAMDA’s stage combat talent when two students took up their swords to perform at The Queen’s Club 125th Anniversary Ball. The tennis-themed fight showcased the exceptional stage combat training undertaken at the Academy and gave members a glimpse of just some of the talent LAMDA has to offer.
The Academy looks forward to welcoming Queen’s Club members to the reception and 7:30pm performance of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night on Tuesday 6th December at The Drill Hall, WC1.
Innovative Training at LAMDA – 7 July 2011
Back in 2009, LAMDA became the first UK drama school to offer its students seminars in captioned and audio described performances. This year, the Academy was pleased to be able to extend this invaluable opportunity to all of LAMDA’s final year students for the first time. On Thursday 7 July 2011, VocalEyes and STAGETEXT ran a workshop at LAMDA to explain how audio description and captioning works and to enable students to hear first hand from two users of the services. As a vital part of the training for both actors and stage managers, these sessions also provided LAMDA’s students with an understanding of the importance of these services in attracting wider audiences for the performing arts.
2011 Deutche Bank Awards – 4 July 2011
Course Director of Stage Management & Technical Theatre Rob Young collects the award on behalf of 2011 Deutsche Bank Award winner Patrick Gleeson. Photograph by Michelle Panzeri
The winners of the 2011 Deutsche Bank Awards were announced in a ceremony at the London Contemporary Dance School on Monday 4 July. This year's Deutsche Bank Award in Dramatic Arts was won by Patrick Gleeson - a final year student on LAMDA's Stage Management & Technical Theatre Course.
Speaking after his win, Patrick commented,
"The Deutsche Bank Award has allowed me to try something bold and unconventional and what would have always remained only a pipe dream otherwise. In an industry that's permanently cash-strapped and short on time, to be given the opportunity and freedom to try something that doesn't fit the mould, and to be given it right at the beginning of my career, is a fantastic luxury for which I'll always be grateful.'
The awards ceremony was attended by LAMDA Chairman Luke Rittner, Course Director of Stage Management & Technical Theatre Rob Young and members of the Development Office - who collected the award on Patrick's behalf. LAMDA graduate and 2008 Deutsche Bank Award winner Libby Penn also presented extracts from her winning project, Little Lords.
LAMDA is delighted to continue its involvement with the Deutsche Bank Award scheme. For more information about this year's awards and Patrick's project, please click here.
New Shoots: LAMDA Film Night – 16 and 17 June 2011
On Thursday 16 and Friday 17 June 2011, the Academy invited industry guests to the premiere of four short films featuring final year students on the Three Year Acting Course.
The films were created as part of the students' acting for camera training and directed by visiting practitioners Deborah Paige and Ben Morris. The four pieces of work presented were The River's Mouth by Stella Duffy, A House is Not a Home by Mark Ravenhill, Life After by Michelle Bonnard and Kidnap by Ben Morris.
LAMDA students entertain visitors at the 2011 Open Garden Squares Weekend – 12 June 2011
On Sunday 12 June 2011, final year students Nathalie Carrington, Jonathan Sayer, Laura Hanna and Jonathan Bullock performed a medley of songs in some of West London's most exclusive green spaces as part of the Open Garden Squares Weekend.
LAMDA was delighted to visit the beautiful settings of Hereford Garden Square, Holland House Garden, the William Morris Society Garden and Emery Walker's House and looks forward to welcoming their visitors to share in the work of the Academy.
(Right) LAMDA student Nathalie Carrington performs at Holland House Garden. Photograph by Mandy Zettl.
LAMDA's 2011 Stage Design Exhibition – 14 July 2011
The Lyric Hammersmith was the setting for this year's Stage Design Exhibition, which took place on Tuesday 14 July 2011.
The event is a chance for first year students on LAMDA's Stage Management & Technical Theatre Course to create their own accurate scale model box and showcase their skills in set design and prop making to a panel of industry guests; competing to win the coveted Richard Bullwinkle Stage Design Prize. This year's model box winner was Amy Bramma, for her innovative take on Oh! What a Lovely War. The runners up were Philip Gainsbury and Ulrike Jurgens.
Thanks go to the judging panel: the Lyric Hammersmith's Artistic Director Sean Holmes, LAMDA trustee Timothy Oakley, designer Richard Bullwinkle and Course Director Rob Young.
On Fighting Form – Fight Night at the Lyric Hammersmith, 6 June 2011
LAMDA students perform at Fight Night 2011. Photograph by Thomas Scurr.
LAMDA's stage combat students had everyone on the edge of their seats at the Academy's annual Fight Night, which took place at the Lyric Hammersmith on Monday 6 June 2011.
After some astounding fights, Joel Samuel, Hera Hilmar and Greg Tannahill all won the Phillipson Sword for Outstanding Technique, whilst the Jubilee Trophy for Best Fight was awarded jointly to Brian Martin, Jack Leonard, Danny Mahoney and Joshua Mayes Cooper.
Normally an internal Academy event, we were delighted to be able to extend invitations for this special Fight Night to the entire LAMDA community. Our sincere thanks go to the Lyric Hammersmith for hosting this year's event.
‘Behind the Scenes’ series – Director’s Focus, 17 May 2011
The Academy hosted an exclusive 'Behind the Scenes': Director's Focus around the production of The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek.
Guests visited the rehearsal room to gain a fascinating insight into the play a week before opening night, before enjoying a drinks reception with the cast and the show's director, Penny Cherns.
The Academy looks forward to exploring further 'behind the scenes' opportunities and to sharing other aspects of theatre-making and its context within the LAMDA training.
LAMDA participates in the Conservatoire’s Tenth Anniversary Gala Performance – 14 May 2011
LAMDA students perform at the Conservatoire’s Anniversary Gala. Photograph by Tim Cross.
On Saturday 14 May 2011, students and staff from all eight affiliate schools of the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama came together to celebrate the Conservatoire’s tenth anniversary year. The gala performance showcased talents from each of the schools – with LAMDA’s second year acting students performing a show-stopping Charleston dance for guests. The Academy was delighted to participate in the event and to help mark this special anniversary for the Conservatoire.
Celebrating 150 Years
LAMDA alumni turn out to celebrate the Academy's 150th Birthday. [L-R] Samuel Barnett, Anthony Head, Sam Claflin and Nathaniel Parker. Photograph by Richard Hubert Smith.
In the magical setting of Wilton's Music Hall, the oldest surviving music hall in the world, LAMDA launched its 150th Anniversary with a two-week run of Kander and Ebb's musical, Cabaret.
A host of alumni returned to raise a glass to their alma mater, including; Ruth Wilson (2010 Laurence Olivier Award winner), Toby Stephens, Dame Harriet Walter DBE, Lesley Joseph, Patricia Hodge, Nathaniel Parker, Anthony Head, Samuel Barnett (The History Boys) and 2009 graduate Sam Claflin (Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides).
The celebrations culminated with a gala performance on Wednesday 16 February 2011, in the presence of LAMDA's Patron, Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra.