At the end of November, the performing arts department was delighted to welcome back professional actor and former student James Schofield to host an acting workshop for second year A level drama and theatre studies students. James, a recent graduate of the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, has worked on a range of projects, from Channel 4’s ‘Ackley Bridge’ to Kenneth Branagh’s ‘Death on the Nile’.

James offered an engaging and insightful workshop covering Stanislavski and Meisner acting technique, how to develop an onstage presence, and how to work with texts from theatre and television. The students were thrilled to also explore their A level monologues with James, who helped them to further enliven their performances ahead of their exams.

James was also kind enough to host a Q&A after the session, discussing what life is like as a professional actor, how drama schools audition new students, and how the industry has changed during the global pandemic. The department was so pleased to welcome James back, and the students will certainly be putting the new skills they learnt into practice in the future!

Rebecca Lewis-Verebelyi, Curriculum Manager for drama and theatre studies commented, “The students responded most enthusiastically to the tasks James set them, creating characters and performances which were sincere, thoughtful, funny and spontaneous. They left with an enriched understanding of how to develop character through rehearsal – thank you James!”