Live theatre can bring so much to communities, but it is out of reach for too many.

Barriers to theatre

A recent poll by YouGov showed that although three quarters of Britons want to go to the theatre, fewer than half saw a performance in the last 12 months.

For most, high ticket prices stand in their way, but people also cited a belief that theatres didn’t show things relevant to them and logistical challenges in accessing a theatre.

The industry needs to be more accessible and East 15 Acting School is helping to make that happen.

Founded on the principles and techniques of Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop, East 15 has been breaking new ground for more than 60 years.

The School has trained renowned actors, directors, producers and technicians across theatre, film, TV and radio.

One way the School is impacting how people experience theatre is in the creation of new theatre companies founded by its graduates, and one course is doing this more than any other.

In 2006 performer, director and theatre teacher Uri Roodner had a vision: to create a new type of acting course focused on innovation and the creation of original work that is performed, written, composed and produced by student actors.

It’s a concept he calls “training a creative actor” and out of it was born East 15’s BA Acting and Contemporary Theatre.

“My perception is that an actor isn’t simply a specialist in search of a job. An actor is an independent, inventive and entrepreneurial artist,” Uri explained.

“While most conservatoire acting courses prepare actors as specialists in taking on characters and in following script and direction, our course focuses on developing rounded artists with a fostered taste and artistic vision.”

The course offers students the chance to experiment with various forms and styles and crucially to develop and stage their own original work. It is this that really sets it apart.

“There are some courses across Europe inspired by the same movement of late 20th century theatre but the only truly comparable programme, that shares some similar philosophy, is at the Tisch School of the Arts in New York,” said Uri.

East 15’s programme attracts multi-talented acting students who want to experiment, have opportunities to write, compose, choreograph and direct and above all else, want to be trained as all-round practitioners.

Through challenging modules and projects not offered at other schools, students experiment, hone skills and develop tastes, to produce original work aiming to progress to professional staging.

At its heart is the Debut Festival of New Plays, led by alumni, at which final-year students stage their work.

During their first and second years, students are mentored in writing plays which they submit to a panel of readers that includes professional playwrights.

Approximately six plays are selected for the Debut Festival each year and in their third year, students produce their finished work.

Since its own debut in 2008, the Festival and the works presented have been incredibly successful. With industry producers in the audience, many Debut plays have transferred to professional staging, won awards and received publishing engagements.

As well as exploring their passions and ambitions, BA Acting and Contemporary Theatre graduates gain skills that give them greater control over their careers, while their holistic education leaves them uniquely placed to make a real impact on the industry.

Many, like Charlie Josephine, who has written plays for the Royal Shakespeare Company and Royal Court, produce progressive work that challenges audiences. Others are in key roles like Sebastian Gardner, Schools Producer at the Almeida Theatre, and Lee Griffiths, Comedy Producer at the Soho Theatre.

Bryony Shanahan is one of the most successful theatre directors to have emerged and was the youngest ever artistic director of a major theatre when she joined the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester.

Entrepreneurial graduates are also forming their own theatre companies and it's here that they make a unique contribution to inclusivity and vibrancy in the theatre industry.

Zoe Hinks, who graduated in 2008, was inspired to create Sabotage Theatre by her rural childhood, where she had little access to theatre.

“I wanted to make work in a way that was a bit socialist. I wanted to make shows that challenged norms and take them to places where people had less access to theatre,” she said.

Sabotage, which grew out of the play she produced for the Debut Festival and later took to the Edinburgh Fringe, explores alternative ways of touring, embraces the unique qualities of rural life and is committed to environmental sustainability.

Now in their tenth production, Zoe’s company have travelled on horse, foot and bicycles, and even piled props into prams as they tour around the country.

They don’t usually perform in theatres, something she says removes financial, geographical and societal barriers and also adds unique qualities to their work.

“When you adopt a community space, you are working with the associations of the place which shapes the play each time it is performed. The soundscape of birds in a grand yew forest, the prayers soaked in the stones of an old church, the hubbub of children’s birthday parties staining the floor of a village hall; these are the third players in our shows.”

Their latest show, After the Rain, is a puppet show and aims to engage the youngest audiences and fill cultural gaps for families on low incomes. Its initial run saw it tour 36 nurseries, schools and community centres across Essex.

Zoe always knew she wanted to make theatre rather than be just an actor and she credits the BA Acting and Contemporary Theatre for giving her the skills she needed.

“My course taught me to be resourceful, adaptable and brave. Having a strong training in acting ensured I knew what quality was and a way to get there, but making our own work meant I knew that that was just the tip of the iceberg.

“We learned about devising, about play structure, we had an idea that we needed to make posters, find music, deal with group politics, fundraise. Most importantly it taught us to be vulnerable and put our ideas on the line, to take risks, to fail; essentially to be artists.”