The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, also known by its abbreviation RADA (), is a

drama school A drama school, stage school, or theatre school is an undergraduate and/or graduate school or Academic department, department at a college or university, or a free-standing institution (such as the drama section at the Juilliard School) that ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, England, which provides vocational conservatoire training for

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a Stage (theatre), stage. The performe ...

film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

, and

radio Radio is the technology of communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 3 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmitter connec ...

. It is based in

Bloomsbury Bloomsbury is a district in the West End of London, part of the London Borough of Camden in England. It is considered a fashionable residential area, and is the location of numerous cultural institution, cultural, intellectual, and educational ...

Central London Central London is the innermost part of London, in England, spanning the City of London and several boroughs. Over time, a number of definitions have been used to define the scope of Central London for statistics, urban planning and local gove ...

, close to the Senate House complex of the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a collegiate university, federal Public university, public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The ...

, and is a founding member of the

Federation of Drama Schools The Federation of Drama Schools functions to facilitate vocational drama training in the UK. It was formed in June 2017. History A formal organisation for drama training in the UK was first established with the Conference of Drama Schools (CDS) ...

. RADA is one of the oldest drama schools in the United Kingdom, founded in 1904 by Sir

Herbert Beerbohm Tree Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree (17 December 1852 – 2 July 1917) was an English actor and Actor-manager, theatre manager. Tree began performing in the 1870s. By 1887, he was managing the Haymarket Theatre in the West End theatre, West End, winning ...

. It moved to buildings on Gower Street in 1905. It was granted a

royal charter A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, but ...

in 1920 and a new theatre was built on Malet Street, behind the Gower Street buildings, which was opened in 1921 by Edward, Prince of Wales. It received its first government subsidy in 1924. RADA currently has five theatres and a cinema. The school's principal industry partner is

Warner Bros. Entertainment Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...

. RADA offers a number of foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Its higher education awards are validated by

King's College London King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public university, public research university in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of George IV of the United Kingdom, King George IV ...

(KCL). The royal patron of the school is

King Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...

, following the death of

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

in 2022. The president is

David Harewood David Michael Harewood (born 8 December 1965) is a British actor, presenter and the current president of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He is best known for his roles as CIA Counterterrorism Director David Estes in ''Homeland'' (2011–2012 ...

, who succeeded Sir

Kenneth Branagh Sir Kenneth Charles Branagh ( ; born 10 December 1960) is a British actor and filmmaker. Born in Belfast and raised primarily in Reading, Berkshire, Branagh trained at RADA in London and served as its president from 2015 to 2024. List of award ...

in February 2024, with

Cynthia Erivo Cynthia Chinasaokwu Onyedinmanasu Amarachukwu Owezuke Echimino Erivo ( ; born 8 January 1987) is a British actress and singer. Known for her work on both stage and screen, she is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Cynt ...

appointed vice president. The chairman is Marcus Ryder, who succeeded Sir

Stephen Waley-Cohen Sir Stephen Harry Waley-Cohen, 2nd Baronet (born 22 June 1946 in Westminster, London)

in 2021. Its vice-chairman was

Alan Rickman Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman (21 February 1946 – 14 January 2016) was an English actor and director. Known for his distinctive deep, wikt:languid#Etymology 1, languid voice, he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and b ...

until his death in 2016. The current principal of the academy is Niamh Dowling, who succeeded Edward Kemp in 2022.

History

The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art was founded on 25 April 1904 by actor-manager Sir

(the grandfather of actor

Oliver Reed Robert Oliver Reed (13 February 1938 – 2 May 1999) was an English actor, known for his upper-middle class, macho image and his heavy-drinking, "hellraiser" lifestyle. His screen career spanned over 40 years, between 1955 and 1999. At the ...

) at the West End's

Her Majesty's Theatre His Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre situated in the Haymarket, London, Haymarket in the City of Westminster, London. The building, designed by Charles J. Phipps, was constructed in 1897 for the actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who ...

(now His Majesty's) situated in Haymarket in the

City of Westminster The City of Westminster is a London borough with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in Greater London, England. It is the site of the United Kingdom's Houses of Parliament and much of the British government. It contains a large par ...

, London. In 1905, RADA moved to 62 Gower Street, and a managing council was set up to oversee the school. Its members included

George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from the 188 ...

, who later donated his royalties from his play '' Pygmalion'' to RADA and gave lectures to students at the school. In 1920, RADA was granted a royal charter and, in 1921, a new theatre was built on Malet Street behind the Gower Street buildings. Edward, Prince of Wales, opened the theatre. In 1923, Sir

John Gielgud Sir Arthur John Gielgud ( ; 14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000) was an English actor and theatre director whose career spanned eight decades. With Ralph Richardson and Laurence Olivier, he was one of the trinity of actors who dominated the Britis ...

studied at RADA for a year. He later became president of the academy and its first honorary fellow. In 1924, RADA received its first government subsidy, a grant of £500. The Gower Street buildings were torn down in 1927 and replaced with a new building, financed by Bernard Shaw, who also left one-third of his royalties to the academy on his death in 1950. The academy has received other government funding at various times, including a £22.7 million grant from the Arts Council National Lottery Board in 1996, which was used to renovate its premises and rebuild the Jerwood Vanbrugh Theatre. RADA sign

In 2000, the academy founded RADA Enterprises Ltd, now known as RADA Business, providing training programmes and coaching for organisations and individuals in communications and team building which use drama training techniques in a business context. The profits are fed back into the academy to help cover its costs. In 2001, RADA joined with the London Contemporary Dance School to create the UK's first

Conservatoire for Dance and Drama The Conservatoire for Dance and Drama was a higher education institution in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 2001 to bring together a number of schools providing higher-level vocational training in the performing arts. The official website s ...

(CDD). RADA left the CDD in August 2019 to become an independent higher education provider. RADA is also a founder member of the

, established in 2017. In 2004, celebrity photographer Cambridge Jones was commissioned to create a body of work published as a book, ''Off Stage: 100 Portraits Celebrating the RADA Centenary'', in 2005 to celebrate RADA's centenary. The photographs include

John Hurt Sir John Vincent Hurt (22 January 1940 – 28 January 2017) was an English actor. Regarded as one of the finest actors of his time and known for the "most distinctive voice in Cinema of the United Kingdom, Britain", he was described by David Ly ...

Sheila Hancock Dame Sheila Cameron Hancock (born 22 February 1933) is an English actress, singer, and author. She has performed on stage in both plays and musicals in London theatres, and is also known for her roles in films and on television. Her Broadway ...

, Sir

Anthony Hopkins Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins (born 31 December 1937) is a Welsh actor. Considered one of Britain's most recognisable and prolific actors, he is known for List of Anthony Hopkins performances, his performances on the screen and stage. Hopkins ha ...

Ralph Fiennes Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes (; born 22 December 1962) is an English actor, film producer, and director. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Ralph Fiennes, various accolades, including a British Academy Film ...

Edward Woodward Edward Albert Arthur Woodward (1 June 1930 – 16 November 2009) was an English actor and singer. He began his career on stage, appearing in productions in both the West End of London and on Broadway in New York City. He came to wider att ...

, Sir

Ian Holm Sir Ian Holm Cuthbert (12 September 1931 – 19 June 2020) was an English actor. After graduating from RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) and beginning his career on the British stage as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, he became a ...

Richard Attenborough Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough (; 29 August 192324 August 2014) was an English actor, film director, and Film producer, producer. Attenborough was the president of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and the British Acade ...

Joan Collins Dame Joan Henrietta Collins (born 23 May 1933) is an English actress, author and columnist. She is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Awards, a People's Choice Award, two Soap Opera Digest Awards and a Primetime Emm ...

Tom Courtenay Sir Thomas Daniel Courtenay (; born 25 February 1937) is an English actor. After studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he achieved prominence in the 1960s as part of actors of the British New Wave. Courtenay has received numerous acco ...

Warren Mitchell Warren Mitchell (born Warren Misell; 14 January 1926 – 14 November 2015) was an English actor best known for playing bigoted cockney Alf Garnett in television, film and stage productions from the 1960s to the 1990s. He was a BAFTA TV A ...

Imelda Staunton Dame Imelda Mary Philomena Bernadette Staunton (born 9 January 1956) is an English actress and singer. After training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Staunton began her career in repertory theatre in 1976 and appeared in various theatre pr ...

June Whitfield Dame June Rosemary Whitfield (11 November 1925 – 29 December 2018) was an English radio, television and film actress. Whitfield's big break was a lead in the radio comedy '' Take It from Here'', which aired on the BBC Light Programme ...

Richard Briers Richard David Briers (14 January 1934 – 17 February 2013) was an English actor whose five-decade career encompassed film, radio, stage and television. Briers first came to prominence as George Starling in '' Marriage Lines'' (1961–66), but ...

Glenda Jackson Glenda May Jackson (9 May 1936 – 15 June 2023) was an English actress and politician. Over the course of her distinguished career she received List of awards and nominations received by Glenda Jackson, numerous accolades including two Academy ...

Juliet Stevenson Juliet Anne Virginia Stevenson, (born 30 October 1956) is an English actress of stage and screen. She is known for her role in the film '' Truly, Madly, Deeply'' (1991), for which she was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Le ...

Jonathan Pryce Sir Jonathan Pryce (born John Price; 1 June 1947) is a Welsh actor. He is known for his performances on stage and in film and television. He has received numerous awards, including two Tony Awards and two Laurence Olivier Awards as well as nom ...

, Ioan Gruffud,

Susannah York Susannah Yolande Fletcher (9 January 1939 – 15 January 2011), known professionally as Susannah York, was an English actress. Her appearances in various films of the 1960s, including '' Tom Jones'' (1963) and '' They Shoot Horses, Don't They?'' ...

and

Timothy Spall Timothy Leonard Spall ( ; born 27 February 1957) is an English actor. He gained recognition for his character actor roles on stage and screen. In 2000, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II. S ...

. In 2011,

the Lir Academy The Lir - National Academy of Dramatic Art is an Irish drama school that offers conservatory training for theatre, film and television from industry professionals. The Lir is located in Dublin, Ireland, and is a part of Trinity College Dublin. It ...

was established in association with RADA at

Trinity College Dublin Trinity College Dublin (), officially titled The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, and legally incorporated as Trinity College, the University of Dublin (TCD), is the sole constituent college of the Unive ...

, with the partnership of the Cathal Ryan Trust. Following RADA’s conservatoire-style, practical theatre training, the Lir Academy modelled its courses after the London-based school. RADA has been registered with the Office for Students as a higher education institution since July 2018. The current principal of the academy, Niamh Dowling, succeeded Edward Kemp in 2022. The current president,

, succeeded Sir Kenneth Branagh in February 2024, with

appointed vice president.

Courses

RADA's higher education awards are validated by

(KCL) and its students graduate alongside members of the KCL Faculty of Arts & Humanities. It is based in the

area of

, close to the Senate House complex of the

. It is a founder member of the Federation of Drama Schools. RADA has expanded its course offering over the years. The school offers a three-year BA (Hons) in acting degree. The first stage management course was introduced in 1962 under the directorship of Dorothy Tenham, and today students on the technical theatre and stage management degree learn theatre production skills including lighting, sound, props, costume and make-up, stage management, production management and video design. In the 1990s it launched a programme of short courses for actors and theatre technicians from around the world, including a special course for students at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Other courses include a one-year acting foundation course introduced in 2007; an MA in Text & Performance, affiliated with

Birkbeck, University of London Birkbeck, University of London (formally Birkbeck College, University of London), is a Public university, public research university located in London, England, and a constituent college, member institution of the University of London. Establ ...

, introduced in 2010; and an MA Theatre Lab course introduced in 2011.

Campus

RADA is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London. The main RADA building where classes and rehearsals take place is on Gower Street (with a second entrance on Malet Street), with a second premise nearby in Chenies Street where RADA Studios is located. The

Goodge Street Goodge Street () is a London Underground station on Tottenham Court Road in Fitzrovia, in the London Borough of Camden. It is on the Charing Cross branch of the Northern line between Warren Street and Tottenham Court Road stations, and is locat ...

and

Euston Square Euston Square is a large square in the London Borough of Camden in Central London. It lies on Euston Road, and Euston railway station and Euston bus station are on its northernmost side. Although “Euston Square” strictly refers to the squ ...

underground stations are both within walking distance. The Gower and Malet Street building was redeveloped in the late 1990s to designs by Bryan Avery, and incorporated the new theatres and linking the entrances on both streets.

Theatres

RADA has five theatres and a cinema. In the Malet Street building, the Jerwood Vanburgh Theatre is the largest performance space with a capacity of 194; the George Bernard Shaw Theatre is a

black box theatre A black box theater is a performance space, typically a square or rectangular room, with black walls and a black, flat floor. The simplicity of the space allows it to be used to create a variety of configurations of stage and audience interact ...

with a capacity of up to 70; and the Gielgud Theatre is an intimate studio theatre with a capacity of up to 50. In January 2012, RADA acquired the lease to the adjacent Drill Hall venue in Chenies Street and renamed it RADA Studios. The Drill Hall is a Grade II listed building with a long performing arts history, and was where Nijinsky rehearsed with Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes in 1911. This venue has a 200-seat space, the Studio Theatre, and a 50-seat space, the Club Theatre. In April 2016, planning permission was granted for the redevelopment of the Chenies Street premises as part of the

Campaign.

Library

The RADA library contains around 30,000 items. Works include around 10,000 plays; works of or about biography, costume, criticism, film, fine art, poetry, social history, stage design, technical theatre and theatre history; screenplays; and theatre periodicals. The collection was started in 1904 with donations from actors and writers of the time such as Sir

Squire Bancroft Sir Squire Bancroft (14 May 1841 – 19 April 1926), born Squire White Butterfield, was an English actor-manager. He changed his name to Squire Bancroft Bancroft by deed poll just before his marriage. He and his wife Effie Bancroft are consi ...

, William Archer, Sir

Arthur Wing Pinero Sir Arthur Wing Pinero (24 May 1855 – 23 November 1934) was an English playwright and, early in his career, actor. Pinero was drawn to the theatre from an early age, and became a professional actor at the age of 19. He gained experience as a ...

and George Bernard Shaw.

Other facilities

Other facilities at RADA include acting studios, a scenic art workshop with paint frame, costume workrooms and costume store, dance and fight studios, design studios, wood and metal workshops, sound studios, rehearsal studios, and the RADA Foyer Bar, which includes a fully licensed bar, a café and a box office.

Admissions

RADA accepts up to 28 new students each year into its three-year BA (Hons) in Acting course, with a 50–50 split of male and female students. Admission into the three-year BA (Hons) in Acting course is based on suitability and successful audition, via the four-stage audition process, spanning several months. Auditions are held in London as well as in New York, Los Angeles, Dublin, and across the UK – in recent years this has included Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Chester, Leicester, Sheffield, Manchester, Newcastle and Plymouth. Free auditions are offered to any applicants with a household income of under £25,000. RADA also teaches Technical Theatre & Stage Management (TTSM) – a two-year foundation degree and with a further 'completion' year to BA level which has to be separately applied for and which allows for specialisation in all theatre craft areas. The TTSM course admits up to 30 students a year with a 50–50 gender balance, with the option to interview in Manchester and Plymouth. RADA’s postgraduate training currently comprises a MA Theatre Lab programme and a Postgraduate Diploma in Theatre Costume (both validated by King's College London). RADA also jointly teaches an MA in Text and Performance with Birkbeck, University of London, where students on this course are enrolled at RADA as well as registered at Birkbeck. Both MA courses frequently collaborated according to their specialisms (i.e. directors on the Text & Performance programme using actors from the Theatre Lab course). Rehearsals and performances for the programmes are done mostly in the Chenies Street and Malet Street buildings. In addition, RADA offers a series of short courses, masterclasses and summer courses for a range of standards and ages. Previous attendees have included

Allison Janney Allison Brooks Janney (born November 19, 1959) is an American actress. Known for her performances across the screen and stage, she has received List of awards and nominations received by Allison Janney, various accolades, including an Academy A ...

Liev Schreiber Isaac Liev Schreiber ( ; born October 4, 1967) is an American actor. He has received numerous accolades including a Tony Award as well as nominations for nine Primetime Emmy Awards and five Golden Globe Awards. Schreiber's early film roles incl ...

Maggie Gyllenhaal Margalit Ruth "Maggie" Gyllenhaal ( , ; born November 16, 1977) is an American actress and filmmaker. Part of the Gyllenhaal family, she is the daughter of filmmakers Stephen Gyllenhaal and Naomi Achs, and the older sister of actor Jake Gylle ...

and

Emma Watson Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson (born 15 April 1990) is an English actress. Known for her roles in both Blockbuster (entertainment), blockbusters and independent films, she has received List of awards and nominations received by Emma Watson, ...

. The Academy’s education, widening participation and outreach work includes two Youth Companies, schools' workshops, Access to Acting workshops for young disabled people, Shakespeare tours to secondary schools and the RADA Shakespeare Awards. Undergraduate students are eligible for government student loans. RADA also has a scholarships and bursaries scheme, which offers financial assistance to students.

Leadership

The Royal Patron of the Academy is King

Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...

, following the death of Queen

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

in 2022. The president is

, who succeeded Sir

in February 2024, with

appointed vice president. The chairman is Marcus Ryder, who succeeded Sir

Stephen Waley-Cohen Sir Stephen Harry Waley-Cohen, 2nd Baronet (born 22 June 1946 in Westminster, London)

in 2021. Its vice-chairman was

until his death in 2016. The current principal of the academy is Niamh Dowling, who succeeded Edward Kemp in 2022.

Principals

*Sir

(founder) *Sir Kenneth Barnes (1909–1955) *John Fernald (1955–1966) * Hugh Cruttwell (1966–1985) *Oliver Neville (1984–1993) *Nicholas Barter (1993–2007) * Edward Kemp (2007–2021) *Niamh Dowling (2022–present)

Presidents

*Sir Squire Bancroft (1906) *Sir

Johnston Forbes-Robertson Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson (16 January 1853 – 6 November 1937)''Sir Johnston Forbes Robertson, Beauty And Grace in Acting'', Obituaries, ''The Times'', 8 November 1937. was an English actor and theatre manager and husband of actress Gertrud ...

(1927–1928) *Sir

Gerald du Maurier Sir Gerald Hubert Edward Busson du Maurier (26 March 1873 – 11 April 1934) was an English actor and Actor-manager, manager. He was the son of author George du Maurier and his wife, Emma Wightwick, and the brother of Sylvia Llewelyn Davies ...

(1929–1930) *

Henry Ainley Henry Hinchliffe Ainley (21 August 1879 – 31 October 1945) was an English actor. Life and career Early years Ainley was born in Morley, West Yorkshire, Morley, near Leeds, on 21 August 1879, the only son and eldest child of Richard Ainley (18 ...

(1931–1933) * Lady Tree (1934–1935) *

Cyril Maude Cyril Francis Maude (24 April 1862 — 20 February 1951) was an English actor-manager. Biography Maude was born in London and educated at Wixenford School, Wixenford and Charterhouse School. In 1881, he was sent to Adelaide, South Australia, on ...

(1945) *Dame

Irene Vanbrugh Dame Irene Boucicault (2 December 1872 – 30 November 1949), Barnes, known professionally as Irene Vanbrugh () was an English actress. The daughter of a clergyman, Vanbrugh followed her elder sister Violet Vanbrugh, Violet into the theatrica ...

(1946–1947) *Dame

Sybil Thorndike Dame Agnes Sybil Thorndike, Lady Casson (24 October 18829 June 1976) was an English actress whose stage career lasted from 1904 to 1969. Trained in her youth as a concert pianist, Thorndike turned to the stage when a medical problem with her h ...

(1948–1949) *

Athene Seyler Athene Seyler (31 May 188912 September 1990) was an English actress. Early life She was born in Hackney, London; her German-born grandparents moved to the United Kingdom, where her grandfather Philip Seyler was a merchant in London. Athene Se ...

(1950–1951) *Sir

Felix Aylmer Sir Felix Edward Aylmer Jones (21 February 1889 – 2 September 1979) was an English stage actor who also appeared in the cinema and on television. Aylmer made appearances in films with comedians such as Will Hay and George Formby. Early life ...

(1954) *Dame

Flora Robson Dame Flora McKenzie Robson (28 March 19027 July 1984) was an English actress and star of the theatrical stage and cinema, particularly renowned for her performances in plays demanding dramatic and emotional intensity. Her range extended from qu ...

(1955–1963) *Dame

Edith Evans Dame Edith Mary Evans (8 February 1888 – 14 October 1976) was an English actress. She was best known for Edith Evans – stage and film roles, her work on the West End theatre, West End stage, but also appeared in films at the beginning and t ...

(1964–1976) *Sir

(1977–1989) *

Diana, Princess of Wales Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997), was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William, ...

(1989–1997) * Richard, Lord Attenborough (2002–2014) *Sir

(2014–2024) *

(2024–present)

Honorary fellows

Listed alphabetically by date of appointment *Sir

(1989) * Cicely Berry (2018) *

Thelma Holt Thelma Holt (born 4 January 1932) is a British theatre producer and former actress. After a successful career as an actress, in partnership with Charles Marowitz, Holt founded the Open Space Theatre in Tottenham Court Road, London, which bec ...

(2018) *

(2018) *Francine Watson Coleman (2019) *

Mona Hammond Mona Hammond (born Mavis Chin; 1 January 1931 – 4 July 2022) was a Jamaican-British actress and co-founder of the Talawa Theatre Company. Born in Tweedside, Jamaica,

(2019) *Sir

(2019) *

Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March22, 1930November26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. Regarded as one of the most important figures in 20th-century musical theater, he is credited with reinventing the American musical. He received Lis ...

(2019) *

Kathryn Hunter Aikaterini Hadjipateras (; born 9 April 1957), known professionally as Kathryn Hunter, is a British-American actress and theatre director, known for her work in physical theatre. Hunter has appeared as Arabella Figg in the '' ''Harry Potter' ...

(2023) *

Winsome Pinnock Winsome Pinnock FRSL (born 1961) is a British playwright of Jamaican heritage, who is "probably Britain's most well known black female playwright". She was described in ''The Guardian'' as "the godmother of black British playwrights". Life Wins ...

(2023)

Notable alumni

Mark Addy Mark Ian Addy is an English actor best known for his roles as DC Gary Boyle in the sitcom '' The Thin Blue Line'' (1995–96), Andy Richmond in '' Trollied'' (2011–13), King Robert Baratheon in the first season of ''Game of Thrones'' (2011) ...

– ''

Game of Thrones ''Game of Thrones'' is an American Fantasy television, fantasy Drama (film and television), drama television series created by David Benioff and for HBO. It is an adaptation of ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of high fantasy novels by ...

'', ''

The Full Monty ''The Full Monty'' is a 1997 comedy film directed by Peter Cattaneo, starring Robert Carlyle, Mark Addy, William Snape, Steve Huison, Tom Wilkinson, Paul Barber and Hugo Speer. The screenplay was written by Simon Beaufoy. The film is set ...

'' *

Jonas Armstrong Jonas Armstrong (born 1 January 1981) is an Irish-English actor who rose to prominence playing the title character on the BBC's ''Robin Hood'' (2006–2009). He has since appeared in miniseries such as '' Dark Angel'' (2016), '' Troy: Fall of a ...

– ''

Robin Hood Robin Hood is a legendary noble outlaw, heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature, theatre, and cinema. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions o ...

'', ''

Edge of Tomorrow ''Edge of Tomorrow'' is a 2014 American science fiction film, science fiction action film directed by Doug Liman and written by Christopher McQuarrie and the writing team of Jez Butterworth, Jez and John-Henry Butterworth, loosely based on th ...

'' *

Gemma Arterton Gemma Christina Arterton (born 2 February 1986) is a British actress. After her stage debut in Shakespeare's ''Love's Labour's Lost'' at the Globe Theatre (2007), Arterton made her feature-film debut in the comedy '' St Trinian's'' (2007). She p ...

– ''

Quantum of Solace ''Quantum of Solace'' is a 2008 spy thriller film and the twenty-second in the List of James Bond films, ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions. Directed by Marc Forster and written by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, Neal Purvis, Robe ...

'', '' Clash of the Titans'' *

– '' The Great Escape'', ''

Miracle on 34th Street ''Miracle on 34th Street'' (initially released as ''The Big Heart'' in the United Kingdom) is a 1947 American Christmas film, Christmas comedy-drama film released by 20th Century-Fox, written and directed by George Seaton and based on a story ...

'', ''

Jurassic Park ''Jurassic Park'', later referred to as ''Jurassic World'', is an American science fiction media franchise created by Michael Crichton, centered on a disastrous attempt to create a theme park of De-extinction#Cloning, cloned dinosaurs. It bega ...

'' *

David Bamber David James Bamber (born 19 September 1954) is an English actor. His credits include '' Privates on Parade'' (1983), '' Juliet Bravo'' (1983), '' Crown Court'' (1984), '' Call Me Mister'' (1986), '' The Buddha of Suburbia'' (1993), '' Pride an ...

– ''

Pride and Prejudice ''Pride and Prejudice'' is the second published novel (but third to be written) by English author Jane Austen, written when she was age 20-21, and later published in 1813. A novel of manners, it follows the character development of Elizabe ...

'', ''

Valkyrie In Norse mythology, a valkyrie ( or ; from ) is one of a host of female figures who guide souls of the dead to the god Odin's hall Valhalla. There, the deceased warriors become ('single fighters' or 'once fighters').Orchard (1997:36) and Li ...

'' *

Sean Bean Sean Bean (born Shaun Mark Bean; 17 April 1959) is an English actor. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he made his professional debut in a production of ''Romeo and Juliet'' in 1983 at The Watermill Theatre. Retaining his ...

– ''

The Lord of the Rings ''The Lord of the Rings'' is an Epic (genre), epic high fantasy novel written by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's book ''The Hobbit'' but eventually d ...

'', ''GoldenEye'', ''

'', ''Broken (British TV series), Broken'' *Brian Bedford – ''Robin Hood (1973 film), Robin Hood'', seven Tony Award nominations *Stephen Beresford – ''The Last of the Haussmans'', ''Pride (2014 film), Pride'' *Eve Best – ''The Honourable Woman'', ''The King's Speech'', ''House of the Dragon'' *Michael Blakemore – (''Privates on Parade (film), Privates on Parade'') *Peter Bowles – ''To the Manor Born'', ''I, Claudius (TV series), I, Claudius'' *David Bradley (English actor), David Bradley – ''Harry Potter (film series), Harry Potter'', ''

'', ''Doctor Who'' *

– ''Henry V (1989 film), Henry V'', ''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film), Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'', ''Dunkirk (2017 film), Dunkirk'', ''Tenet (film), Tenet'', ''Oppenheimer (film), Oppenheimer'' *Barbara Bryne – ''Sunday in the Park with George'', ''Into the Woods'', ''Amadeus (film), Amadeus'' *Jessie Buckley – ''War & Peace (2016 TV series), War and Peace'', ''Wild Rose (2018 film), Wild Rose'', ''Judy (film), Judy'' *Tom Burke (actor), Tom Burke – ''The Musketeers'', ''Strike (TV series), Strike'', ''Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga'', ''Black Bag'' *Bertie Carvel – ''Matilda the Musical'', ''Doctor Foster (TV series), Doctor Foster'' *Eva Ceja – ''Aquarium of the Dead'', ''The Amityville Harvest'', Touch (2022 film), ''Touch'' *Lolita Chakrabarti – ''Red Velvet (play), Red Velvet'', ''Jekyll and Hyde (TV series), Jekyll & Hyde'' *Chipo Chung – ''Fortitude (TV series), Fortitude'', ''A.D. The Bible Continues'' *Sian Clifford – ''Fleabag'' *Richard Coleman – ''Ben-Hur (1959 film), Ben-Hur'', ''There's a Girl in My Soup (play), There's a Girl in My Soup'', ''...And Mother Makes Three'', ''...And Mother Makes Five'' *

– ''Dynasty (1981 TV series), Dynasty'', ''The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing'' *Daisy May Cooper – ''This Country'' *Lauren Crace – ''EastEnders'' *Roland Culver – ''Thunderball (film), Thunderball'' *Ian Dallas – ''8½'' *Timothy Dalton – ''The Living Daylights'', ''Licence to Kill'', ''Hot Fuzz'', ''The Crown (TV series), The Crown'' *Arthur Darvill – ''Doctor Who'', ''Broadchurch'' *David Dawson (actor), David Dawson – ''My Policeman (film), My Policeman'', ''The Last Kingdom (TV series), The Last Kingdom'' *Frank Dillane – ''Fear the Walking Dead'', ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' *Adetomiwa Edun – ''Merlin (2008 TV series), Merlin'', ''Alex Hunter (character), FIFA video games'' *Taron Egerton – ''Kingsman: The Secret Service'', ''Rocketman (film), Rocketman'' *Tom Prior – ''Firebird (2021 film), Firebird'', ''Kingsman: The Secret Service'', ''The Theory of Everything (2014 film), The Theory of Everything'' *Denholm Elliott – ''Alfie (1966 film), Alfie'', ''Raiders of the Lost Ark'', ''Trading Places'' *Robert Englund – ''A Nightmare on Elm Street'' *

– ''Wicked (2024 film), Wicked'', ''Harriet (film), Harriet'' *Trevor Eve – ''Shoestring (TV series), Shoestring'', ''Waking the Dead (TV series), Waking the Dead'' *Patsy Ferran – ''Jamestown (TV series), Jamestown'', ''Summer and Smoke#Stage performances, Summer and Smoke'' *

– ''Schindler's List'', ''Harry Potter (film series), Harry Potter'', ''Skyfall'', ''The Grand Budapest Hotel'', ''Conclave (film), Conclave'' *Albert Finney – ''Saturday Night and Sunday Morning'', ''Erin Brockovich (film), Erin Brockovich'' *Edward Fox (actor), Edward Fox – ''The Day of the Jackal (film), The Day of the Jackal'', ''Edward & Mrs. Simpson'' *Laurence Fox – ''Lewis (TV series), Lewis'', ''Elizabeth: The Golden Age'' *Michael Gambon – ''Harry Potter (film series), Harry Potter'', ''The King's Speech'', ''Fantastic Mr. Fox (film), Fantastic Mr. Fox'' *

– ''Arthur (1981 film), Arthur'', ''Gandhi (film), Gandhi'' *Iain Glen – ''

'', ''Silo (TV series), Silo'' *Julian Glover – ''Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'', ''The Empire Strikes Back'', ''

'' *Eva Gray (actress), Eva Gray – ''The Trudy Lite Show'', ''The Trudy Lite Chat Show'', ''Marilyn Monroe'', ''Sooty Heights'' *Hugh Griffith – ''Ben-Hur'', ''Oliver! (film), Oliver!'' *Ioan Gruffudd – ''Hornblower'', ''Titanic (1997 film), Titanic'', ''Fantastic Four (2005 film), Fantastic Four'' *

– ''Cabaret (musical), Cabaret'', ''Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Sweeney Todd'' *Terry Hands – founder of Liverpool Everyman Theatre, artistic director of Royal Shakespeare Company *Bryony Hannah – ''Call the Midwife'' *Cedric Hardwicke – ''The Ten Commandments (1956 film), The Ten Commandments'' *

– ''Homeland (TV series), Homeland'', ''The Night Manager (TV series), The Night Manager'' *Rosemary Harris – ''Tom & Viv'', ''Holocaust (miniseries), Holocaust'' *Nyasha Hatendi – ''Casual (TV series), Casual'' *Sally Hawkins – ''Godzilla (2014 film), Godzilla'', ''The Shape of Water'', ''Paddington (2014 film), Paddington'' *James Hayter (actor), James Hayter – ''The Pickwick Papers (1952 film), The Pickwick Papers'', ''Trio (1950 film), Trio'', ''The Onedin Line'' *Tom Hiddleston – ''Loki (TV series), Loki'', ''War Horse (film), War Horse'', ''The Night Manager'' *Ciarán Hinds – ''Munich (2005 film), Munich'', ''There Will Be Blood'', ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2'' *

– ''Alien (film), Alien'', ''The Lord of the Rings'' *

– ''The Silence of the Lambs (film), The Silence of the Lambs'', ''The Lion in Winter (1968 film), The Lion in Winter'', ''Westworld (TV series), Westworld'' *Jane Horrocks – ''Little Voice (film), Little Voice'', ''Absolutely Fabulous'' *Trevor Howard – ''Brief Encounter'', ''The Third Man'' *Tom Hughes (actor), Tom Hughes — ''Victoria (British TV series), Victoria'', ''Cemetery Junction (film), Cemetery Junction'' *

– ''Alien (film), Alien'', ''The Elephant Man (1980 film), The Elephant Man'' *Wilfrid Hyde-White – ''My Fair Lady (film), My Fair Lady'' *

– ''Women in Love (film), Women in Love'', ''Sunday Bloody Sunday (film), Sunday Bloody Sunday'' *Marianne Jean-Baptiste – ''Secrets & Lies (film), Secrets & Lies'', ''Broadchurch'' *Lionel Jeffries – ''Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'' *Mervyn Johns – ''Jamaica Inn (film), Jamaica Inn'', ''Scrooge (1951 film), Scrooge'' *Celia Johnson – ''Brief Encounter'', ''The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (film), The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie'' *Gemma Jones – ''Sense and Sensibility (film), Sense and Sensibility'', ''Bridget Jones's Diary'' *Alex Kingston – ''Croupier'', ''ER (TV series), ER'', ''Doctor Who'' *Charles Laughton – ''Mutiny on the Bounty (1935 film), Mutiny on the Bounty'', ''The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939 film), The Hunchback of Notre Dame'' *Tamara Lawrance – ''King Charles III (film), King Charles III'', ''The Long Song (TV series), The Long Song'' *Vivien Leigh – ''Gone with the Wind (film), Gone with the Wind'', ''A Streetcar Named Desire (1951 film), A Streetcar Named Desire'' *Mike Leigh – ''Abigail's Party'', ''Secrets & Lies (film), Secrets & Lies'' *Tom Lewis (actor), Tom Lewis – ''Gentleman Jack (TV series), Gentleman Jack'' *Anton Lesser – ''Wolf Hall (TV series), Wolf Hall'', ''Endeavour (TV series), Endeavour'' *Adrian Lester – ''Hustle (TV series), Hustle'', ''Henry V (play), Henry V'' *Robert Lindsay (actor), Robert Lindsay – ''My Family'', ''Me and My Girl'' *Andrew Lincoln – ''The Walking Dead (TV series), The Walking Dead'', ''Love Actually'' *Joan Littlewood – director ''A Taste of Honey'', ''Oh, What a Lovely War!'' *Margaret Lockwood – ''The Lady Vanishes'', ''Night Train to Munich'' *Ida Lupino – ''The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (film), The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes'' *Emma Lowndes – ''Harry Potter and the Cursed Child'' *Matthew Macfadyen – ''Succession (TV series), Succession'', ''Deadpool & Wolverine'' *Stephen Mangan – ''Episodes (TV series), Episodes'', ''Postman Pat: The Movie'' *Nathaniel Martello-White – ''Collateral (TV series), Collateral'' *Stefanie Martini – ''Prime Suspect 1973'', ''Crooked House (film), Crooked House'' *Daniel Mays – ''Ashes to Ashes (British TV series), Ashes to Ashes'', ''Line of Duty'' *Gugu Mbatha-Raw – ''Black Mirror'', ''Loki (TV series), Loki'' *Steve McFadden – ''EastEnders'' *Paul McGann – ''Withnail and I'', ''Alien 3'', ''Doctor Who (film), Doctor Who'' *Ian McShane – ''John Wick'', ''Deadwood (TV series), Deadwood'', ''American Gods (TV series), American Gods'' *Janet McTeer – ''Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, Wuthering Heights'', ''The Menu (2022 film), The Menu'' *Tobias Menzies – ''

'', ''Outlander (TV series), Outlander'', ''The Crown (TV series), The Crown'' *Roger Moore – ''The Saint (TV series), The Saint, James Bond in film, James Bond'' *Robert Morley – ''The African Queen (film), The African Queen'' *Wunmi Mosaku – ''Lovecraft Country (TV series), Lovecraft Country'', ''Luther (TV series), Luther'' *Corey Mylchreest – ''Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story'' *Alan Napier – ''Batman (TV series), Batman'' *John Neville (actor), John Neville – ''The Adventures of Baron Munchausen'' *Vincenzo Nicoli – ''Alien 3'', ''The Dark Knight'' *Sue Nicholls – ''Coronation Street'' *Dean Norris – ''Breaking Bad'', ''Under the Dome (TV series), Under the Dome'' *Rufus Norris – artistic director, Royal National Theatre, National Theatre *Sophie Okonedo – ''Hotel Rwanda'', ''Dirty Pretty Things (film), Dirty Pretty Things'', Ratched (TV series), Ratched *Joe Orton – playwright ''Loot (play), Loot'', ''What the Butler Saw (play), What the Butler Saw'' *Peter O'Toole – ''Lawrence of Arabia (film), Lawrence of Arabia'', ''The Lion in Winter'' *Clive Owen – ''Children of Men'', ''Sin City (film), Sin City'' *Bruce Payne – ''Passenger 57'', ''Highlander: Endgame'' *Maxine Peake – ''Silk (TV series), Silk'', ''The Village (2013 TV series), The Village'' *Jon Pertwee ''Worzel Gummidge'', ''Doctor Who'' (expelled) *Siân Phillips – ''I, Claudius''; ''Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (TV series), Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy'' *

– ''Brazil (1985 film), Brazil'', ''Pirates of the Caribbean (film series), Pirates of the Caribbean'' *Paul Pyant – lighting designer, ''Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (musical), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'' *Basil Radford – ''Jamaica Inn'', ''Night Train to Munich'' *Claude Rains – ''Casablanca'', ''The Invisible Man'', ''Notorious'' *Jessica Raine – ''Call the Midwife'', ''Jericho (2016 TV series), Jericho'' *Anne Reid – ''Dinnerladies (TV series), Dinnerladies'', ''Last Tango in Halifax'' *Matthew Rhys – ''Brothers & Sisters (2006 TV series), Brothers & Sisters'', ''The Americans'' *Paul Rhys – ''The Assets'', ''Chaplin (film), Chaplin'' *John Rhys-Davies – ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''Indiana Jones'' *

– ''Harry Potter (film series), Harry Potter'', ''Die Hard'', ''Sense and Sensibility (film), Sense and Sensibility'' *Diana Rigg – ''

'', ''On Her Majesty's Secret Service (film), On Her Majesty's Secret Service'' *Andrea Riseborough – ''Birdman (film), Birdman'', ''Oblivion (2013 film), Oblivion'' *Mark Rylance – ''Wolf Hall'', ''Bridge of Spies (film), Bridge of Spies'' *Grace Saif – ''13 Reasons Why'' *Peter Sallis – ''Last of the Summer Wine'', ''Wallace and Gromit'' *Fiona Shaw – ''My Left Foot'', ''Harry Potter (film series), Harry Potter'', ''Andor (TV series), Andor'' *Robert Shaw (actor), Robert Shaw – ''Jaws (film), Jaws'', ''A Man for All Seasons (1966 film), A Man for All Seasons'' *Sebastian Shaw (actor), Sebastian Shaw – Return of the Jedi *Michael Sheen – Good Omens (TV series), ''Good Omens'', ''Midnight in Paris'' *Kyle Soller – ''Poldark (2015 TV series), Poldark'' *

– ''Harry Potter (film series), Harry Potter'', ''The King's Speech'' *

– ''Harry Potter (film series), Harry Potter'', ''Vera Drake'', ''Another Year (film), Another Year'' *

– ''Truly, Madly, Deeply (film), Truly, Madly, Deeply'', ''Bend It Like Beckham'' *Michelle Terry – artistic director, Shakespeare's Globe *John Thaw – ''Inspector Morse (TV series), Inspector Morse'', ''Kavanagh QC'' *Luke Thompson (actor), Luke Thompson – ''Bridgerton'', ''Transatlantic (TV series), Transatlantic'', ''A Little Life (play), A Little Life, Love's Labour's Lost, Love Labour's Boat'' *Indira Varma – ''

'', ''Mission: Impossible (film series), Mission: Impossible'' *John Vernon – ''The Outlaw Josey Wales'' *Phoebe Waller-Bridge – ''Fleabag'', ''Killing Eve'' *Chris Walley (actor), Chris Walley – ''The Young Offenders (film), The Young Offenders'', ''The Lieutenant of Inishmore#Production history, The Lieutenant of Inishmore'' *Jason Watkins – ''Being Human (British TV series), Being Human'', ''Lark Rise to Candleford (TV series), Lark Rise to Candleford'' *David Warner (actor), David Warner – ''Straw Dogs (1971 film), Straw Dogs, Star Trek'', ''Titanic'' *Ben Whishaw – ''Skyfall'', ''Paddington (film), Paddington'', ''The Lobster'' *

– ''Terry and June'', ''Absolutely Fabulous'' *Tom Wilkinson – ''Michael Clayton'', ''Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'' *Michael Williams (actor), Michael Williams – ''Elizabeth R'', ''Educating Rita (film), Educating Rita'' *Richard Wilson (Scottish actor), Richard Wilson – ''One Foot in the Grave'', ''Merlin'' *Susan Wokoma – ''Chewing Gum (TV series), Chewing Gum'', ''Year of the Rabbit (TV series), Year of the Rabbit'' *Aimee Lou Wood – ''Sex Education (TV series), Sex Education'', ''The White Lotus'' *

– ''The Wicker Man'', ''The Equalizer (1985 TV series), The Equalizer'' *Owain Yeoman – ''The Mentalist'', ''Troy (film), Troy'' *

– ''Tom Jones (1963 film), Tom Jones'', ''They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (film), They Shoot Horses, Don't They?'', ''Superman (1978 film), Superman'' *Kit Young – ''Shadow and Bone (TV series), Shadow and Bone''

References

External links

* {{authority control Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Education in the London Borough of Camden Universities and colleges established in 1904 King's College London Performing arts education in London Schools of the performing arts in the United Kingdom Drama schools in London 1904 establishments in England