What do you love most about teaching Drama?
Endless possibilities, when creating new performances.

From the present or the past, which drama production would you most like to see and why? 
A play called Candles. It was written by an old drama teacher of mine and it was the first production that ever moved me to tears. I can still recall it to this day – nearly 17 years later!

Is there a director or actor that you look up to as a role model and why?
I love Marianne Elliot for her work with War Horse and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

What’s your favourite play, movie and TV drama series and why?
All of my favourites are ever changing as there are so many new things! But some favourites: Musical –  West Side Story; Series – Stranger Things; Movie … too many! Play – Waiting For Godot.

Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in teaching Drama? 
My A-Level teacher, Mr Craige inspired me to challenge others to become their best selves through drama – even if they never wanted to be on a stage.  

If you hadn’t gotten into teaching Drama, what would you be doing now? 
Something completely random, I have no doubt! Teaching was always what I was going to do.

If you had a magic wand, what show would you do next?
Wicked.

Share the best piece of advice you’ve ever received:  
“Mistakes are just the proof you’re trying”

Describe your subject in emojis

🎭📸

Tormead is, to you, in three words:
Opportunity to support

What do you love most about teaching Drama?
I love having a job that is different every day because the work the students produce is always unique. Being able to work with young people, especially such a fantastic bunch of students like we have at Tormead, is a joy as well.

From the present or past, what drama production would you most like to see and why?
I would like to go back to Shakespearean times and see a play at The Globe. Having been to ‘the new Globe’, I think it would be fascinating to see what it was like in Elizabethan/Jacobean times – the people, the stench, the acting style, the whole atmosphere. I would obviously avoid the production of ‘Henry VIII’ though that ended up burning the theatre to the ground.

Is there a director or actor that you look up to as a role model and why?
The director, Vicky Featherstone, is amazing. Google her. I was very lucky to meet her when I was in my early twenties – she probably doesn’t remember me. Sigh. 

What’s your favourite play, movie and TV drama series and why?
Choosing a favourite play is like choosing your favourite family member….but if I can only pick one I would go with ‘Black Watch’ by Gregory Burke. The production I saw with my A Level students at the Barbican in 2008 was the most moving piece of theatre I had seen in my life (although some Tormead A Level devised pieces have come close). It’s a bit sweary to try and reflect real army life but the traverse staging, use of technology and poignant movement sequences by Frantic Assembly were awe-inspiring.

Favourite movie: Mission Impossible. That is not my favourite movie – there are just too many to choose from and I cannot decide. 
 
My favourite TV series is currently ‘The Traitors’ – that is real-life Drama for you….but if I ever need cheering up then ‘Modern Family’ or ‘Brooklyn 99’ make me laugh over and over again.

Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in teaching Drama?
When I first decided to qualify, I was still not sure about teaching as a full career but my PGCE mentor was a Head of Drama called Gill McNeil. She wore all black every day and was simply incredible. Working in an inner London school, she showed me how Drama can really make a difference to young people’s lives and wellbeing.

If you hadn’t gotten into teaching Drama, what would you be doing now?
I have no idea! I would love to have been a theatre director but it is/was so difficult to carve out a living financially in the early years – and, as a teacher, I get to direct as part of my job! I would also have loved to have been a football manager (I run a youth team at the weekend) but when I was younger there were less opportunities to become a football coach. With my teaching experience and dealing with dramatic people, I reckon I could do a better job of managing the more challenging player behaviour in football now than some of the current Premier League managers.

If you had a magic wand, what show would you do next?
A lot of girls at Tormead would love to do ‘Mamma Mia’ or ‘Mean Girls – the Musical’. At the time of writing this, the performing rights are not available to either of these so I would use my magic wand to make it possible!

Share the best piece of advice you’ve ever received:
The theatre director Dominic Dromgoole once said, ‘A director is more like a coach to an athlete, than a teacher to a student.’ I have always tried to abide by this ethos when directing productions.

Describe your subject in emojis:

🎭 👏 😎

Tormead is, to you, in three words:
That’s easy:  Emails and Females.

What do you love most about teaching Drama

Giving my students the space to explore their creativity, develop their self-confidence, and surprise themselves with what they can achieve. Drama underpins so many skills that are used both in the classroom and in the wider world, and I love the sense of freedom you can find on a stage.

From the present or past, what drama production would you most like to see and why. 

This is a difficult question! I’d like to see so many productions. Two that I’d love to see again are Come From Away and Standing At The Sky’s Edge. Both of these shows really moved me and the storytelling in each production was incredible.

Is there a director or actor that you look up to as a role model and why?

I love watching Viola Davis in films and on TV because she’s a wonderfully versatile and talented actor. You might have seen her in the latest Hunger Games film playing Dr Volumnia Gaul.

What’s your favourite play, movie and TV drama series and why? 

I find it so hard to pick a favourite anything so this is super tricky! A TV show that springs to mind is This Is Us. I could pick so many for lots of different reasons, but this show has some outstanding performances, and the scriptwriting and storytelling is second to none.

Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in teaching Drama? 

I’ve had lots of inspirations in life that have led me to where I am now. I had some really fun Drama teachers when I was growing up, and also an incredible director of a youth theatre that I was a part of.

If you hadn’t gotten into teaching Drama, what would you be doing now? 

Outside of Drama teaching there are a million things I would love to do and that’s no exaggeration! One of them is directing full time, and as Director in Residence at Tormead, that’s not far off! I recently started my floristry business, which is another career I’ve always been interested in.

If you had a magic wand, what show would you do next?

Hamilton would be the dream!

Share the best piece of advice you’ve ever received: 

Everything happens for a reason; learn everything you can from all of your experiences.

Describe your subject in emojis 

 🎭🥰💃🏽

Tormead is, to you, in three words 

A new adventure.