NewVIc students shine at the Donmar Warehouse
NewVIc performing arts students have been lucky enough to work alongside the Donmar Warehouse on a 10 week performance project. The Donmar Warehouse is a 251-seat West End Theatre and is internationally renowned as one of the world's principal producing theatres, having won over 100 major awards during its 24-year history.
The project has been based on Donmar's current staging of a new version of The Henry Ibsen play, 'The Lady from the Sea', adapted by Elinor Cook and directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah. Not only did students have the opportunity to work with industry professionals including playwright Elinor Cook in the Donmar rehearsal studios, they also met actors and directors from the company and received front row tickets to see the performance of 'The Lady from the Sea'.
The students' own original performance explored the play's themes and issues from a young person's perspective. Excited students performed their piece live on Friday 17 November at the Donmar Warehouse in front of a packed audience of very proud parents and supporters.
Annie John, Programme Team Manager for the area said: "It was a fantastic opportunity for our students to work with industry professionals and perform on a West End stage. They threw themselves in to all aspects of the creative process and were able to develop their skills in writing as well as acting. They performed their final piece with total commitment and focus."
Student, Jourdell Paul said: "It was a life changing experience and it showed me how much work and dedication goes in to performing on a professional stage"
"The process of working with a professional director was informative but also highly enjoyable and this helped us to come up with ideas naturally and really work well together as an ensemble" said Marcus Cleyders.
"It was a brilliant chance to learn how it would feel to be a professional actor" said student Anabel Mokwenye.
NewVIc has a proud history of producing successful performing arts professionals like ex-students Joseph Adelakun who studied at Rose Bruford and now with the RSC and Danielle Vitalis who starred in 'Attack the Block' (directed by Joe Cornish) and this summer performed alongside David Tenant at the Wyndhams Theatre in 'Don Juan in Soho' by Patrick Marber.
Tagged dance drama performing arts