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My kingdom for a bonus... City jobless take up acting
Miranda Bryant18 Nov 2009
Redundant City workers are signing up for acting classes at London's top drama schools.
Brian Timoney, director of the Actors' Studio in Hoxton, said he has been inundated with applicants switching careers since the financial crisis.
“The number of people coming from City jobs showing interest in acting has doubled. When people are made redundant or challenged by circumstances it forces them to think about what direction they want their lives to go in,” he said.
Martin Brown, a spokesman for actors' union Equity, said it would be “a bit of a shock” moving from banking to acting: “The average salary of Equity members is £10,000 per year; bankers are used to big salaries and bonuses.”
In addition, an estimated 60 per cent of actors are out of work.
But drama school heads are positive about their new students. Paul Caister, director and founder of the Poor School, King's Cross, said: “What we normally get from bankers is literate, intelligent people, which wouldn't be a bad start for acting.” Bruce Wooding, head of professional and community development at Central School of Speech and Drama, has been working with “one of the big banks”. He said: “Bankers aren't better at it, but the banking personality transfers very well to stage.
“They've got to be serious and driven and they have got that. They won't necessarily come looking to be the next Judi Dench, but perhaps wanting to do bit-parts or adverts.”
One group of City workers made redundant when Lehman Brothers collapsed last year decided to form a theatre company, Aks Performing Arts. They went on to perform two sell-out shows of 30 Days In September at Rudolf Steiner House, Regent's Park.
Trader Neha Jain, 26, creative director for Aks, said: “Acting is more than a stress release, it's a complement to what we do [for a living]. It helps you think about something else and it's a different use of your free time.
“It's something we're all very passionate about — some people like golf or swimming, we like the theatre. Starting a theatre group is something I had wanted to do for a long time, and I found the right bunch of people to do it with.”
Reader views (2)
Bravo Brian Timoney! The one good thing that has come out of this recession is that people are shunning their money making urges to pursue creativity! My brother did a course with you and found you to be an inspiration!
- Delamo_24, London, England, 19/11/2009 11:45
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Has nobody twigged yet? -Acting classes add a great weapon to your armoury when it comes to self-esteem, self-promotion, interview techniques, addressing meetings, projecting personality etc. -If you can't get an acting part, -you've still a better chance of getting another job!
I tried explaining this to my children, who pooh poohed me. -But twenty years later they agreed!
- Huggy, Cumbernauld Scotland, 19/11/2009 10:09
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