Our tutors

John, who regularly runs casting sessions for the renowned Hubbard Casting, rejoins us for his popular TV/Film classes as well as opening the course with 'Improvisation'.

He has acted and taught for many years and has developed a practical, down to earth approach to film/TV acting and audition technique, providing valuable feedback & tips on how to improve.

Brett also teaches at RADA and at Central and most recently was a combat coordinator on the movie 'Troy'. He is a member of the British Academy of Stage & Screen Combat and his command of the subject and hands on approach will allow you how to beat up your co-stars... safely!

Mariana is a veteran of stage and screen having acted with many venerable actors (Al Pacino, Clint Eastwood and even Elvis Presley) in such films as 'High Plains Drifter' and 'The Godfather Part 2'.

She studied with Lee Strasberg himself in New York and has taught the popular style of Method Acting in London, Sweden and USA for over twenty years. Here you will gain essential skills for developing a 'Method' approach.

Elisabeth is an award winning writer/producer and actor and will teach further camera skills eg. Eating on camera, flirting on camera or laughing naturally on cue.

She began her career as a ghost writer for pilot films in Hollywood. She then landed an acting role in London in the Lynda la Plante film 'Comics'. She moved into production, writing and producing sketches for Channel Four's 'Take over TV'.

From there she formulated and produced the sketch show 'Comedy Womb', alongside great British talent such as Harry Hill and worked as an actress improvising characters on 'The Mark Thomas Comedy Product'. In 2005 she wrote 'Voices Inside' a political drama featured at Cannes and in 2006 she wrote, produced and performed in 'Kochana Café' which played at the Edinburgh Film Festival.

She currently has a screenplay under option 'The Welsh Connection' and is working on a number of feature projects as well as her sit-com 'Mad For It'.

She plays Leah in the soon to be released 'Cold Earth' and continues to work as an actress/producer/writer and tutor.

"Great acting is not acting at all. It's listening, feeling, and being."

"Observe and listen to the people in the street, on the bus, on the tube, notice their mannerisms, you can learn a lot from strangers."

"Go to the zoo watch the animals, a simple movement can give so much meaning to a character. Just your walk alone can carry a scene."

George is a writer, poet, actor and tutor who understands the hurdle of the 'cold read' & the importance of good sight reading in getting work.

George began acting professionally 10 years ago. He was Director of the Arvon Foundation's residential creative writing centre in Devon and created and established the first joint BBC TV/Poetry Society National Poetry Competition, now in its 29th year.

He has acted at the Kings Head, Gatehouse, Tristan Bates and New End Theatres and played Eddie Carbone in A View From The Bridge, Creon in Antigone, Eddie Waters in Comedians and Leonard Azerif in Painted From Memory among others. Was in Television's Hollyoaks and played Brutus in Who Killed Julius Caesar. Feature films include Shadow On The Sun, Hard Men, Out Of Depth and recently the lead in a short film Paradox, which was awarded Best Short Film Award at Methodfest, Los Angeles; Special Jury Award, Malibu International Film Festival and the Remi Award, Worldfest, Houston.

In a previous life, George led 'Stanley's Footsteps Expedition' in Tanzania, East Africa for 3 years retracing, exactly and on foot, H.M. Stanley's journey of 1871 in his search for Dr David Livingstone.

"In acting, there's no 'right', or 'wrong'. There's only, being 'honest'. And each one of us will be 'different' - unique!"

"In audition situations, Casting Directors are not really interested in you getting the words down perfectly, or in you providing an expected and predictable interpretation of text. They are looking at 'you', at your individual essence, and how 'you' make choices, however 'off the wall'. You may not always get the part, for a variety of reasons, but you will be remembered."

Ariella is a director, performer and workshop leader. Her work with Archetypes (the devil, the child, the trickster, etc), Tensions and Michael Chekhov (nephew of Anton) technique will help you in creating a character or to instantly create a feeling for a particular close up.

She works regularly at The Actors Centre in London, with the National Theatre Education Department and in various acting schools.

Directing credits include:
A Public Kind of Privacy (Brighton Festival, Bath, Bristol and the White Bear), Ya'akobi and Leidental (The Oval House, The New End and Soho Theatre), Crocodile Seeking Refuge (The Lyric Hammersmith) Kindertransport (The Bull Theatre), Hannah and Hannah (Israeli tour), Crocodile Seeking Refuge (work in progress, Royal Court upstairs), The Bald Prima Dona (development workshop, young vic), The Bride and the Butterfly Hunter (Etcetera Theatre), A Love Story with No End (CPT and Old Red Lion).

Rehearsed readings include Hard Love (Hampstead Theatre), Planet Palestine (Gatehouse Theatre) and Voices from Israel (Soho Theatre).

"When you act it's best if you can be playful and enjoy what you are doing. The more fun you have, the better actor you will be."

"Good acting is like a good football game. Every game is new, you always play from scratch and never know how it will end up. It's important to have the best team with you and to learn to play well together."

Merryn has toured extensively as an actor with and taught workshops for the Royal Shakespeare Company. He will break down the barriers many students feel when faced with Shakepeare's texts and open up an exciting world of possibility and understanding.

Merryn trained at The Central School of Speech and Drama.

Theatre credits include:
Worlds End Edinburgh & West End (nominee best actor Stage Awards Edinburgh ’07) Silence, RSC & Arcola Theatre, Julius Caesar, RSC & Lyric Hammersmith, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, RSC, The Love of a Good Man, The Union Theatre, Snake in Fridge, Manchester Royal Exchange, Wolfboy & Treatment both for State of Unrest.

Film credits include:
Calendar Girls, Billy Elliot, Nailing Vienna, Dead Flies Are No Good, Hollow China, 647 Days.

Television credits include:
Family Affairs, Mile High, Doctors.

Voice credits includes:
Dr Who Big Finis, Starflight Genesis BBC

Valerie is a highly experienced actress (worked with Spielberg, Steven Berkoff) and tutor with over thirty years in the business.

At LAW, Valerie teaches the techniques of Uta Hagen, disciple of the famous Herbert Berghof Acting Studio, New York whose influence on American actors over the years has been enormous.

During these intensive workshops we work in depth from the book ‘Respect for Acting’ and practise a series of pinpoint exercises which are both precise and very practical. This is indispensable for film and TV actors because of the moment to moment attention to precision and the emphasis on the actors ability to replay his/her series of actions... take after take after take!