Rose Bruford College actors chase dream BBC Radio Drama prize!

The latest batch of young radio actors from ROSE BRUFORD COLLEGE representing the college at the BBC CARLETON HOBBS RADIO COMPETITION 2019 ...

Once again I am more than delighted to reveal the students I will be coaching from ROSE BRUFORD COLLEGE for next years BBC CARLETON HOBBS RADIO COMPETITION.

LAURA DUNNION (top left) - KHAI SHAW-McGEE (top right)

HARRIETT O'GRADY (bottom left) - MATT WAKEFORD (bottom right)

The prize as ever for the eventual winner(s) is an amazing FIVE MONTH CONTRACT with the BBC RADIO DRAMA REPERTORY COMPANY ... 

The standard at the auditions this year was top notch which made it extra challenging to make the final decision - but here they are and a rather splendid foursome they are too! Lots of work and fun ahead - I'm very much looking forward to working with them next year. 

To quote Harold Pinter's 'The Caretaker' "What are they doing at Sidcup?" Well at Rose Bruford College there's all sorts!!

Actor and Voice Artist SEAN CONNOLLY with some of the Year 3 BA (Hons) Acting students from ROSE BRUFORD COLLEGE after completing their intensive introduction to radio drama.

I've once again just finished working with 45 talented students from top drama school ROSE BRUFORD COLLEGE exploring the delights and disciplines of working in Radio Drama.

Over a number of weeks, I listened to a 135 solo pieces spanning writers as diverse as William Shakespeare and Harold Pinter (more on him later!) and worked on 14 separate scenes from playwrights such as Neil Simon, Tom Wells and Simon Stevens.

The students brought a great energy into the recording studio which certainly translated into some very fine performances. It was a great joy directing them in their sessions, they always worked hard, they were attentive, enthusiastic and more than happy to have a play! I was impressed  by how many of them achieved those golden moments in studio, performances that make you say ... "Aha, that's what the scene is all about and that's the essence of their character's story!" I look forward to working with them again later in the year to continue our search for more 'golden' moments!

Oh yes .. what was that about Harold Pinter?! This flagstone quote from Harold Pinter's 'The Caretaker' lies just in front of the main entrance to the college. It's a direct quote from Act One of the play by the character Aston and poses the ultimate question about Sidcup. Rose Bruford College provides one of the possible answers ... 

Young Rose Bruford College actors chase top BBC Radio Drama prize!

Young radio actors from ROSE BRUFORD COLLEGE representing the college at the BBC CARLETON HOBBS RADIO COMPETITION 2018 ...  

I am delighted to reveal the students I will be coaching from ROSE BRUFORD COLLEGE for next years BBC CARLETON HOBBS RADIO COMPETITION.

SAM BAKER-JONES (top left) - POPPY FARDELL (top right)

RACHEL BENSON (bottom left) - CHOMBA TAULO (bottom right)

The prize for the eventual winner of course is an amazing FIVE MONTH CONTRACT with BBC RADIO DRAMA ... If you are regular listener to BBC Radio Drama then you will probably have heard one of last years winners TAYLA KOVACEVIC-EBONG in multiple dramas this year!! Tayla is also a graduate of Rose Bruford College and I had the great privilege to help coach him last year, so no pressure then Sam, Poppy, Rachel and Chomba!!

They really are super-talented foursome and I'm very much looking forward to working with them next year.

Very proud! - TAYLA KOVACEVIC-EBONG wins Carleton Hobbs Bursary Award 2017 ...

Outside BBC Broadcasting House - Rose Bruford College's Carleton Hobbs Award team for 2017 was (from left to right) Daisy Adams, Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong, Jake Lampert and Henry Rundle ...

I can now announce the wonderful news that one of the students I helped coach from Rose Bruford College, has only gone and won one of this years CARLETON HOBBS BURSARY AWARDS ... MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS to TAYLA KOVACEVIC-EBONG!! 

Alongside the wonderfully talented (Theatre Director, Radio Drama Producer, Acting Coach and Author) MARINA CALDERONE, I had the absolute pleasure of helping coach this year's competition entrants.

It's was a very successful competition for the whole team from ROSE BRUFORD, in particular of course for one the FIVE WINNERS - Tayla ... Not forgetting that HENRY RUNDLE also received a special commendation for one of his Solo Pieces, as well as being picked out for his noteworthy contribution across the whole competition. In addition TAYLA and JAKE LAMPERT also received special commendations for their Duologue piece. And finally TAYLA also received another commendation for one his Solo Pieces ... Well you can probably see a pattern developing here, no surprise then 'how' Tayla came by his terrific win ..!!

It's been a really enjoyable time helping the students take the first steps into the wonderful world of radio drama. Good luck to them all as they enter this crazy profession!! Listen out for Talya in the Autumn on your radios as he starts his FIVE MONTH CONTRACT with BBC RADIO DRAMA ... 

Drama students take to the mic at the BBC Radio Drama - Carelton Hobbs Bursary Award Competition 2017 ...

Third year students representing Rose Bruford College at this years BBC Radio Drama - Carelton Hobbs Bursary Award 2017 competition (from left to right) are Tayla Ebong, Henry Rundle, Jake Lampert and Daisy Adams with coach Sean Connolly ... 

I've had the great privilege helping coach this years BBC Radio Drama - Carelton Hobbs Bursary Award 2017 competition entrants from top drama school ROSE BRUFORD COLLEGE. Representing the school are the very talented foursome of; Tayla Ebong, Henry Rundle, Jake Lampert and Daisy Adams ... The competition takes place in London from today Monday 6th through to Thursday 9th March 2017.

What's the BBC Radio Carelton Hobbs Bursary competition I hear you ask ..? Well here's the official description from the BBC website:

"Named after one of Radio’s most distinguished actors, the Awards have been run by BBC Radio Drama for over 60 years. The bursary is aimed at students graduating from accredited UK drama schools and aims to create a cohort of distinctive and versatile radio voices for the BBC Radio Drama Company. Winning a Bursary offers a great opportunity for students to extending their training in a unique acting environment - one where they’ll work with the best actors and writers in the country on a wide range of contemporary and classic plays."

Rather wonderfully the winners of the competition land a FIVE MONTH CONTRACT with BBC RADIO DRAMA! What a great way to kick-start their career ...

Good luck to all the drama school students taking part in this years competition but especially those I've been working with at Rose Bruford.

"There's a green light coming!"