Genesis LAMDA scholars take to the stage and screen

Tuesday, 31 March 2015

Genesis LAMDA Scholar, Joanna Nicks will be appearing in LAMDA’s latest production Love, Love, Love from 31 March – 9 April. Love, Love, Love is a riveting, darkly funny play by Mike Bartlett that asks whether the children of the liberal ‘60s are to blame for the ills of contemporary society. Joanna, and fellow Genesis LAMDA scholar Oliver Cudbill, will graduate from their three-year BA (Hons) course this summer.

Each year the Genesis Foundation awards a scholarship to exceptionally talented drama students, funding their tuition throughout their three years of academic study and contributing toward their living costs. Many former Genesis LAMDA Scholars have gone onto enjoy thriving careers acting in television, theatre and film. The examples below show the success of alumni appearing on stage and screen:

In March Ciaran Owens (class of 2011) appeared in the new ITV series Arthur and George. He also made his debut in Spotless, an English-language TV crime drama, broadcast on French premium channel Canal+. Abu Salim (class of 2014) also appeared in a couple of episodes.

Ciaran is currently busy with rehearsals for the part of Louis the Dauphin in Shakespeare’s play King John. The play will be at the Royal & Derngate in Northampton from 24 April – 16 May before moving onto Shakespeare’s Globe from 1 – 27 June.

Over on the West End stage, Ryan Donaldson (class of 2013) has been making his professional debut as Ned Alleyn in Shakespeare in Love at the Noel Coward Theatre. This has been a major role for Ryan, his first on the West-End stage and the play has been enjoying huge success, recently nominated for best new comedy at the 2015 Olivier Awards. Shakespeare in Love will be at the Noel Coward Theatre until 18 April.

Tom Riley (class of 2005), who is due to appear in new BBC 2 drama Inside No. 9 on 2 April, will reprise his role as Da Vinci in the popular Da Vinci’s Demons. Featuring an all-star British cast, the historical fantasy drama is returning for its third season on Fox in the Autumn.

Samuel Barnett (class of 2001) will appear alongside Jim Broadbent and Dominic Cooper in the film adaptation of Alan Bennett’s play The Lady in the Van. The film, directed by Nicholas Hytner, is due for release in November.

To read more about the Genesis Foundation and LAMDA click here.