why we’re no.1 the director the grand theatre our next production previous works
GTA locations our latest news regular questions audition for the GTA press releases contact us downloads and wallpapers links company member biographies
"Without a doubt I would have to say that the Grand Theatre Academy
gave me the self confidence and belief that is essential for every
actor when they are starting out...without this I most certainly
would not have been able to realise my ambition
of being a professional actor."
Richard James-Neale
the director
The Grand Theatre Academy Director
is Paul David-Gough.
Grand
Theatre Academy Director Paul David-Gough trained in Cardiff at the
Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. After graduating, Paul founded
Outlaws Theatre Company, writing an award winning play about welsh
miners who went to fight in the Spanish Civil War (No Other Way),
which toured to audiences in South Wales.
As well as working for much of the time as an actor Paul has been the
Artistic Director of the professional Theatre Company at Wigan Pier
where he continued to write new plays and directed Musicals and
Christmas productions. Paul ahs also directed Forum Theatre projects at
the Oldham Coliseum Theatre for the GERI project, including two
interactive DVD pieces, helping young people making career choices. He
also runs the Grand Theatre Academy at nearby Leyland.
Theatre credits include:
Buttons in Cinderella, Idle jack in Dick Whittington,
Danny in Jack and the Beanstalk all at the Oldham Coliseum
Theatre, Jack in Black Box for Lekoa Theatre Company, Colonel
Adye in The Invisible Man and The Outcast for Theatre Worksop,
Chibiabos in Hiawatha at the Wolverhampton Grand, The Father in
RESPECT (Grand Theatre Blackpool), Dickie in No Other Way
(Outlaws) and Sandman in The Sandman (Wigan Pier Theatre
Company). Paul is currently appearing in How the other half loves
at the Coliseum in Oldham
TV credits include:
DS John Hayton in Coronation Street (Granada TV), Richard in
A&E IV (Granada TV), Born Freak (Channel 4) and Lieutenant
Haigherson in the BBC film Journey's End
Radio:
Judge Hogan in Judge Dredd (Big Finish 2005)
Will Alloran in Doctor Who (Nocturne) Big Finish 2006
Courtier and various other parts in The Anatomy of Melancholy
(Radio 4)
When did you first become interested in theatre?
I was taken to the Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton, at a very early age
by my mum, who loved the theatre and had visited it on a regular basis
in her own youth.
I remember the excitement of the place, the lights going down and being
amazed by the goings on as the attention focussed on the area in front
of us (the stage). When I realised that the people on the stage were
there for a reason and were having a lot of fun I became really excited.
I couldn't believe that this was what they chose to do for a living and
begged my mum to take me back. We returned to the theatre on three more
occasions that week. It was only a pantomime, but I loved every minute
of it and kept expecting the story to change. I imagined that if I kept
going often enough, that I could affect the outcome of some of the
scenes. Over the years my mum and I visited the theatre regularly,
seeing some wonderful productions and some fantastic actors. We soon
began travelling further a field and eventually became regular visitors
to the Repertory Theatre in Birmingham.
When my brother and sister attended High School in Wolverhampton, they
became involved in the school productions. These were huge shows and I
can remember sitting in the audience and feeling a mixture of joy and
despair. Really enjoying the productions, but wanting to participate. As
soon as I reached the high school I signed up for every show that was
going. I even joined an amateur society that produced Gilbert and
Sullivan Operettas and it wasn’t long before I managed to get into the
youth theatre in Wolverhampton.
Between the ages of 11-18 I had appeared in over twenty five productions
and I had realised that this was what I wanted to do with the rest of my
life.
Where did you train?
I trained in Cardiff, at the Welsh College of Music and Drama. I
trained for three years, as an actor, which consisted of long days and
nights, learning, not only about the technical aspects of performance,
but most importantly, how your body is your only tool. Therefore, you
learn to develop an understanding and an awareness of how to use your
body in performance. It sounds very grand, but the fact is that acting
is all about action and physicality/body language. You can have a clear
understanding of how a character is feeling, but if you cannot translate
that clearly into performance, then an audience become confused or
disinterested.
I always think of my training as an apprenticeship, similar to that of a
mechanic, who is taught how to use certain tools for certain jobs. Over
the three years you pick up the tools, try them out and lock them away,
until they are required.
Vocal training is also a key part of the training. Developing your voice
and vocal technique are essential for an actor in the theatre.
Is any of this relevant to running the Grand Theatre Academy?
Absolutely! One of the key things in any art-form is discipline.
Whether it be the rituals, or practices that you have to keep on top of,
or the fact that you have to be focussed on achieving whatever your
objective is in a rehearsal, the focus and discipline required to
succeed is extremely important.
I think that is what shocks people when they first arrive at the
Academy- The level of discipline and commitment required to produce a
piece of theatre. Some people think that drama is just about playing
games and having fun, or even pretending to be a tree! (I've never
pretended to be a tree!). Working with young people, who are just
developing their skills requires a tremendous amount of discipline. The
thing that always amazes me though, is the fact that they achieve high
standards of performance, develop their skills, learn their lines,
commit to a rigorous schedule and yet still manage to find time to study
for their exams and complete their coursework. That requires tremendous
discipline and those who achieve that standard and keep on top of their
studies learn that the only way to get on in life is to just get on with
it and apply 100% commitment to everything that you do.
What would you have done if you hadn't been an actor?
I thought about joining the army - only because I liked the idea of
dressing up as a soldier. The discipline thing wouldn't have bothered
me, but guns scare me and I don't like loud noises. I also don't like
walking too far, so I think that would have been in trouble for not
marching.
What has been your favourite roll, so far?
I really liked the role of Col Adyee in The Invisible Man. He
was such a strong, domineering, but flawed character. The whole show was
an amazing experience, because we had to create all of the illusions in
the show ourselves. We worked with an illusionist called The Great
Kovari who had to teach us most of the illusions. It was really exciting
and the show was spectacular.
I have other favourite rolls for very different reasons, some to do with
the challenge that the roll presented and others to do with the director
that I worked with. I’ve been quite fortunate to have worked with some
very good directors and brilliant actors.
Are you a star maker?
Certainly not. I'm not interested in making stars. The whole point
of the Academy is to allow people the opportunity to develop on a
practical level their performance skills, and on a personal level their
social skills. Some people come through the Academy with aspirations of
becoming an actor, and we do all that we can to support them through the
very difficult selection process for drama college. We have had a number
of previous members leave us to go off to train as actors, many who are
now working their way up in the profession and developing into very good
actors, but we also have a number of ex-members who have carved out very
successful careers away from the theatre. We're not exclusively here for
"wannabees". The idea that we only cater for people wanting to be actors
would mean that the vast majority of people who enjoy theatre, acting,
directing or producing, would not get a look in and we'd have no
audience for the future.
Have there been any Academy successes?
Depends how you measure success. Every year, every member comes on
in leaps and bounds. That's success to me. Every year, tens of people
escape the pressures of home, school, college, exams for three hours a
week - that's success.
Obviously we have a number of ex-members who are now working within the
profession, but sometimes it takes time for people to get the big jobs.
When you think that we started in 1996, that's only ten years ago. Most
of the past members are in their early-mid twenties. You don't leave
drama college until you're at least 21-22 years old. There will be some
big names coming through though,
Richard
James Neale and
Sarah
Stone are a couple of names which you'll hear a lot about in
the very near future. Ex-member Gerard Matthews is carving
out a good career as a director at the moment in London. Kristina
Castellina never seems to stop working and is always pooping in
to see shows at the theatre. Benjamin L Wray, has already
chalked up a number of shows.
What made you set up the Academy?
Originally, I was employed (ten years ago) to run the senior Youth
Theatre and set up and expand other groups at the theatre. About four
years ago the funding for this work ran out and there was an opportunity
to continue the work, but not be bound by funding requirements.
Therefore we had more scope and freedom to explore things we couldn't
before. It also meant that we could expand from just under 60 students
aged 11-18 to over 80 student aged 11-25.
In the past the Grand Theatre has lead the way with something like seven
newly commissioned plays for young people in just over six years and we
hope to continue that work, but the biggest factor in me returning to
the theatre and setting up the Academy was the fact that young people
should have the opportunity to perform on the theatre's main stage.
Anyone who has performed there will let you know that it is an
experience that cannot be bettered.
It gives them a sense of belonging, not only to the theatre, but to the
town and creates a special bond between them and the theatre. One which
in the future will hopefully develop into them becoming regular
theatre-goers.
What does the future hold for the Academy?
The future looks very rosy indeed. We're having a re-launch soon to
promote our new look, which includes: a very special launch event, a
redesigned website,
MySpace, advertising literature to schools and
a new services for members of the Academy. All this will help the
academy to celebrate and promote the exciting work which will be
produced in the next year. This work includes at least one main house
production, a newly written murder mystery piece and three studio
productions.
Paul David Gough
director [at] grandtheatreacademy.co.uk
Download his biography here.
Grand Theatre Academy Director - Paul David-Gough
Join Us @ myspace.com/grandtheatreacademy
Grand Theatre Academy Blackpool
Grand Theatre, Church Street, Blackpool FY1 1HT. www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk
Grand Theatre Academy Leyland
Marsden Theatre and Worden Arts Centre, Worden Park, Leyland, Preston PR25 2DJ. www.worden-arts.co.uk
© 2007 Grand Theatre Academy, design by designthing.co.uk