Congratulations to Kathryn McEvilly who was awarded runner-up in the Youth Section of the prestigious MonologueSlam regional final held at the Birmingham Rep Theatre.

As expected from an event giving the best of British talent the opportunity to compete in front of an audience of industry professionals, the standard was extremely high. The judging panel was a stellar line up including Lee Mason (Commissioning Executive for Channel 4), Grainee O’Boyle (Producer, BBC Doctors), Alison Solomon (Casting Director), Robert Wilkinson (Agent, Red Management), and Sarah Hughes (Casting Director).

In the Youth section, Billy Vale retained his title from the last Birmingham show and Kathryn, performing Ballerina Battles by Steven Daley (another former pupil of Lamont Drama), came in runner up and received a special mention from the judges.

Success for Kathryn McEvilly

Says Kathryn, “I successfully auditioned to compete in the youth category, which is an intense one minute round. The night of the Slam itself was very exciting. All of the staff and competitors were so encouraging and supportive of one another. I was extremely lucky to be awarded runner-up as the talent was unbelievable! It was a great experience to perform in front of such an impressive panel of judges and the evening overall was thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining. I can’t wait to audition for another Slam very soon!”

Despite her many successes, Kathryn is always working hard to improve. As a National Youth Theatre member, she recently took part in the NYT’s Acting for Screen Course, where the Directors praised her for her great natural ability and emotional responses.

Kathryn says the experience took her out of her comfort zone, “At first, I wasn’t that keen watching myself back on camera but I soon got over that and had an amazing experience. As part of the course, I spent a day out in York making my own short film. I enjoyed the whole creative process and quickly realised that I loved being behind the camera – as well as in front. I’ve definitely become more comfortable on camera and each day we all got better and better.”

Erin Clarke is one pupil who continually leapfrogs from one success to another. Her boundless energy, hard work and many talents are the key to all her achievements and now she has one more that she can be proud of.

Erin has been chosen to perform at this year’s prestigious Music for Youth Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in November.

Erin will join 3000 of the UK’s brightest young musicians for three nights of extraordinary talent, magnificent music and inspiring performances. The Independent describes the event as “unearthing future stars of the music world”

What an exciting venture to take part in – well done Erin!

Congratulations to 11-year-old Isabel Chan who was awarded her school’s Performing Arts Award.

Talented Isabel, who has just sat her Grade 4 LAMDA exam, is following in the footsteps of equally talented family members Alice, Lydia and Conrad. All of Isabel’s siblings excelled in their LAMDA examinations and have gone on to greater things since leaving Lamont Drama School.

Alice is in her 4th year of a European Law degree at Queen Mary University London.  She has just come back from her Erasmus year in Copenhagen and is now undertaking a Summer Fast Track Internship with the Home Office.   Lydia studied Maths, Chemistry and Biology at A level and is now studying dentistry. Sixteen-year-old Conrad has just finished GCSEs and is spending time in Hong Kong teaching English to children.

A truly talented family. Best wishes to you all. 

Things are going from strength to strength for former pupil Simon Lennon.

Simon, who is a youth representative on the National Youth Theatre Council, has just finished filming the second series of ‘Our Girl’, a BBC ONE drama about a female medic within the British Army.

Simon said, “We shot the series in South Africa and Manchester for most of this year and I had a lot of fun.”

Now back in London, Simon also recently appeared in a show at the Almeida Theatre, called ‘Our Town’ by Thornton Wilder.

Said Simon, “It was a beautiful play that I was really proud to be a part of. I’m also still very involved with the NYT. I’m working for them constantly on their courses, auditions and masterclasses – and just love the organisation. I was a member of the NYT REP Company 2013 and that has helped push me into a career in acting. I’m an avid writer and am hoping to have some of my work produced in the next year or so.

“I’m also very excited about a company that I co-founded, and now co-run – a new writing company called Itch + Scratch. We work to develop short plays/scenes and hold nights of new writing that not only showcase incredible work, but gives the audience an amazing night out. We are a year old – but have already held four shows and are current preparing for our fifth.”

Said Mrs Lamont, “I’m really not surprised by Simon’s success. He was such a hard worker and one of the most natural actors I have had the privilege to teach. Always so much insight and understanding in every part he played.”

 Keep in touch, Simon!

Oliver Bigley landed a peach of a role in Merchant Taylors School’s latest production.

Oliver, who has been a pupil at Lamont Drama since he was 5, was selected to play Aunt Sponge in ‘James and the Giant Peach’.

Renowned for producing very high calibre productions, Oliver had to beat off stiff opposition for the plum role!

He said: “I think my experience of entering drama festivals with Lamont really helped me at the auditions. I’m used to performing verse and prose pieces as well as solo acting and duologues so I felt confident about reading the script at the auditions. I was absolutely euphoric when I heard I’d been cast as Aunt Sponge. I’ve loved every bit of the production – from the numerous rehearsals, to the dress rehearsal and finally the show itself. I had a ball!”

Oliver as Aunt Sponge

Said Mrs. Lamont, “Oliver and his younger brother Joseph have both enjoyed a great deal of success at drama festivals around the North-west and in their LAMDA examinations. They work hard and are both talented performers. Oliver is able to tackle comedy, like Aunt Sponge, with great timing and intelligence, but he is equally good at performing more serious pieces and has produced some very touching work over the years. It is very rewarding to teach such a receptive pupil.”

Oliver added, “Working on new and different pieces is what I like best and I’ve been lucky to be given a big variety of roles at Lamont. Aunt Sponge was different again, not least because I had to wear a dress!”.

Well done, Oliver!

In the Pink : Isobel and Catarina filming for Citv

Citv fans will be seeing a lot of two Lamont girls on the channel over the summer. Eleven-year-old Isobel Tinsley and 10-year-old Catarina Cardeira are two of the featured children in Citv’s July Promotion.

To get the parts, the girls had to send a selfie video of themselves. Their self-promotion clearly worked because the girls were then chosen for their roles in the on-screen Summer Promotion.

After filming, Isobel, said: “Filming on location for CITV was brilliant.  It was really interesting to see the different filming techniques used for fast action!  I was roller skating and also zooming down a zip wire – we all had LOTS of fun!  I’m so pleased Mrs. Lamont put me forward for the audition selfie video.”

Filming’s this way!

Roller Girl!

Arriving at Pier Productions!

BBC Radio Producer, Celia de Wolff, has cast three Lamont pupils in her latest production.

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante is being dramatised for Radio by Timberlake Wertenbaker. It is produced for the BBC by Pier Productions, based in Brighton.

Eleven-year-old Grace Wingate (centre) is playing the part of a young Lila and 12-year-old Elizabeth McEvilly (right) plays a young Lena. Nine-year-old Orlando Campolucci-Bordie (left) has also been cast to play a tough boy from a mafia family.

Recording of the BBC drama took place in Brighton.

Said Mrs Lamont: “This is a very exciting opportunity for Grace, Elizabeth and Orlando. They spent a week in Brighton rehearsing and then recording.

“Pier Productions is a major supplier of award-winning factual and drama productions for BBC Radio. It is known for distinctive programming like Radio 4’s ten hour dramatisation of War and Peace, starring John Hurt. The three of them thoroughly enjoyed the experience, learnt a lot and, of course, gave some brilliant performances.”

There was time for work…and fun!

Lamont Drama School’s success stretches far and wide!

For the last couple of years, Mrs. Lamont has been teaching a former pupil by skype who moved away to Manchester. Despite the move,  Ahmed Hassan was determined to continue his lessons with Mrs. Lamont and has gone on to achieve great success in his LAMDA examinations – with the help of new technology!

Now Mrs. Lamont has taken one step quite a bit further. She teaches her own grand-daughter, five-year-old Isla Gie on FaceTime and skype in Cyprus! Isla recently took her first LAMDA exam and was awarded Distinction with 89 marks.

Isla thoroughly enjoyed the experience as we can see from the photograph taken of her just before her exam.

Lucky Isla –  LAMDA success and sunshine!

Congratulations to Kathryn McEvilly, Georgia Taft and Lucia Shakeshaft for successfully auditioning for the National Youth Theatre.

NYT Ambassador Rory with this year’s successful NYT intake Kathryn, Georgia and Lucia.

Current NYT member 17-year-old Rory Rushton visited the girls’ Saturday morning drama class to give them some tips about what to expect. Rory, successfully completed the NYT residential summer course last year and is now an NYT Ambassador. He said: “Everyone will tell you that it’s going to be the best experience of your life! It is! I made loads of new friends and had two great weeks in London.”

Said Mrs. Lamont : “Well done girls! I’m so proud of you. Have a ball this summer!”

Lamont Casting Agency is increasingly carving itself a niche for being a provider of excellent voiceovers.

Recently, agency members have provided the voices for an array of cameos and commercials for TV, video and radio.

Voiceover King Joe Houghton

Agency member and drama school pupil 16-year-old George Miller tackled a difficult subject in a video about about ACEs (adverse childhood experiences) and how they go on to affect people in later life. George provided the teenage voice of a man at different stages in his life. The video will be used by councils nationwide.

Twelve-year-old Elizabeth McEvilly has done many voiceovers through the years. Her latest is for Wilko.

Other pupils in demand, after impressing with their clear and characterful voices, are 13-year-old Joe Houghton, 10-year-old Dominic McEvilly, 11-year-old  Grace Wingate and 13-year-old Georgia Taft.

Georgia also recently successfully auditioned for the NYT so will be heading to London this summer to take part in their two-week residential course.

Keep speaking up, guys!

Georgia is a successful voiceover artiste and a new NYT member.