Acting: improvers

Dr James A. Jarrett was educated at De Montfort University, Cardiff University and at the University of Essex, where he was awarded a Master’s Degree and a PhD for a thesis on Contemporary Theatre under the supervision of the playwright Jonathan Lichtenstein. James worked as a professional actor before returning to education to lecture in theatre and the Performing Arts. He has taught at the University of Essex and at University College Cork, where he was the first programme director of the innovative BA (Hons) in Acting. He has taught Drama at colleges for over twenty years. James is an expert on Harold Pinter, and has presented numerous papers on theatre and performance at many universities. His publications include essays in George Orwell Studies, The Pinter Review and Performing Ethos. He is preparing articles for publication in a range of journals and books, as well as a number of professional theatre projects. James loves the process of teaching acting and performance skills to adults.

Deirdre is a supportive and dynamic acting, drama and accent tutor at Citylit. She trained in acting in NYC and at RADA , and studied Performance and Culture at Goldsmiths (MA). Her directing credits include new writing workshops of Shaken by Louise Page and staged readings of plays and musicals at RADA, a devised play The Disunderstood at CityLit; she has also directed large scale Music Hall Events for The Portico Gallery. As a writer, plays include Waking Beauty, The People Downstairs (Young Vic, Shortlisted for LWT Plays On Stage), The Lizzie Play directed by Rufus Norris (UK and international tours, Time Out & Playbill Critic's Choice) A Cautionary Tale for the National Theatre Studio, and Betty Has To Go Now, commissioned for the 2013 Solo Theatre Festival. Performance credits include Betty Has To Go Now, Adult Child/Dead Child, and What Happened to the Tyrant, Bessie in Arthur Miller's The Ride Down Mount Morgan (West End world premiere), Joanna in Home Free (directed by Kathy Burke), Jeeves and Wooster (ITV) and Simon Gray's Unnatural Pursuits (BBC TV)

Sean trained at École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq, a world renowned school for physical theatre. Over the two years he trained in devised theatre, ensemble building, character development, mask work, mime, object manipulation / puppetry and clowning, among a vast array of other training. Sean also trained at East 15 Acting School on the BA Hons / Acting & Stage Combat degree graduating in 2011, gaining specialist skills in nine different weapon sets alongside an extensive acting program, in contemporary and classical work and practitioners. Sean works as a performer, director and choreographer, and regularly leads workshops and courses for theatre companies across the UK, Europe and Asia. His approach to theatre follows predominantly from his training at Lecoq, with the body and with a playful curiosity, exploring the space and how the body moves within it. In his courses he hopes to open up a deeper understanding of performance technique, emotional engagement, physicality and the exploration of all aspects of life through theatre and to share his deep profound love of what he does with others.

Cara is multi-talented artist: a performer, writer, theatre, audio, film and TV maker, with many years experience as an Acting Coach in Adult Ed. She runs playful and engaging sessions blending voice, movement, improvisation, and text. Her unique approach draws on Stanislavski, Chekov, Hagen, LeCoq, Johnstone and Gaulier. She has a gift for running a good room, where participants feel safe, and supported, finding courage to create, collaborate and explore. In 2023/24, Cara was Artist in Residence at Morley College, where, with Sophie Trott, she developed the dressing room comedy ‘The Astonishing Adventures of Kitty and Peg’, based on rival Covent Garden actresses Kitty Clive and Peg Woffington. This played to packed houses at the Hen and Chickens Theatre in Jan 2024. They are in the process of producing a tour of the show in 2024, starting at Proteus Theatre, Basingstoke, where they will be associate artists in 2025. TV & Audio credits: 'Hendrix and Handel' (Sky Arts), 'How To Burn A Million Quid' (BBC Sounds), 'Ready Player Marx' (BBC Radio 4) Qualifications: PGCE in Drama (Royal Central School of Speech and Drama), BA HonsEnglish and Drama (U of Bristol)

Lawrence Lambert is a teacher of Stanislavski Method Acting, skilled and experienced in interaction and development of students in Method acting, and performance. He is flexible, adaptable and committed to student creativity and personal discovery throughout their development during rehearsal through to performance, discovering “The Self” using Stanislavski techniques in Creating Character, Improvisation, Voice, Movement and Text, developing the student both singularly and as part of an ensemble. Other influences include Sanford Meisner, Ute Hagen, Lee Strasberg and Stella Adler which are incorporated to a high level of understanding. Lawrence studied at East 15, London and The Actor's Studio, New York, and has taught at The Actors' Centre London, The Actors' Guild, MET Film School, East 15 Acting School as well as City Lit.

Deirdre is a supportive and dynamic acting, drama and accent tutor at Citylit. She trained in acting in NYC and at RADA , and studied Performance and Culture at Goldsmiths (MA). Her directing credits include new writing workshops of Shaken by Louise Page and staged readings of plays and musicals at RADA, a devised play The Disunderstood at CityLit; she has also directed large scale Music Hall Events for The Portico Gallery. As a writer, plays include Waking Beauty, The People Downstairs (Young Vic, Shortlisted for LWT Plays On Stage), The Lizzie Play directed by Rufus Norris (UK and international tours, Time Out & Playbill Critic's Choice) A Cautionary Tale for the National Theatre Studio, and Betty Has To Go Now, commissioned for the 2013 Solo Theatre Festival. Performance credits include Betty Has To Go Now, Adult Child/Dead Child, and What Happened to the Tyrant, Bessie in Arthur Miller's The Ride Down Mount Morgan (West End world premiere), Joanna in Home Free (directed by Kathy Burke), Jeeves and Wooster (ITV) and Simon Gray's Unnatural Pursuits (BBC TV)