Television Workshop

[Stan 386]

Nottingham fame academy behind success of BBC hit show The Village

Many of the talented child actors in The Village learned their craft at the Television Workshop, which doesn't have the kudos of the big London stage schools but is enjoying a golden moment

When the second episode of The Village is screened tonight on BBC1, it will be watched with particular interest by many in Nottingham and the east Midlands. Alongside the stars Maxine Peake, John Simm and Juliet Stevenson in this grand epic about a century of rural life, the cast includes five members of the area's unofficial fame academy, the Television Workshop

There is no sign on the red door on Stoney Street in central Nottingham, but the bare stairs lead down to the Television Workshop.Yet this seemingly bleak place, lacking a stage, is one of the most successful places training child and teenage actors for television and film roles, attracting a variety of casting directors. It is as effective as some drama schools in launching careers, say the experts, yet costs just £300 a year, while those unable to pay a quarter of its pupils go free. One of its many successful alumni, Vicky McClure, currently in the ITV hit Broadchurch, said at the recent 30th anniversary celebration: "Others have Rada; we have the Television Workshop."

[systema 13]

Ian Smith used to run a brilliant Youth Theatre when Central had their studio on Lenton Lane and there was one at the Broadway that my son used to attend.

[Cliff Ton 10,464]

The Television Workshop mentioned by Stan at the beginning of this thread is the same thing as the Junior Television Workshop - mentioned by systema - run by Ian Smith in the days of Central at Lenton Lane.

As Central TV and the Lenton Lane studios no longer exist, the Workshop became a separate, independent organisation,

As this demonstrates http://www.thetelevisionworkshop.co.uk/