claytoncast

It is fast approaching that time when I celebrate another year on the planet, another notch on the stick, another tick in the book. It's not a particularly memorable one this year, and in the last 12 months I decided that I wouldn't have a numeric birthday  and would just spend a period of 24 months calling myself  " approaching 60". I don't have a problem with the big milestone birthdays. I think  they are  a great opportunity  for looking  back and celebrating achievements and events, and looking forward ready to launch oneself off into a new decade. Thanks to my partner, my 50th was incredibly memorable, and I hereby publicly excuse him from any responsibility for making my 60th even more so. (I think a 60th deserves warm seas, sunshine, and relaxation - think that might be regarded as a hint). I will certainly find a way of celebrating such a milestone with my friends and those dear to me. My 40th, which I suppose is the first real big mileston...

Last Monday night saw our third "Moving on up" event at the Actors Centre. The evening when we invite this year's drama graduates into the building to begin their relationship with us, and hopefully where we as an organisation can begin to support them as they prepare to step out into the real world.  This evening sits alongside the series of drama school chats we deliver, several of which I have had the pleasure of doing personally this year. It's been great to visit LAMDA, Guildford, Rose Bruford, ALRA, and Central to meet lots of people who will leave their drama school this summer and head out into the real world. Some of them were in the building last Monday night, keen to take up the membership offer we always give at this event, and no doubt, to down a few glasses of free Prosecco. Even more importantly, they have the chance to meet agents in a speed dating session, to sit in front of a panel that included the rather fabulous Deborah Willey, agent at Independ...