Anna Scher has guided dozens of actors to successful careers, but she teaches more than just acting prowess

Published: 7 January, 2011
by TERRY MESSENGER

Lessons in life with the sage of the stage

Anna Scher’s theatre school has, over the years, been like the Motown hit factory – it’s kept on turning out the stars.

The list of her pupils making it big includes Kathy Burke, the Kemp brothers, Phil Daniels, Pauline Quirke, Gillian Taylforth, Patsy Palmer, and Joe Swash, to name but a few.

But amazingly, anyone can be taught a class by Islington’s sage of the stage – for a mere £5. 

Anna’s theatre school in the St Silas’ Church Hall in Risinghill Street, Angel runs classes for children, teenagers and adults.

Born in Cork to Irish Jewish parents, Anna believes fervently in the Emerald Isle’s tradition of “céad míle fáilte” – Gaelic for a hundred thousand welcomes – so I made my to Angel to join her adult class.

I was allocated a friend to look after me, as are all new members, but despite the warm welcome I still felt self-conscious in the “loosen up” routines – dancing, singing and miming.

Then we got down to the serious business of Anna’s famed improvised theatre, which she pioneered in the 1960s.

Anna started her school way back in 1968, before the days of gentrification, when the borough was far more rough and tumble.

Both then and now, she saw the theatrical potential in allowing her pupils to express themselves in their own vivid and colloquial fashion.

The group – young, old, all races, Cockney and posh – were divided into twos and threes and told to improvise an exchange beginning with “You’re getting too big for your boots.”

What followed was a series of gripping and varied vignettes with participants playing out real emotions, saying things they probably feel reluctant to say in real life for fear of wrecking relationships with family, friends and work colleagues.

But in the safe environment of Anna’s theatre, people can really let rip.

The class ended with  a five-minute play, performed and created by TV actress Sally Ann Curran, 42, who has been attending Anna’s classes since she was 14.

Sally Ann acted the part of a woman making a painful decision to abandon dear friends – one of them being “Johnny”.

At the play’s conclusion, we learn that Johnny’s last name is Walker – the play is about the character’s decision to go to her first meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Sally Ann, from Upper Holloway, has played roles in EastEnders, Casualty and The Bill.

“Anything Cockney and blonde – I’m in it,” she explained.

“Anna gave me confidence. She’s the best teacher I ever had. When I was 13, I just had no confidence. But that woman has taught me everything.”

The Walford Gazette, which chronicles the goings on around Albert Square, lists no less than 14 EastEnders actors trained by Anna – including Susan Tully (Michelle Fowler), Brooke Kinsella (Kelly Taylor) and Sid Owen (Ricky Butcher).

Some people go to Anna because they want to be professional actors – but not all. It is notoriously difficult to make a living from acting and that is recognised and emphasised by Anna.

But if Anna’s classes won’t give you stardom, they will give you something more important, according to Shirley Ann Hazel, 47, from Caledonian Road.

She said: “When I first came, I was going through a very bad patch. I was having a nervous breakdown. I was right to the edge.” 

That was eight years ago and in that time, Shirley has been trying to turn her life around by forging a career as a professional actor.

She hasn’t made it, so far. But what matters more is the recovery process in her everyday life – which is now back on track. That phrase “self-belief” crops up again.

“It’s the listening, the learning, eye contact, projection, the voice. That’s what’s impor­tant,” Shirley said.

“Anna told me I was a caterpillar and she helped turn me into a beautiful butterfly.”

Bernard Pellegrinetti, 57, from Gospel Oak, who has been attending since 1991, is another of Anna’s protégés. He’s made a living in fringe theatre, adverts and short films.

For him, improvised theatre brings out the creative in all of us.  

“We’re put on the spot in a friendly way to think of something to talk about when we come to improvise, so it’s all about firing up the imagination.”

So what is the secret of Anna’s success? She is physically frail, yet she addresses her class with a natural grace, strength and authority. She doesn’t raise her voice and she’s not garrulous.

Ironically she uses none of the loud techniques EastEnders use to get across their points. I honestly can’t work out why people listen to her with such rapt attention and learn such valuable lessons.

But I can’t help feeling, the more people attend her classes, the more her magic dust rubs off on them.

• Anna Scher Theatre classes are as follows: Junior (age 6-11) Tuesdays 4.30-6pm, taken by Anna’s colleague Bernie Burdis. Secondary (age 11-15) Wednesdays 4.30-6pm, taken by Anna. Adult (age 16+) Friday’s 7.45-9.45pm, taken by Anna. 

020 3093 5422