Join Masterclass for a Q&A with stars of stage and screen, Hugh Bonneville and Maggie Siff, on the set of their West End show, Shadowlands.
Beyond his notable TV and film roles – including Downton Abbey and Paddington– Hugh has built an extensive stage career, working with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Donmar Warehouse, the Old Vic and Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. Similarly, alongside roles in Mad Men and Sons of Anarchy, Maggie has worked in theatres across New York and the wider US, appearing in works from new writing to classics by Shakespeare and Ibsen.
They’ll dive into their collaborative process, the challenges of bringing the complex characters of Shadowlands to life, and balancing authenticity with creation.
🔥 Bring your questions and don’t miss this opportunity to hear two critically-acclaimed actors discuss storytelling, craft and the timeless power of theatre.
📅 Friday 20 March
⏱️ 3.30-5.00pm
📍 Aldwych Theatre
🎟️ Book your place and submit your questions by visiting the webpage linked below.
Work experience offers practical, hands-on insight into the theatre industry, helping you build skills, confidence, and a clearer understanding of different career pathways. It’s an ideal first step when exploring a future in theatre. As an initial step, we recommend getting in contact with your local theatre to see if they offer any work experience opportunities.
While many people associate theatre careers with performing, there are a huge number of offstage roles that make productions possible. From stage management and lighting to marketing, producing, costume, sound, and technical theatre, work experience allows you to explore these departments and discover which areas interest you most. Taking part in work experience placements can provide a range of valuable benefits, including:
Understanding How Theatres Work:
Working within a theatre environment allows you to see how different departments collaborate to bring a production to life. This perspective is incredibly valuable if you're considering a career in the sector.
Developing Practical Theatre Skills:
Work experience often gives you the chance to assist with real tasks, whether that’s supporting technical teams, observing rehearsals, helping front-of-house teams, or working with marketing and administration departments.
Building Confidence and Professional Skills:
Being part of a professional environment helps you develop communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills that are essential across the creative industries.
Making Connections in the Theatre Industry:
The theatre industry is highly collaborative. Work experience placements can introduce you to professionals working in the field and help you begin building a network within the industry.
Strengthening Future Applications:
Whether you're applying for drama school, university courses, apprenticeships, or entry-level roles, work experience demonstrates enthusiasm, initiative, and commitment to the sector.
Many theatres and arts organisations across the UK offer work experience placements, shadowing opportunities, and youth programmes. Availability and application processes vary, but the following organisations regularly provide opportunities for young people interested in theatre careers:
London
South of England
Midlands
North of England
North of England
Wales
Scotland
Northern Ireland
You may also want to check the websites of theatres local to you, as many venues offer placements throughout the year or during school holidays.
Work experience is one of the most valuable ways to begin exploring opportunities in theatre. It provides a clearer understanding of how productions are created and how different departments work together behind the scenes.
Whether your interests lie in technical theatre, production, stage management, marketing, or theatre administration, gaining offstage experience is an excellent way to start your journey in the industry.
We have a limited number of £10 tickets available for DRACULA at the National Youth Theatre.
Tickets are available from 21 February - 13 March at various times.
Click the link below to access up to 2 tickets.
Fear makes us all monsters
Tatty Hennessy, writer of the UK Theatre Award-winning and Olivier Award-nominated adaptation of Animal Farm, retells the classic horror story Dracula in a world premiere for the prestigious NYT REP Company in 2026. Directed by Atri Banerjee, UK Theatre Award Best Director Nominee, and starring Britain’s best young acting talent, Dracula will play for a 3 week run only at NYT’s North London Workshop Theatre.
All performances of Dracula are Relaxed.
A paid summer work and cultural exchange opportunity for creatives aged 18+.
Camp America offers a paid summer opportunity to live and work at an American summer camp for 9–12 weeks, with performing arts and creative roles available across camps in the USA. This is more than just work experience - it’s a chance to use your creative skills while living the full summer camp life!
Creatives from all backgrounds are placed in roles where they can teach, lead and inspire young people through acting, singing, dance, music, technical theatre and production, while also being part of a wider camp community. Alongside your role, you’ll take part in classic camp activities, build international friendships and experience everyday life in the USA. While we work with specialist theatre and performing arts camps, performing arts roles are available across many different camps, not just specialist ones.
This opportunity is ideal for those who:
Camps generally run from mid-Jun to mid-August – but this can vary by camp and location.
You’ve written your story – congratulations! But what now? There’s a wealth of options for authors, as well as a huge array of information out there to pile through.
In this four week course, we’ll be walking you through the fundamentals of getting your writing published in a variety of different areas as well as some of the ways you can earn money from your fiction.
Week 1 – Getting Short Stories Published
Week 2 – Getting a Literary Agent
Week 3 – An Introduction to Self-Publishing
Week 4 – Making a Living as a Writer
Additional Information:
How to book:
Free creative writing workshops for Autistic writers aged 18+ in the North of England (Derby and Nottingham included).
Join Gemma Lees and Via MacNab for a series of twice-a-month creative writing workshops. Workshops take place online for 1.5 hours at a time and are 100% free. Each session, Gemma and Via will walk you through creative writing exercises to inspire you and encourage your creativity, after which you will have the option to share your writing if you would like among likeminded writers in a safe and open environment.
This group is for Autistic adults in the North of England. Led by Romany Gypsy poet Gemma Lees, we offer a warm welcome to all - with a special invitation to GRTSB (Gypsy, Roma, Traveller, Showmen & Boater) communities.
Dates & Times:
How to book:
Are you ready to think fast, get creative, and have fun?
This Improvisation workshop is all about building confidence, teamwork, and spontaneity through theatre games and exercises. No scripts, no pressure.
Come laugh, learn, and surprise yourself – you might just discover you’re quicker, braver, and more creative than you thought!
How to book:
Additional Infomation:
Are you interested in a career at sea and willing to live and work onboard a Disney Cruise Line vessel?
Excellent Recruitment are currently recruiting for the position of Youth Activities Counselor for Disney Cruise Line.
As a Youth Activities Counselor you will interact and supervise children ages 3-17 year old by providing a safe and entertaining environment in their Youth Activities spaces onboard their ships & paradise locations. You will need to be flexible with your work schedule, job tasks, and work locations as you start your new adventure in the Youth Activities department. You will also work in partnership with their Entertainment Host team, by providing program support to ensure all department and shipboard goals are met.
How to Apply:
The ABTT Theatre Show will once again take place at the stunning Alexandra Palace on Wednesday 3 and Thursday 4 June.
The ABTT Theatre Show 2026 is the exhibition where the broadest collection of specialist suppliers supporting live performance technology, production and education gather to connect with others in the world of theatre, performance, events, festivals, music and more.
The ABTT Theatre Show draws exhibitors and visitors from all over the world whether they be interested in lighting, audio visual, scenography, rigging, set construction, sound, costume, seating, staging, wigs, make-up, pyrotechnics or anything else employed in a performance. A range of activities will be presented over the two days, including a variety of meetings, debates and seminars and providing spaces for all their sister Associations and organisations to meet in person.
How to book:
Step into something new at Albany Theatre as they trial their brand-new stage, a bold creative space built to showcase Coventry’s local talent.
Whether it’s music, comedy, poetry, spoken word / theatre or sketch this stage is all about experimentation, energy, and connection.
The Albany Theatre is offering an electric setting where artists can share their work with a live audience. Come and be a part of the very first moments of something special !
How to get involved:
Register your interest by contacting the Albany Theatre.
