The following article comes from the Islington Gazette, dated 18/12/03.
The headline;
"STARS FIGHT TO GET ANNA BACK HER LIFES WORK"
Top TV stars and personalities have lashed out at the treatment of Islington's best-known drama teacher.
Everyone from former Eastenders hard man Martin Kemp to Islington South and Finsbury MP Chris Smith have joined a growing campaign to have Anna Scher reinstated as the principal of the theatre she founded in Barnsbury Road more than 30 years ago.
The legendary drama teacher, peace activist and role model for thousands battled her way back from illness last year-only to find the theatre's board of directors were refusing to let her have her job back.
The board, who are allowing Ms Scher to teach just four sessions a week at the theatre, have even told her not to use the Anna Scher slogan without asking their permission.
But Ms Scher's loyal friends and former pupils are determined to see her back where she belongs.
Soap star Martin Kemp said "I was saddened to hear of the way in which Anna has been treated. She is the life blood of the Anna Scher Theatre and without her and her incredible energy at the helm, the theatre and all it has done for the children of Islington and beyond will lose it's credibility. Anna has placed the beginnings of a dream into the heads of thousands of budding actors. Please let her finish her work she started as head of the Anna Scher Theatre."
Birds of a Feather star Linda Robson said she would not be happy sending her own children to the theatre without Ms Scher being at the helm. The heart of the theatre is missing and I'm really unhappy about sending my children to a place that could treat such a warm, caring, and inspirational woman like Anna so badly." She said.
Ms Scher set up the world renowned Barnsbury Road theatre 35 years ago to give under-privileged kids a chance to break into acting. Her teaching has inspired thousands of children and produced other stars such as Pauline Quirke, Patsy Palmer and Susan Tully.
In March, Ms Scher was given the freedom of the borough-the highest civic honour that can be awarded in Islington by Islington Council in tribute to her devoted work.
Kathy Burke said "My time at the Anna Scher Theatre was nothing but a massive education and a beautiful inspiration-what more could you want?"
Ms Scher who says she has made a full recovery from the depression that forced her to step aside, said the board's decision had a massive blow but her friends were keeping her going. "I'm heartbroken" she said "What has sustained me is the love, loyalty and longevity of my student friends-I don't know what I would have done without them. People in the community have been fantastic. I can't go down the street with out people coming up to offer me their support." A statement from the theatre's board said: "The board fully understands the emotional ties that a charismatic founder like Anna has with the organisation she founded. The board is firmly of the view, however, that no further disruption must occur at the theatre; it needs a stable and calm period to develope and grow under its present administration."
By Tom Mackenzie (Reporter for the Islington Gazette)
The headline;
"STARS FIGHT TO GET ANNA BACK HER LIFES WORK"
Top TV stars and personalities have lashed out at the treatment of Islington's best-known drama teacher.
Everyone from former Eastenders hard man Martin Kemp to Islington South and Finsbury MP Chris Smith have joined a growing campaign to have Anna Scher reinstated as the principal of the theatre she founded in Barnsbury Road more than 30 years ago.
The legendary drama teacher, peace activist and role model for thousands battled her way back from illness last year-only to find the theatre's board of directors were refusing to let her have her job back.
The board, who are allowing Ms Scher to teach just four sessions a week at the theatre, have even told her not to use the Anna Scher slogan without asking their permission.
But Ms Scher's loyal friends and former pupils are determined to see her back where she belongs.
Soap star Martin Kemp said "I was saddened to hear of the way in which Anna has been treated. She is the life blood of the Anna Scher Theatre and without her and her incredible energy at the helm, the theatre and all it has done for the children of Islington and beyond will lose it's credibility. Anna has placed the beginnings of a dream into the heads of thousands of budding actors. Please let her finish her work she started as head of the Anna Scher Theatre."
Birds of a Feather star Linda Robson said she would not be happy sending her own children to the theatre without Ms Scher being at the helm. The heart of the theatre is missing and I'm really unhappy about sending my children to a place that could treat such a warm, caring, and inspirational woman like Anna so badly." She said.
Ms Scher set up the world renowned Barnsbury Road theatre 35 years ago to give under-privileged kids a chance to break into acting. Her teaching has inspired thousands of children and produced other stars such as Pauline Quirke, Patsy Palmer and Susan Tully.
In March, Ms Scher was given the freedom of the borough-the highest civic honour that can be awarded in Islington by Islington Council in tribute to her devoted work.
Kathy Burke said "My time at the Anna Scher Theatre was nothing but a massive education and a beautiful inspiration-what more could you want?"
Ms Scher who says she has made a full recovery from the depression that forced her to step aside, said the board's decision had a massive blow but her friends were keeping her going. "I'm heartbroken" she said "What has sustained me is the love, loyalty and longevity of my student friends-I don't know what I would have done without them. People in the community have been fantastic. I can't go down the street with out people coming up to offer me their support." A statement from the theatre's board said: "The board fully understands the emotional ties that a charismatic founder like Anna has with the organisation she founded. The board is firmly of the view, however, that no further disruption must occur at the theatre; it needs a stable and calm period to develope and grow under its present administration."
By Tom Mackenzie (Reporter for the Islington Gazette)
Comments
Hide the following 6 comments
Stars fight to get Anna back her life's work
19.12.2003 11:51
Who the fuck do you think you are you fucking leech using the name of one so well respected to keep a community based theatre up and running, for over 30 years the Anna Scher method has worked successfully here and all over the world, so why change it? Don't you read the fucking newspapers? Can't you see that racism is rearing it's ugly head once again or maybe that's what you'd like to see seeing you already discriminate on the grounds of a person's health, why don't you do us all a big favour and go and jump into a large lake?
You fucking parasites survive on Anna's name and remember this if there had been no Anna Scher there wouldn't be a board for you and the rest of your cronies to sit on and unlike Anna Scher I am not such a pacifist, I play real dirty, you wanna play with me Dawson/Dork-son we'll come down to your residence giving you early morning calls with a fog horn.
Due to this parasite who'll put the blame entirely with the friends of Anna Scher for any future actions against the board and their cronies some well angry actors have decided to put together the RECLAIM OUR THEATRE so that the blame for any future direct action is totally down to us and no one else, why should you be allowed to use the Anna Scher name when you've treated the person so disgracefully. To all the parents who send your children to that theatre, they have given Anna Scher the boot and we'll be setting up the All New Anna Scher Theatre soon and due to Dawson and Co doing there very best to gag Anna Scher so she can't inform you of the new theatre, we at Reclaim our Theatre will do it for her as we'll not be gagged by arseholes like Steven Dawson playing God. To all those on the Anna Scher waiting lists if you really want to be taught by the world famous Anna Scher with her proven technique which has worked for over 30 years then get in touch e,mail
Massive respect to Anna and all her friends, we love you all....
AN ANGRY ACTOR
Stars fight to get Anna back her life's work
19.12.2003 12:43
S.T.Ambrose
Good luck
19.12.2003 14:56
Good luck to the Reclaim the Theatre.
Hope you will keep Indymedia informed of any actions.
Silvi
Stars to fight to get Anna back her life's work
19.12.2003 16:35
with love and good wishes xxx
Mystery Max
Mystery Max
What Would She Want
17.01.2004 13:31
10Years at annas
Not Many Actors Around Her At The Moment Is There?
25.01.2005 18:27
How long do you really get for your fiver these days when you do an impro? Less than 2 minutes to be exact so why are you all so foolish to continue when so many of you want to go on to television and films?
You'll not get yourselves agents by attending the exiled class and you'll certainly won't by attending the other theatre, so tonight we'll give you a choice so that you can leave behind all the nonsense and get yourselves trained by real actors/teachers in classes that are to get you ready to join an agency where you'll be sent out on auditions, but you all must make the choice tonight so that this time next week you'll have a new class to attend and a real chance of going somewhere.
INTERESTED IN BEING AN ACTOR?
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