RADA
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, commonly abbreviated to RADA (/ˈrɑːdə/), is a drama school in London, England, which provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Senate House complex of the University of London, and is a founding member of the Federation of Drama Schools.
For other uses, see RADA (disambiguation).
Other name
RADA
25 April 1904 (1904-04-25)
Marcus Ryder
Niamh Dowling
RADA is one of the oldest drama schools in the United Kingdom, founded in 1904 by Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree. It moved to buildings on Gower Street in 1905. It was granted a royal charter in 1920 and a new theatre was built on Malet Street, behind the Gower Street buildings, which was opened in 1921 by Edward, Prince of Wales. It received its first government subsidy in 1924. RADA currently has five theatres and a cinema. The school's principal industry partner is Warner Bros. Entertainment.
RADA offers a number of foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Its higher education awards are validated by King's College London (KCL). The royal patron of the school is King Charles III, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022. The president is David Harewood, who succeeded Kenneth Branagh in February 2024, with Cynthia Erivo appointed vice president.[1] The chairman is Marcus Ryder,[2] who succeeded Sir Stephen Waley-Cohen in 2021. Its vice-chairman was Alan Rickman until his death in 2016.[3] The current principal of the academy is Niamh Dowling, who succeeded Edward Kemp in 2022.[4][5]
Courses[edit]
RADA's higher education awards are validated by King's College London (KCL)[19] and its students graduate alongside members of the KCL Faculty of Arts & Humanities.[20] It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Senate House complex of the University of London.[21] It is a founder member of the Federation of Drama Schools.[22]
RADA has expanded its course offering over the years. The school offers a three-year BA (Hons) in acting degree. The first stage management course was introduced in 1962 under the directorship of Dorothy Tenham, and today students on the technical theatre and stage management degree learn theatre production skills including lighting, sound, props, costume and make-up, stage management, production management and video design.[23] In the 1990s it launched a programme of short courses for actors and theatre technicians from around the world, including a special course for students at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts.[24]
Other courses include a one-year acting foundation course introduced in 2007; an MA in Text & Performance, affiliated with Birkbeck, University of London, introduced in 2010; and an MA Theatre Lab course introduced in 2011.
Sir (founder)
Herbert Beerbohm Tree
Sir (1909–1955)
Kenneth Barnes
John Fernald (1955–1966)
(1966–1985)
Hugh Cruttwell
Oliver Neville (1984–1993)
Nicholas Barter (1993–2007)
(2007–2021)
Edward Kemp
Niamh Dowling (2022–present)
– (Henry V, My Week with Marilyn, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Murder on the Orient Express)
Kenneth Branagh
– (Ben-Hur, There's a Girl in My Soup, ...And Mother Makes Three, ...And Mother Makes Five)
Richard Coleman
– (EastEnders)
Lauren Crace
– (Testament of Youth, Kingsman: The Secret Service, Sing, Eddie the Eagle, Rocketman)
Taron Egerton
– (Harry Potter, The King's Speech)
Michael Gambon
– (founder of Liverpool Everyman Theatre, artistic director of Royal Shakespeare Company)
Terry Hands
– (Jamaica Inn, Night Train to Munich)
Basil Radford
- (Casablanca, The Invisible Man, Notorious)
Claude Rains
– (Harry Potter, The King's Speech)
Timothy Spall
– (Game of Thrones, Luther)
