Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts

Drama school

Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts

Type| Drama school
Established| 1945; 80 years ago (1945)
Chairman| Dame Rosemary Squire
President| Dame Judi Dench
Principal| Sally Ann Gritton
Address|

120 Peckham Hill Street

London

SE15 5JT

51°28′29″N 0°04′11″W﻿ / ﻿51.474827°N 0.0696°W﻿ / 51.474827; -0.0696
Affiliations|

* Federation of Drama Schools

Website| mountview.org.uk

Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, formerly Mountview Theatre School, is a drama school in Peckham, south London, England, founded in 1945.[1] Mountview Academy provides specialist vocational training in acting, musical theatre and actor musicianship, as well as production arts and theatre creative practices. The President of the school is Dame Judi Dench, and the Principal is Sally Ann Gritton.

## History

[edit]

Mountview was founded in Crouch End, north London, in 1945 by Peter Coxhead and Ralph Nossek as "The Mountview Theatre Club", an amateur repertory company staging a new production for a six-day run every second week.[2] Among the club's productions were Coxhead's staging of Eugene O'Neill's Mourning Becomes Electra, a production of the complete Arnold Wesker Trilogy – Chicken Soup with Barley, Roots and I'm Talking about Jerusalem directed by Peter Scott-Smith – and Buttered Both Sides, a revue written and composed by Mountview member Ted Dicks and directed by Gale Webb, which later transferred to the Fortune Theatre in London's West End.[citation needed]

Early in 1946, when 21 years old, Coxhead borrowed £2,300 to buy the lease of Cecile House, a large derelict property at Crouch End.[1] Development at Cecile House included the conversion of a gymnasium into what became the Mountview Theatre.[3]

The Mountview Theatre officially opened in November 1947 with a production of The Importance of Being Earnest.[1] The theatre presented one play each month until 1949, after-which Coxhead bought the building outright from the leaseholders. For the next 25 years the theatre staged a new production every two to three weeks. Ralph Nossek went on to pursue a professional acting career in 1955 that lasted 56 years.

Acting courses and technical theatre skills training were introduced part-time from 1958 when Mountview Theatre School was formally recognised in name. Its first president was George Norman, with Coxhead as its principal. This remained the case for the next ten years.

In 1969 the school began full-time drama courses. In 1971 a second performance space was built and opened as the Judi Dench Theatre. There were also 10 working studios for acting students, three for technical students and a wardrobe with more than 15,000 costumes. By 1985 the school had leased additional premises at Wood Green, that were named the Sir Ralph Richardson Memorial Studios.

Coxhead retired as principal in 1996; he was replaced by Paul Clements, former director of drama at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Coxhead became chairman and chief executive of the school board until 2000, when Mountview Theatre School changed its name to the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, In 2001, Coxhead was appointed an MBE for Services to the Arts. He died in 2004, after 59 years involvement with the school.[1]

Paul Clements remained as principal until 2008, when he was replaced by Sue Robertson, previously dean of the School of Arts at City University London, who was subsequently replaced by Stephen Jameson in 2014. Jameson was previously associate director at LAMDA.[4][5]

In 2007, the British reality television show E4 School of Performing Arts offered several would-be actors the chance to win scholarships to Mountview, Italia Conti and the Academy of Contemporary Music. Mountview's Director of Acting Programme, Amir M. Korangy, appeared on the show as part of the panel.[citation needed]

In 2011, Mountview principal Robertson announced plans to relocate to part of Hornsey Town Hall in Crouch End, a stone's throw from Crouch Hill where it was founded, opening there for the 2014–15 academic year. A multi-use regeneration was planned for the Grade II-listed Town Hall and the site to its rear, a £19 million project.[6] Haringey Council's cabinet approved the plan on 26 April 2011 on the basis of a business case that included Mountview.[7] The plan fell through when Mountview withdrew, and in 2016 Mountview received planning permission for a new site in Peckham, south-east London.[8] The new building opened in September 2018.

## Full-time courses

[edit]

Foundation

* Foundation course in acting
* Foundation course in musical theatre
* Foundation course in musical theatre – Manchester

Undergraduate

* BA Hons in performance – acting
* BA Hons in performance – actor musicianship
* BA Hons in performance – musical theatre
* FdA/BA Hons in scenic art and prop making
* FdA/BA Hons in stage management
* FdA/BA Hons in technical production

Postgraduate

* MA in performance – acting
* MA in performance – musical theatre
* MA in creative producing
* MA in musical direction
* MA in theatre directing
* MA in site-specific theatre practice
* MA in theatre for community and education
* MFA in intimacy practice
* PG diploma in stage and production management

## Short courses

[edit]

* 3 week musical theatre boot camp
* 3 week acting summer master class
* Community outreach program
* Haringey young peoples bursary
* Young peoples classes
* Young peoples summer school

## Presidents

[edit]

* George Norman 1958–1969[9]
* Dame Margaret Rutherford 1969–1972
* Sir Ralph Richardson 1972–1983
* Sir John Mills 1983–2005[9]
* Dame Judi Dench 2006–present

## Principals

[edit]

* Peter Coxhead 1958–1996
* Paul Clements 1996–2008
* Sue Robertson 2008–2013
* Stephen Jameson 2013–2021
* Sally Ann Gritton 2022–present

## Notable alumni

[edit]

Further information: Category:Alumni of the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts

This article's list of alumni may not follow Wikipedia's verifiability policy. Please improve this article by removing names that do not have independent reliable sources showing they merit inclusion in this article and are alumni, or by incorporating the relevant publications into the body of the article through appropriate citations. (December 2018)

|

* Kelly Adams
* Scott Ainslie, Former Green Party Member of the European Parliament for London
* Mina Anwar
* Julie Atherton
* Glynis Barber
* Alecky Blythe
* Liana Bridges
* Jonathan Butterell
* Lindsey Coulson
* Brendan Coyle
* Curtiss Cook
* Josh Dallas
* Tim Downie
* Tim Dutton
* Sally Dynevor
* Justin Edwards
* Alice Fearn
* Michael Fentiman[10][11]
* Connie Fisher
* Edward Hall
* Michael Hague[12][13]
* Steve Halliwell
* Louisa Harland
* Douglas Henshall
* Amanda Holden
* Jim Howick
* Tyrone Huntley
* Ibinabo Jack[14]
* Dean John-Wilson
* Leanne Jones
* Ayub Khan-Din
* Rowena King[15]
* Eddie Marsan[16][failed verification]
* Leigh Lawson
* Twiggy Lawson
* Nick Moran
* Euan Morton
* Craig Parkinson
* Stuart Matthew Price
* Sharon Small
* Enzo Squillino Jr.
* Rhashan Stone
* Ken Stott
* Giles Terera
* Rebecca Trehearn
* Denise Welch
* Laurence Mark Wythe
* Grace Hodgett Young

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Clements, Paul; Yvonne I’Anson (15 July 2004). "Obituaries | Peter Coxhead". The Stage. Archived from the original on 30 November 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
2. ^ Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts 2009, p. 5.
3. ^ "Peter Coxhead". The Daily Telegraph Newspaper. London, England. 14 July 2004. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
4. ^ "New Mountview Principal Announced". 2013. Mountview Academy. Archived from the original on 26 March 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
5. ^ "Mountview appoints new Artistic Director and Principal | Former LAMDA Associate Director, Stephen Jameson, will lead the north London drama school from January". Fourth Wall Magazine. 4 November 2013. Archived from the original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
6. ^ The Stage 2011.
7. ^ Haringey Independent 2011.
8. ^ "Mountview gain planning permission for Peckham move - WhatsOnStage.com". 5 October 2016. Archived from the original on 14 August 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
9. ^ a b "Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts | London | President & Artistic Associates | Mountview | About Us". www.mountview.org.uk. Mountview Academy, 2016. Archived from the original on 1 December 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
10. ^ "Michael Fentiman", United Agents. Retrieved 9 December 2018
11. ^ Brennan, Ailis; A Younger Theatre. Retrieved 11 December 2018
12. ^ "Home - Record Label". Archived from the original on 10 December 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
13. ^ "Michael S. Wilson | Creative Media Professional for Film, TV & Online".
14. ^ "Creative Artists Management - Ibinabo Jack". Creative Artists Management. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
15. ^ "Rowena King". cam.co.uk. Archived from the original on 1 March 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
16. ^ Southern, Nathan (2015). "Eddie Marsan Full Biography". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.

## Sources

[edit]

* Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts (2009). Prospectus 2009 (PDF). Retrieved 19 June 2010.[permanent dead link]
* "Dench is appointed Mountview president". The Stage. London. 30 March 2006. p. 6\. ISSN 0038-9099.
* "Mountview Academy plans £19m move". The Stage. London. 11 May 2011. ISSN 0038-9099. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013.
* Hardiman, David (27 April 2011). "Approval for Hornsey Town Hall handover to Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts". Haringey Independent. London.

## External links

[edit]

* Media related to Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts at Wikimedia Commons
* Official website
* The Board of Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
* Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts Senior Staff

* v
* t
* e

Federation of Drama Schools

1. Arts Educational School, London
2. Birmingham Conservatoire
3. Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
4. Drama Studio London
5. East 15 Acting School
6. Guildford School of Acting
7. Guildhall School of Music and Drama
8. Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts
9. London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
10. Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts
11. Manchester School of Theatre
12. Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
13. The Oxford School of Drama
14. Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
15. Rose Bruford College
16. Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
17. Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
18. Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

* v
* t
* e

Performing arts schools in the United Kingdom

Acting

* Arts Educational Schools, London
* Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
* Central School of Speech and Drama
* City Academy
* Drama Studio London
* East 15 Acting School
* Guildford School of Acting
* Guildhall School of Music & Drama
* Identity School of Acting
* Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts
* Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts
* London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
* London College of Music
* Manchester School of Theatre
* Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
* Oxford School of Drama
* Pauline Quirke Academy
* Redroofs Theatre School
* Rose Bruford College
* Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
* Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
* Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
* Stella Mann College of Performing Arts
* Tring Park School for the Performing Arts

Dance

* Bird College
* Central School of Ballet
* City Academy
* Elmhurst Ballet School
* English National Ballet School
* The Hammond School
* Laine Theatre Arts
* London Contemporary Dance School
* London Studio Centre
* Masters Performing Arts College
* Northern School of Contemporary Dance
* Pauline Quirke Academy
* Performers College
* Royal Ballet School
* Scottish School of Contemporary Dance
* Stella Mann College of Performing Arts
* Tring Park School for the Performing Arts
* Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
* Urdang Academy

Music

See: Music Schools in the United Kingdom

Musical theatre

* Arts Educational Schools, London
* Bird College
* City Academy
* Emil Dale Academy
* Guildford School of Acting
* The Hammond School
* Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts
* Laine Theatre Arts
* London College of Music
* London School of Musical Theatre
* Masters Performing Arts College
* Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
* Musical Theatre Academy
* Performers College
* Redroofs Theatre School
* SLP College
* Stella Mann College of Performing Arts
* Tring Park School for the Performing Arts
* Urdang Academy

Secondary

* Arts Educational Schools, London
* Birmingham Ormiston Academy
* BRIT School
* Dance School of Scotland
* The Hammond School
* Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts
* Sylvia Young Theatre School
* Tring Park School for the Performing Arts

Former

* Academy of Live and Recorded Arts
* Birmingham School of Acting
* Bush Davies School of Theatre Arts
* Drama Centre London
* London Theatre Studio

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI

Geographic|

* MusicBrainz place

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template