Entertainment · Books & Arts · 2 hrs ago
A youth theatre production of Titus Andronicus changed an actor’s life
An actor says playing Queen Tamora changed her sense of who she could be in a youth theatre production of Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus.
She joined the National Youth Theatre after being expelled from her small-town Catholic school in north Wales and feeling low.
The company brought together young people from across the UK, and the production took place in a school gym.
The group initially struggled to speak Shakespeare’s lines, but rehearsals built collaboration and camaraderie.
As Tamora, a wronged and ruthless queen, the actor found a strong role that helped her stand with more confidence.
The experience gave her a new direction in life, leading her to apply to study drama and move to London.
She says the production helped her lose her fear of Shakespeare and have more faith in herself.
A National Youth Theatre production of Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus helped change the life of one of its young actors.
The actor, who played Queen Tamora, said the experience gave her confidence and faith in herself.
She had been expelled from her Catholic school in north Wales and was feeling low before joining the company.
The production was staged in a school gym and used the play’s violence for a horror-film effect.
Afterward, she applied to study drama and moved to London.
- Who
- A young actor who played Queen Tamora in a National Youth Theatre production.
- What
- She says acting in Titus Andronicus gave her confidence and helped set a new direction in her life.
- When
- 1988.
- Where
- The production was staged in a school gym; she travelled from north Wales to London to join the National Youth Theatre.
- Why
- The experience offered an escape from difficult circumstances and helped her find confidence and a new direction.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The actor was expelled from her small-town Catholic school in north Wales and was feeling low.
She joined a diverse National Youth Theatre company and played Queen Tamora in Titus Andronicus.
She applied to study drama and moved to London.
- Production
- Titus Andronicus
- Company
- National Youth Theatre
- Role
- Queen Tamora
- Year
- 1988
- Production venue
- A school gym
- Previous home
- North Wales
What people are saying
Being thrown in at the deep end made me unafraid of Shakespeare.
More importantly, I began to have faith in who I was.
A bit of barbarous Tamora had rubbed off on me.









