Shaking Our Spines Out …

Shaking Out Our Spines … by Ms Paige Turner
Seven of my cohorts from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama met up in our seventh decade at Fifth View, Waterstones, Piccadilly. I’m not quite sure how it exactly happened but I guess it might be a result of semi or near retirement with some time to spend.
We must have looked as though we were ladies who lunched as we munched through our seven salads but we were a packed powerhouse of people: documentary filmmakers, veritable voice bards, Shakespearian schools’ theatre directors, National and RSC actresses, actresses who have filmed with Elizabeth Taylor and those with daughters who are starring in Downton Abbey. Not to mention the voice over agents and radio presenters who missed their trains. And if you dressed us back in a pair of practice leotard and tights we could have passed off (to each other) as eighteen years old shaking out our spines in the Drama Studio.
When I arrived home with much mirth and glee and a stuffed tiger for Princess Maddie Moo Moo, I told my husband Mister Justin Case that our Central course in the seventies had been so diverse it was a wonderful training for all sorts of careers in teaching, theatre, film, radio and writing which in some way or another I have been doing all my life. My mother had referred to my four year training as ‘an intellectual Finishing School’. And I told him wasn’t I lucky to have has such a magical foundation and day. He thoroughly agreed and then added, ‘It’s just a shame Central didn’t teach you to create and read spread sheets. Tax returns tomorrow.’
Hey ho …
Two places left on the ‘Keys to the Kingdom’ Evening Workshop this coming Wednesday 3rd July in Amersham. 8.00 pm and £18 for workshop, Catherine’s ravishing refreshments and my follow up hand out sheets. Keys to the Kingdom … are there any?