Bringing Outsiders In: The inspiration for the ARDENT8
Andrew Muir with ARDENT8 member Chloe Brown
Photo by Adam Bennett
A few years ago, I was sat in a dark auditorium, watching a group of young drama students rehearsing a new play. They were second year degree students on a Foundation Degree in Contemporary Theatre at a college of Higher Education on the South Coast of England, that has an excellent provision for drama. They were passionate, intelligent and kind. They cared about the product as well as each other, and I totally respected each and every one of them. What were their dreams? Their ambitions? To be famous? To be admired? To be rich? Or simply to survive? It’s difficult to predict anything in a world that currently spins so capriciously.
On that day, whilst sat in the dark auditorium, an ex-student appeared out of nowhere. A student who I remembered from a couple of years ago had proved themselves as an actor of extreme versatility and talent. Their work onstage was outstanding, and had they graduated from RADA a couple of years ago instead of a college of Higher Education somewhere in the middle of Dorset, perhaps they’d have good representation, a character lead in Doctors, a season at the RSC, and an availability check for the National under their belt. But that was not the case. In fact, it couldn’t have been further from the case.
He had found me in the auditorium, to let me know, that despite all their efforts to get to London, and try and get auditions, they just couldn’t carry on. They simply couldn’t afford to carry on. They couldn’t get out of Dorset. They were going to have to stop. It broke my heart.
I met up with Mark not long after that, who I had known in a professional capacity, during my time at Deafinitely Theatre, where I had been working as literary associate and Dramaturg on many of their projects. Mark and I were from similar backgrounds, and the story that had I shared about the ex-student, and which had compelled me to try and do something about it, resonated with both of us. It was during these early conversations about whether or not there was anything we might be able to do in way of making some sort of change, Ardent Theatre was born.
And with the creation of Ardent Theatre, came the Ardent8 programme. This was set up to help support those graduates of performing arts courses based outside of London, the opportunity to access the industry through various workshops, fully funded by Ardent as well as a production in a London venue. Ardent8 was not created to provide a false hope, but rather, an equal opportunity. There is too much talent that is forced to stop because those talented young people simply cannot afford to go to London. As far as both Mark and I are concerned, this is simply not fair. It’s exactly what drama shouldn’t be – an art form that favours the wealthy. It should be an art form that favours anyone who wants to give it a go. As a company, we will never create an atmosphere of false hope, but we will always create an atmosphere of equality.
I am thrilled that we celebrate five years of existence as a company today. I still sit in various auditoriums, watching young people devour a piece of text, and despite not having had much of an effect on the privileged entry pass, we are at least giving some young people, who would consider themselves outsiders, an opportunity to get inside the industry and feel a part of something that their talent more than deserves.
I would like to thank everyone who has supported Ardent in the last few years, without whom, we simply wouldn’t be here now. Our main funders, our family and friends, and to those who don’t know us yet – please keep supporting us, and we will keep finding ways to break through.
Andrew
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