Identity Drama School Celebrates Fifth Birthday
 Afridiziak Theatre News starts the New Year by interviewing Femi Tay Oguns. He’s the actor, director and playwright who founded Identity Drama School; the UK’s first black drama school.
Opening in October 2003 the school celebrated its fifth birthday last year and has since grown from strength to strength. Its students have appeared in a number of roles across stage and screen including Gone Too Far at the Royal Court Theatre, Disney’s The Lion King,BBC’s Holby Blue and the forthcoming feature film Freestyle. His first play Torn also received the Music Video and Screen Award for Best Black Theatre Production of 2008.
Why did you set up Identity Drama School (IDS)?
I wanted to create a safe haven if you like, for actors of colour to be able to celebrate their identity and be given the freedom to explore without limitations. Going to drama school where the majority of students were white was something that I and a few of the other black actors in my class found hard. Not because of the colour divide but the perceptions that were cast upon us. The majority of students at the school had never interacted with a black person in their life, and built the perceptions on stereo-types. Dealing with this was something that had to be measured and calculated; otherwise you would find yourself feeding into their notions. Unfortunately as a consequence half of my black counterparts found it hard and either dropped out, or took the more drastic measure of isolating themselves from the rest of us, believing that it was the best solution. They believed that in order to succeed it required one sacrificing ones identity even if it meant isolating yourself. With IDS I wanted to create a school which allowed the actor to celebrate their true identity before taking on the roles of others.
What is the structure within the school, does it work like other drama schools?
IDS works similar to other drama school in the sense that students have to go through an intensive audition process in order to be accepted into the school, the only difference is we only operate during the weekends, and week day evenings. The faculty at IDS comprises experienced permanent acting coaches and a number of external professional theatre practitioners and specialists. All tutors work with their students to explore a wide range of styles and techniques specifically for theatre, TV and film with the aim of encouraging and developing individual creativity and innate skills. We’ve also just established a unique partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company in which their resident Voice, Movement and Acting coaches run exclusive workshops as part of the school syllabus.
What are your visions for the school?
Time is very defining. With time comes growth. What started as 20 students in 2003 five years later we now have 260 students. IDS is also celebrating the incredible accomplishments of the school’s official actor’s agency, The Identity Agency Group, which was established in autumn 2006.
What is your next personal project?
I have another play due out sometime this year called Sponge. It tackles the issue of homosexuality in the black community, very controversial. It tells the relationship between a pastor and his son.
Do you still work as an actor?
Very much so! I starred in Torn which was my first written play and I’ve also got two movies due out this year. One called La Chiniose and Last Chance Harvey alongside Dustin Hoffman. So can’t complain, just maintain.
Finally, what motivates you?
God, my family, and the desire to conquer all I set out to do. I’m a great believer that it is not what you know in life but what you can imagine. |
