City acting workshop moving studios to cope with demand and avoid Broadmarsh works

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Inspire's students on stage performing in their London Showcase. PHOTO: Inspire Academy

A Nottingham acting workshop for young people is moving to a city centre studio to cope with growing demand and avoid any disruption from the Broadmarsh redevelopment.

Inspire Academy on Carrington Street was started ten years ago by Luke Gell, who’s best known for his role as Tim in BBC sitcom Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps.

The workshop has grown from 17 actors between the ages of 17-21 to 160, and Luke wants to move studios to accommodate the growth of the group, make it easier to get to and to avoid any impact from the huge Broadmarsh Centre redevelopment.

“We want to be right in the centre of Nottingham to be accessible to children of all backgrounds,” said Luke.

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Two Inspire Academy actors rehearsing ahead of a show in London’s West End. PHOTO: Inspire Academy

“The thing is we’re based on the third floor of a building on Carrington Street so it’s not very accessible, you can’t drive up here and parents can’t drop off, and the Broadmarsh development will cause disruption.”

The Broadmarsh Centre is being redeveloped in a £75 million project starting later this year and expected to cause long delays as the surrounding city road network is altered.

Inspire offers workshops in drama for television and theatre, as well as inviting casting directors to find new actors.

It’s had a hand in fostering talent such as Lara Peake, who’s starring in Channel 4’s Born to Kill and has a role in the film adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s short story How to Talk to Girls at Parties, alongside Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning.

Other actors who’ve attended the workshops were in The Dark Knight Rises and fronted NSPCC campaigns.

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Inspire Academy regularly put on showcases at the Soho Theatre. PHOTO: Inspire Academy

Inspire has also held showcases at Soho Theatre in the West End.

“I suppose our greatest achievement is that it’s still around, we’ve got such a diverse background of young people,” added Luke.

So far, Inspire has raised £203 of ta £5,000 goal on a Crowdfunder page set up to finance the big move.

“There’s something in the water, there’s so much talent here and I wanted to play a part in that,” added Luke, who’s from Aspley.

“After acting myself I wanted to give young people from Nottingham as much opportunity as we can.”