Inside the Susi Earnshaw Theatre School on High Barnet’s High Street, Leïla Davaud meets the young talents who are discovering confidence, creativity and the joy of performing for their community

A young woman sitting on a chair on a stage with other youth actors leaning towards her — Susi Earnshaw students in rehearsal

The weather is grim. Rain pours down, soaking the old stones of Barnet Church. The only splash of colour, apart from the usual red double-deckers drenching people hurrying along the pavement, comes from the bright blue façade of the Susi Earnshaw Theatre School at The Bull Theatre.

Once past its main doors, people are still rushing around, streaming past a mural depicting famous performers like alumni Amy Winehouse, towards the school’s own stage. “They are practicing a scene from their new Alice In Wonderland show”, explains head of pastoral Melissa Gillespie.

On the boards, the students act, dance, sing, putting on a real show for their fellow performers watching carefully. One student in particular recreates the moves from his seat without missing a beat.

Twelve-year-old Nathaniel already has a life motto: “Always be observant and try and learn from the people who got what you want”.

So he memorizes other people’s dances, takes in their techniques and embraces them. And it works! For the last eight months, Nathaniel has been ‘Young Simba’ on the West End stage.

“There is nothing like it,” he says. It is his first professional role. “What I take out from it, aside from the genius direction and talents, is that everyone is so nice. It’s basically like you’ve been living with each other for your whole life… Nobody is isolated, even though most of them are adults, they still make an effort to talk to us and hype us up.”

He balances The Lion King and his school work with passion. Stories like Nathaniel’s are what drive founder Susi Earnshaw’s mission

Sitting at the back of the theatre, hidden in the shadows, she smiles at the wholesome view. She started her theatre school in 1989, “I didn’t want to be an actress anymore and I wanted to create a space for kids where they could be confident and safe. My son had severe dyslexia and most schools weren’t good fits. I wanted somewhere inclusive for him and others in similar situations.”

It is why wellbeing is at the centre of the school’s ethos. Julia Hammond, headteacher, explains: “We work by these words: safe, happy child. Because this is how they learn better, by being confident in themselves and in us.”

In Julia’s office, she has a drawer full of medication with pupils’ names on it. “I’m basically their school mummy. They come to me seeking their treatments, advice or simply a chat.”

Julia takes this role personally. She says: “Susi was this person for me when I was her student. Without this school, my life would have been very different. I was definitely on the wrong path. But it gave me a feeling of belonging. I wasn’t just a misfit or a reject; I was a creative person. It changed the vision I had of myself, and it is what I’m trying to pass on.”

Plenty of past students have become well-known performers including Bridgerton’s Claudia Jessie, singer Jess Glynne, and Hamilton’s Jay Asforis.

“If the list of alumni is impressive, we don’t pick our students based on it.” Susi explains: “We see who has potential and who needs us the most.” The school currently has 32 students.

Like the bright and talented Isack, who’s just finished his first professional performance at the English National Opera in Cinderella. The twelve-year-old is living his dream while living with autism. “It’s been hard, mainly because you have to push yourself to get out there and be okay with people being able to judge you.

“And I care about what people think of me, I can’t help it, and it’s frightening. But I’ve managed to switch my mindset lately, I realised performing also allows me to affirm myself. I am a performer, I love acting, and I shouldn’t hide and stop just because I’m different.”

His long-term plan? “Become the next Tom Cruise.”

While his dream is more screen acting, year seven Mia and Poppy believe they are made for musicals.

Mia plays Matilda every week at London’s Cambridge Theatre. “I will never forget my first opening night. I could hear all my family cheering me on in the audience. It helped me feel less nervous and more like I am exactly where I belong.”

A first experience quite different to what Poppy went through in Les Misérables. “The original Cosette just said she didn’t want to do it last minute and I had to go on stage. I just chucked all of her clothes on and did the show only using my memory. My dad was at golf; wasn’t picking up his phone. My mum was crying while giving permission for me to step on stage. It was a real panic!”

But she wouldn’t change it. “I mean, who doesn’t love a little bit of Les Mis in their life?”

No matter how incredible these roles are and how busy school can get, the students also take time to give a different type of performance. Julia says: “We went to the dementia ward at Barnet Hospital. The students started singing, and something incredible happened, some patients started crying. Which completely upset them but they didn’t stop! They observed, made eye contact and eventually started crying as well. They all came out having learnt that it is what the performing arts are really about. Connecting with people, making them feel something. It’s not about being famous.”

The students sometimes visit homes, hospitals or put on their costumes to bring the show to their community during the Christmas Parade on High Street. In fact, Susi Earnshaw has a message: “We hope to see you there in December, singing along and dancing with us”.

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