College student to tour with Warwick Davis

A Newcastle-under-Lyme College (NULC) student is performing on tour alongside Warwick Davis.

Francesca Mills, aged 17, is a student Newcastle-under-Lyme College (NULC).  The talented young performer from Loggerheads is playing the role of Ida the Maid in See How They Run performed by the Reduced Height Theatre Company. 

The Reduced Height Theatre Company is the first theatre company made up entirely of short actors and is the brainchild of Warwick Davis, the most successful short actor in Britain. With a career spanning over three decades, he is best known for his roles in Willow, Star Wars, the Harry Potter films and most recently on our TV screens in Life’s Too Short, Doctor Who and An Idiot Abroad 3.

Warwick Davis said:  “The formation of The Reduced Height Theatre Company is a dream realised for me. As a short actor, I am not always afforded the same professional opportunities as my taller colleagues. This new venture will tip the balance in favour of myself and the other talented short actors in the UK. In these times of equality and diversity, this will be a unique, bold and empowering journey.”

See How They Run is nowadays widely regarded as one of the best farces written by Philip King. Set in 1944 in a vicarage in the village of Merton-cum-Middlewick, it is quintessentially British, featuring timelessly funny characters – a maid, a spinster, a German soldier, retired actors, a bishop and a handful of vicars.

Former Madeley High School pupil Francesca is in her second year studying the BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Performing Arts.  Not one to shy away from the camera, Francesca has already modelled for the College prospectus, starred in a NULC promotional film and done a stint in panto.

Commenting on her course, Fran said: “The staff are brilliant, they really push you to achieve the best of your ability and the staff room door is always open if you have any queries or concerns.  During the course, you receive workshops from industry professionals and you get help and guidance when applying for university.”

Once completing the course, Francesca plan to progress to study Musical Theatre at a London Drama School.  She is embarking on the 12 week UK tour from February to May and this week appeared on ITV1’s This Morning alongside Warwick Davis to promote the play, where she also got the opportunity to meet boy band Blue.

Francesca will be returning to the course in time for the students’ end of term Showcase in June where she will perform alongside fellow performing arts students from the Academy of Theatre Arts.

The College has announced plans to open a brand new £4.75 million Performing Arts Centre in Autumn 2014.  The state-of-art building will allow the College to expand its curriculum and provide young people across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent with industry standard facilities and outstanding opportunities in the performing arts industry.

To find out more about studying Performing Arts at Newcastle-under-Lyme College visit www.nulc.ac.uk/getinontheact or contact the Information Point on 01782 254254 or email info@nulc.ac.uk.