HEARTFELT MESSAGE OF SUPPORT FROM SIR IAN MCKELLAN
Actor Sir Ian McKellan has urged young drama students to ‘hold on to each other’ following the Manchester terror attack.
The celebrated thespian sent a personal message to students of Helen O’Grady Drama franchise Academy in Bolton at an awards ceremony to recognise students’ outstanding performance in their exams – which they took just weeks after the devastating terror attack.
Fourteen students took their drama exams, accredited by Trinity College, London, just over two weeks after the Manchester attack at the Ariana Grande concert. Many of the students were at the concert or were friends of victims of the terror incident. A member of the Helen O’Grady ‘family’ was seriously injured in the attack.
Sir Ian’s video message was played to the young people the ceremony in Prestwich. He said:
“It’s hard because when I was living in Bolton a long time ago, I did a lot of my theatre-going in Manchester, in Quay Street, the Library Theatre, the Opera House….. I’m just the sort of kid who might have been at the dreadful event. I want to send everybody at the Helen O’Grady Drama Institute my best wishes, we are all incredibly proud of you. Hold on to each other.”
Principal, Karen Ryder said:
“Trinity have been amazing, they were in touch with all exam centres in the area to see if anyone had been affected – sadly we had.
Students were offered the option of rescheduling, re-sitting, or cancelling their exa, altogether. This took the pressure off them, and each and every one said no. Drama is what we do, drama is part of our lives, and we will continue to live our lives the way we choose.”
Ms Ryder said the hightly of the event was the message from Sir Ian – which also came as a surprise to her – who was unable to make the event in person because it was his opening night in King Lear in London.