Spider: Play about drama school misconduct lifts curtain on trauma behind the scenes
A new play, written by a former drama student, tells the story of a flawed acting school teacher whose out-of-date and unethical practices land him in deep trouble with his students.
Spider is set in a fictional drama school and the writer and director, Jude Benning, says the lead character – Frank Dowling – is a composite of people who still work in the industry.
It’s run at the Riverside Studios, in London, and comes after a Sky News investigation in November last year uncovered misconduct and harassment in some of Britain’s leading conservatoires.
Speaking to Sky News, Ms Benning says a play exposing disturbing behaviour – through a narrative of black comedy and adventure – is needed now more than ever.
“There’s a sort of cult-type aspect to some drama teaching,” she says.
“There are characters in power that traditionally have always run away with their power and found it difficult to be aware of themselves and be aware of creating a safe environment for students.”
Experiences Ms Benning has researched and heard about have influenced her directing style.
“As one example, last night the cast had a party and I can’t be at that party among them, I can’t have alcohol with them,” she says.
“I have to be really strict about my boundaries, because we have to keep a nice professional balance.
“I think it’s very difficult not to, as a leader, as a director, or a teacher, not to want to get in with everybody and socialise and be a friend, but that’s when things start getting a little bit blurred.”
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Alleged abuse at UK drama schools explained
It’s quite common for teachers and leaders to socialise with students at drama school after a big performance or event.
The issues this can sometimes lead to are drawn out in the play.
“We have a scene in the play where the main character Frank has been to the pub with one of the students and things start to blur and he starts to forget that he’s actually an authority figure and a person in power,” Ms Benning said.
“That leads to muddy waters when you’re a director or a teacher. It’s not good.”
Frank is an unnerving character. Some in the cast are familiar with aspects of his behaviour in the play from their own experiences as students.
Actress Saffy Andrews is a former student of the now-closed Academy of Live and Recorded Arts, known as ALRA.
Saffy Andrews
Ms Andrews says her time at the campus in Wigan was filled with experiences of racism that eventually led her to leave a couple of months before graduation.
“I had to leave, it was just a mess,” she says.
The school was marred by racism and sexual misconduct allegations. It eventually closed in 2022 due to financial difficulties.
One internal report in May 2021 found the school created a “humiliating, hostile and exclusive” environment for students of colour.
Ms Andrews says being part of a play like this has been satisfying, although saddening at times, reminding her of her own experiences.
The cast during rehearsals
Speaking to Sky News, she says she is proud to be part of a play exploring these issues: “I feel like it’s the only way that drama schools are going to notice and it’s also an eye-opener to potential students that want to go to drama school and this industry.
“You have to have a strong back, otherwise – teachers, people, your classmates – they’ll eat you alive.
“During this show, it is very sad because this teacher character, Frank, he doesn’t care about his students.
“He just wants to abuse them, get what he wants, because he hasn’t made it and he lies to them and they believe what he says because they want to make it in the industry.”
The former chair of trustees of ALRA, Henry Cowd, tells Sky News they were made aware of general complaints from students involving microaggressions of a racist nature and it eventually became clear the school had a “deep-seated problem”.
In addition, Mr Cowd says: “There were clear policies but many staff had an insufficient understanding of how their language, often used unintentionally, could be misinterpreted and found to be potentially insulting.”
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Fellow cast member Scarlett Green loved her drama training experience but hopes the show will offer some comfort for those who did not or are currently struggling.
“I would hope that for people who had a negative experience in drama school… I would hope that it was a cathartic experience for them just to have… to know that it’s out there and people are aware of it,” she says.
“The thing with harassment and subtle abuse that we draw on is that the victims of it can so often feel unheard, and like no one really knows that this exists.
“So hopefully for them to come and see it, it’ll feel good that people know about this.”
This play may lead to some in the industry having to confront some uncomfortable truths and help survivors feel seen.
David Smy, Deputy Director of Enabling Regulation for the Office for Students (OfS), said: “Harassment and sexual misconduct can have a profound impact on a student’s life, including their education.
“We know that universities and colleges take these issues very seriously, but we think there is a compelling case for further action to prevent these incidents from happening, and to ensure higher education providers respond effectively when they do occur.
“This is why the OfS launched a consultation on introducing new regulatory requirements in this area in 2023.
“Any student who has experienced harassment or sexual misconduct should speak to their university or college. They should expect to be supported by their university or college or signposted to more specialist support.”
Spider runs until 25 February at the Riverside Studios in London.
A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after three children and a woman died in a house fire in Brent, northwest London.
Metropolitan Police officers are investigating after being called to assist firefighters in Stonebridge, near Wembley, shortly after 1.20am.
A 43-year-old woman and three children, a 15-year-old girl, an eight-year-old boy and a four-year-old boy, died at the scene, the force said. Their next of kin have been informed.
Police are waiting for an update on the conditions of two others who were taken to hospital.
A 41-year-old man was arrested at the scene in connection with the incident and remains in custody.
Pics: PA
Eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters responded to the blaze, the London Fire Brigade (LFB) said.
Two terrace houses, each with three floors, were severely damaged in the fire, which was under control by around 3.25am, the fire service added.
Firefighters rescued the woman and one of the children from the second floor of the house, but they were declared dead by air ambulance crews.
The two other children were found inside the property and were also declared dead at the scene, LFB said.
Emergency services at the scene. Pics: PA
LFB assistant commissioner Keeley Foster said: “Upon arrival, firefighters were met with a well-developed fire, involving two adjoining properties. Crews immediately set to work carrying out firefighting operations in order to bring the incident under control.
“Sadly, a woman and three children have died as a result of this fire.
“Crews wearing breathing apparatus were able to rescue the woman and one of the children from the second floor, but they were later declared deceased at the scene.
“A further two children were discovered to have died in the fire, as crews carried out a search of the properties involved.”
She added: “This is an extremely tragic incident, and the thoughts of everyone across the brigade are with those impacted by this incident.”
Pic: PA
London Ambulance Service said an air ambulance, incident response officers, advanced paramedic and hazardous area response team were deployed to the scene.
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Superintendent Steve Allen, from the Met’s local policing team in northwest London, said: “This is an extremely tragic incident and our thoughts are with everyone involved.
“Officers arrested a man at the scene and we continue to work alongside investigators from the London Fire Brigade to establish the cause of the fire.
“Emergency services will remain in Tillett Close throughout the day as these enquiries take place.”
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said in a post on X: “This is devastating news and my thoughts are with the family, friends and wider community of the four people who sadly have lost their lives.
“I remain in close contact with the London Fire Brigade and Metropolitan Police as they work to establish the cause of the fire and offer support to all those impacted.”
Dawn Butler, the local Labour MP for Brent East, posted: “Devastated to see the fatal fire at homes in Tillett Close last night.
“My prayers are with the family and friends affected by this is a very sad tragedy.
“@LFB_Brent worked hard to get it under control, thank you.”
The teacher of one of the Southport stabbing victims has told Sky News they “don’t want her to be forgotten”, 10 months after the knife attack in which she was murdered.
Seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe was killed along with Bebe King, six, and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar in an attack by Axel Rudakubana at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class last July.
Jennifer Sephton, headteacher of Farnborough Road Infant School, will be skydiving to raise funds for the Elsie’s Story charitable trust, which has been set up in memory of the former pupil.
(L-R) Alice da Silva Aguiar, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Bebe King were killed in an attack at a Taylor Swift-themed class
“She’d been with us for four years, throughout her education,” Ms Sephton told Sky News, “and we just want everybody to know Elsie’s spirit.”
Describing Elsie as “such a determined young lady,” Ms Sephton said Elsie had “a real zest for life, and a sparkle in her eye all the time.”
She added that Elsie’s Story, which has been set up by Elsie’s family, is about “continuing that legacy.”
Jennifer Sephton
In the aftermath of the July 2024 attack, the gates outside Elsie’s school were lined with flowers, balloons, and cards bearing her name.
Since then, memorial benches and a tree have been planted in the school grounds, providing pupils and staff with a place to “remember and reflect”, Ms Sefton says.
“[Elsie’s death] had such an impact on all our community,” the teacher said, “it’s had an impact on her friends, their siblings, our school as a community and our staff.”
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Adrian Antell
‘We want her name to live on’
Ms Sephton will be joined in the skydive by Adrian Antell, headteacher at the adjoining junior school where Elsie had been due to start.
“Elsie was due to come to us last September,” he told Sky News, “but what we’ve learned about her is that she had a wonderful impact in the infant school, and we don’t want her to be forgotten.
“We want her name to have to live on and to be thought of in a positive way.”
Mr Antell said they continue to support Elsie’s classmates, who joined the new school without her.
“There’s no instruction manual for this,” he explained, “every day is different, and every day is one step at a time.
“So all we can do as a school is to think about individual children and support them in the best way we can.”
Scientists from Kew Gardens are using a new study to track which trees bees prefer to try to stem the decline in our vital pollinators.
Bee populations are falling all over the world due to a mixture of habitat loss, climate change, and the use of pesticides, with a devastating impact on our biodiversity and food production.
But it’s feared that not enough comprehensive, global research is being done to understand the issue or find solutions.
The study is building up heat maps of the most popular trees
Non-invasive monitors track the buzz created by bees’ wing beats
UK becoming a no-fly zone
Researchers based at Wakehurst in Sussex, known as Kew’s “Wild Botanic Garden”, have begun placing advanced bio-acoustics sensors in some of their trees to track which ones bees favour.
They hope it’ll help urban planners know which trees to plant in built-up areas, as a way of combating the worrying decline in bee numbers.
Pollination research lead Dr Janine Griffiths-Lee said: “Nearly 90% of our flowering plants depend on the contribution of pollinators, but in the UK the population of flying insects in the last 20 years has decreased by around 60%.
“It’s really hard to be able to put a figure on the decline of our pollinators, but we do know that globally the number is declining.
“And with that comes crop yield instability and the loss of an essential ecosystem service.”
Their new, non-invasive monitors listen for the buzz created by bees’ wing beats, building up heat maps of the most popular spots.
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Bio-acoustics sensors are placed in trees to track which ones the bees are more drawn to
‘We’re facing twin crises’
Dr Griffiths-Lee said: “If you think about the tree’s footprint, it’s very small, but they’re huge 3D structures covered in pollen and nectar, which are essential resources of pollinators.
“So we really wanted to think about which are the best trees for bees for us to plant, and that can inform landscape planners, urban architects.”
Eight different species of tree were chosen for the study, including horse chestnut and lime trees, with a mixture of native and non-native species.
The scientists have also been gathering DNA from pollen, which also helps them to map which plants and flowers the insects prefer.
Wakehurst’s director, Susan Raikes, calls the 535-acre estate a “living laboratory”, and said the project’s all about searching for nature-based solutions to the impacts of climate change.
“The stakes couldn’t be higher, really. We know that we’re facing these twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change,” she added.
“We need to be able to understand, as the climate changes, which plants from warmer climes will be good here in the UK for pollinators in the future.
“If all of our native plants are struggling, then we need to find new sources of pollen – for us all to survive.”
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