RICHARD DELANEY.

I'm an acting coach, actor trainer, researcher, and academic leader based in London. I currently serve as Lecturer in Acting at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, where I am also Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Acting: Contemporary and Devised (previously Collaborative and Devised Theatre / CDT), and hold the Inclusive Pedagogy and QAE Enhancement Lead role for the Department of Performance.

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I initially trained as an Actor at the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain, and at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts under full scholarship, under tutors such as Amir M Korangy, Andrew Jarvis and Rick Lipton. My career began as an actor and theatre-maker, before moving into movement direction and coaching, working across the UK and internationally — Off-Broadway, and in Europe, the Middle East, and Malaysia. I was a founding member of The Faction Theatre Company, part of its award-winning ensemble (Peter Brook Empty Space Award, Offie for Best Ensemble), performing with them in over 15 productions. I built a long-standing collaboration with New Diorama Theatre, working with them as an associate artist on many of their in-house productions, most notably The Universal Machine (playing Alan Turing in the musical adaptation of his life), Down and Out in Paris and London (in London and Edinburgh, playing George Orwell in an adaptation which mashed up his political memoir with Polly Toynbee's Hard Work), and Secret Life of Humans (originating the role of Jacob Bronowski in Edinburgh, London and New York). I worked extensively with David Byrne (now Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre), including co-directing the German premiere of Secret Life of Humans with him in Frankfurt.

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Throughout my acting career, I was drawn to classical material, devising and new writing — especially in the context of ensemble-driven work, working across seasons in weekly rep, and further repertory work with seasons at Guildford Shakespeare Company and Pitlochry Festival Theatre, to name a few. I also had the opportunity to perform at venues such as King's Head Theatre, Southwark Playhouse, Charing Cross Theatre, Battersea Arts Centre, Theatre Royal Bath and Theatre503.

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After many years and professional experience, I returned to education to study for an MA in Actor Training and Coaching at Central, with Ian Morgan and Dr Jessica Hartley, leading to freelance teaching and directing across the sector. My practice led into academic leadership: as Head of Undergraduate Learning and Course Leader at Fourth Monkey Actor Training Company, and now at Central, where I've overseen the revalidation of my own programme and its consequent teach-in. I've taught across many of the UK's leading conservatoires and universities, including LAMDA, RADA, East 15, Mountview, ALRA, University of Essex, St Mary's, and Brunel.

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Alongside my academic leadership and ongoing PhD research, I maintain a busy private coaching practice, working with clients in-person, online and on-set. I hold a Fellowship of the RSA (FRSA), and am an Associate Member of the Movement Directors Association, and a member of UCU and Equity.