Drama school - History

The Richmond Drama School started life as the De Leon Drama School. The De Leon family ran the Q Theatre (now demolished) near Kew Bridge, which played an influential role in London Theatre provision from the 1920s to the 1950s. New plays were tried out, interesting revivals staged and casts included both newcomers and established ‘names’ willing to spend a short time on a low salary doing interesting work unavailable elsewhere. This was before what we now think of as Off West End or the Fringe existed.

The School grew naturally from this environment and in due course a previous Principal of Richmond Adult Community College offered the School accommodation, which is how it survived the closure of the Q Theatre and is now housed in its present location.

We have a history of producing some of the greatest talent in the world, as can be viewed by probably the highest profile ex-student Tom Hardy. Tom has been highly successful on both stage and screen, winner of an Evening Standard Most Promising Newcomer Award and a BAFTA Rising Star Award. His films Warrior, Dark Night rises and Lawless have topped box offices all over the world.