April 2025

Workshop Updates

Manchester

George hosted an intensive weekend of acting process, guiding the actors through a full range of tools for approaching and executing text. Love and Information by Carol Churchill (which George recently directed at LIPA) was the script put forward for analysis and actors created characters through observation exercises and practical techniques. They made the most of the sunshine by working outside too - could you get a better acting weekend?!

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In May, Sheraz Ahmed CDG (Happy Valley, Time, All Creatures Great and Small) will be returning to Manchester for The Happy Valley Intensive - an in-depth series study of Happy Valley. Sheraz will provide professional direction and feedback on scenes from the show, with George and I leading on a full preparatory process for screen. I am really excited to see everyone in Manchester again!

*10th/11th May 2025 - SOLD OUT - WAITING LIST ONLY*

Join the Waiting List

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Looking ahead to June, our final weekend workshop before the summer break will be a cracker…acclaimed producer Juliet Charlesworth (Happy Valley, The Long Shadow, The Stranger, Clocking Off, Brassic) will be joining us. Early booking is available now for a rare opportunity to explore text and character through the lens of a top-tier television producer. You do not want to miss this one!

*7th/8th June 2025 - SPACES AVAILABLE*

Book Now

London

RSC actor and star of The Chelsea Detective Lucy Phelps joined me at Mountview for a Saturday of Shakespeare - treating actors to a peek into the rehearsal rooms of Greg Doran and Rupert Goold, amongst others! We took away loads of practical tools and techniques to quickly  access and unlock a Shakespearean text.
Sunday was INTENSE…actors created characters from scratch, using real people as their base and starting from the outside in, before working from the inside out. As always the commitment was amazing, but this one felt particularly brave. Some of the most raw and real work I have seen since starting CMA. Thank you to all who attended.

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After the success of April in Manchester, we will be working from Love and Information in London in May as George brings his Actor’s Toolkit down south. We are limiting this one to half our usual capacity to ensure an intimate weekend of acting process. We will work with intensity and detail through practical exercises and scene work, stripping away unnecessary complexity to work towards the art of simplicity.

*17th/18th May 2025 -  TWO SPACES LEFT*

Book Here

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Not to be outdone by our star guest in Manchester, we will welcome award-winning Film and TV director Lloyd Eyre-Morgan (Departures, Eastenders, S.A.M) to London for our final workshop before summer. Early booking is now available if you’d like to join us for this screen scene study.

*7th/8th June 2025 -  SPACES AVAILABLE*

Book Here

My Ideas

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Choose an essential intent for your acting career. It should be inspirational, meaningful and measurable. Ask yourself, ‘how will I know when I’m done?’ What is your single highest point of contribution? Narrow your focus in order to produce more.

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200 years ago we didn’t know what was going on in the world. Unless you are actively going to try and solve a problem that is happening, why are you stressing about it? Get your own house in order first. If you’ve got a nightmare going on at home, don’t try and fix the world.

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My definition of an alpha male is a man who works hard to become the best version of himself in order to provide for and look after his family.

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Insights

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Woody Harrelson on staying optimistic:

“Once you’re cynical, you’re fucked. It infects every part of your being.”

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James Clear on playfulness:

“Remain playful as your responsibilities increase. It’s easy to become serious when people and results depend on you, but nearly everyone’s performance improves when they proceed lightly through the world.”

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Writer Jacob Falkovich on how to respond to a mistake (stolen from James Clear’s newsletter!):

“If you think you’re running 10 minutes late, text to say you’ll be 15 minutes late. That way the other person gets one disappointment and one pleasant surprise. Most people do the opposite: they say they’re 5 minutes late when it’s 10 and end up annoying the other and looking like total fools.”

CMA Actor Spotlight

I am directing 3rd year actors at the University of East London in Punk Rock by Simon Stephens. London regulars Wiktor Kujawski, Gabriela Gwara, Dany Mutamba, Ruben Pandey and Eden Smith are all in it. So please come along! You can get 2 for 1 tickets and £5 off tickets with the codes available via the links below.

UEL BA Acting for Stage and Screen Presents...PUNK ROCK Tickets, Multiple Dates | Eventbrite

Our other 3rd year show is Alice by Laura Wade, directed by John Omole. CMA regulars Lauren May and Christevey Kitoko are in this one. Do let me know if you are coming along!

UEL BA Acting for Stage and Screen Presents ... ALICE Tickets, Multiple Dates | Eventbrite

London regular Matthew Williams appears in a new short film directed by friend of CMA Isher Sahota. The film premiered at the Northampton Film Festival and was shown at the Coventry Phoenix Film Festival, where it was nominated for best short film. A wonderful moment for Matthew, as he grew up in the same area. Congratulations mate and see you in May!

Megan Keaveny (Manchester and London) is in Much Ado about Nothing at the RSC. Details here!

Zak Rosenfeld (London) is playing Joey Primo in Rock of Ages with his theatre group, based in Ruislip. Show week is 22nd-24th May at The Winston Churchill Theatre in Ruislip, London.

Please do keep us updated with what you are up to - we would love to shout about your work in the newsletter.

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Thanks for reading,

— Majid