May 2025

Workshop Updates

Manchester

Friend of CMA Sheraz Ahmed CDG joined us for our Happy Valley intensive weekend in Manchester. Actors took part in a full weekend of acting process - with classes on the series pitch, story structure, observation, inner/outer character development, improvisation and the hooking technique. Sheraz watched, directed and gave his usual brilliant feedback on scenes from the show he helped to cast. I loved being back up north and working with you all!

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In June, BAFTA-winning producer Juliet Charlesworth (Happy Valley, Brassic, Ridley, Clocking Off) will be returning to CMA Manchester. She has chosen to work on scenes from ITV series Ridley (starring our very own George Bukhari!). Juliet has only ever coached at one acting workshop before - CMA. We are delighted to be working with her again.

*7th/8th June 2025 - SOLD OUT - WAITING LIST ONLY*

Join the Waiting List

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SEPTEMBER 2025 Announcement - ISHER SAHOTA returns to lead both cities!

You read it here first - Netflix Director and friend of CMA Isher Sahota will be returning in September to lead workshops in Manchester and London. Actors attending will be treated to a new, original film script and work with Isher, George and myself on screen acting exercises and workshopping the text. Booking is now open and spaces are strictly limited - follow the links below to grab yourself a place.

*Manchester 13th/14th September 2025 - SPACES AVAILABLE*

Book Now

Book Now Pay Later

London

George joined me in London to lead our Actor’s Toolkit workshop, using scenes from Love and Information by Carol Churchill. We love to work from her series of vignettes. They challenge actors to draw all of the information from the text, whilst creating original back stories. As always we covered a lot in our sessions - observation, pitch, character development, objectives, uniting, actioning. Congratulations to new actor Muktarr Samura, who won our actioning game and a free place at our September workshop with Isher!

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In June, award-winning director Lloyd Eyre-Morgan (Departures, Eastenders, S.A.M) will be joining me in London for our last workshop before the summer break. We will be workshopping an original film script - a chance to work on completely new characters and scenes for the screen.

*7th/8th June 2025 - SOLD OUT - WAITING LIST ONLY*

Join the Waiting List

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As above, if you would like a place at our workshop with Isher Sahota when we return in September to London - booking is now open.

*London 20th/21st September 2025 -  LIMITED SPACES AVAILABLE*

Book Here

Book Now Pay Later

My Ideas

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The only way to truly improve as an actor is to cultivate inspiration and practice.

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I agreed to be on a panel of creatives recently, answering questions posed by MA acting and directing students. Most of the people on the panel spent the time complaining about the arts council. Whilst I understand this need to complain, it is a zero sum game. Someone on the panel then gave an impassioned speech which ended with, ‘there is nothing more important than what we do.’ Instead of mentioning people that save the lives of children, I decided to leave early.

Perspective.

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If you haven’t heard of him, check out Naval Ravikant. In my opinion he is one of the great thinkers of our time.

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Insights

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Naval Ravikant on making a difference:

“There’s nothing worse in society than a lazy man.”

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James Clear on reaching your potential (stolen from his brilliant newsletter):

“Things that keep people from fulfilling their potential:

• Trying to please everyone

• Imitating the desires of others

• Chasing status without questioning why

• Playing superhero and trying to do it all alone

• Dividing attention between too many projects

Which one is most likely to pull you in?”

Can you apply this to acting work?

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Steven Kotler on pursuing true excellence:

“As far as I can tell, the only thing more difficult than the emotional toil of pursuing true excellence is the emotional toil of not pursuing true excellence.”

CMA Actor Spotlight

Manchester regular Eve Phillips recently starred in Love at the Edge Theatre in Chorlton. She gets a whole paragraph of praise in this brilliant review - https://ilovemanchester.com/review-love-at-edge-theatre-review
Fantastic work Eve!

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

Email Us

Message from George

I hope you are gearing yourselves up for summer and awaiting some sunshine and rest, as we wind down until September. I’ve been reflecting on what a great year it has been at CMA and what a community of actors you have built. We have had some great successes from the workshops, and I am very proud to bring affordable workshops to actors by actors, who teach at leading drama schools and institutions across the UK. Young people spend thousands each year studying some of the methods we have explored. I am looking forward to September with Isher’s return after a long Netflix shoot, which I know some of you auditioned for. I’ll make my return to London for the first part of the year.

We have many ideas for the next 12 months at CMA, which include looking at an academy for the next generation of performers, a showcase for Manchester and London, and a few others. I would like to take this opportunity to wish Jude huge success in his venture in Korea and a big thank you to you for joining us on this journey. I will look forward to seeing you in September.

George x

Thanks for reading,

— Majid