Actor Mark is giving back to youth theatre that ‘changed his life’
The Last Kingdom star chats to PACE members
Paisley actor Mark Rowley – who stars in Netflix series The Last Kingdom – has kick-started a programme of events that will see PACE Youth Theatre’s alumni deliver online tutorials to members.
Mark, who has also appeared in National Theatre of Scotland’s The James Plays and BBC Scotland’s River City, took over the Instagram page of PACE Youth Theatre on Saturday evening.
While live, he answered questions about his training, film and theatre projects, his method and approach, and shared the tips and hints that have helped him along the way.
Explaining that he was delighted to take part in the Q&A, Mark said: “PACE gave me so much confidence and self belief growing up.
“When I didn’t have vision and felt a bit lost as a young teenager, they gave me a focus and a drive to pursue a dream that I thought was unattainable.
“It changed my life, and it’s great to be able to give something back.”
Mark’s Instagram takeover is one of a series of events planned as part of the A Change of PACE online programme, developed in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
He will also be delivering some online masterclasses to young actors from PACE’s membership.
They will cover monologues and audition techniques and include a text analysis of Ibsen’s Ghost.
Other members of the alumni to get involved in the scheme include award- winning actor and PACE patron James McArdle, director
Jordan Blackwood and writer/actor Daniel Cameron.
New York- based actor Marcus Crawford Guy has also agreed to run a masterclass for members - something that would not have ordinarily been possible due to the distance.
A Change of PACE is the Paisley youth theatre’s online response to the pandemic.
It aims to ensure that all members of its creative community are supported during these difficult times.
It comprises an exciting programme of creative learning opportunities customised for different ages, including tasks and challenges for members to do at home, regular videos, live chats, and links to plays and theatre to watch online.
Jenni Mason, artistic director of
PACE, said: “This is such a strange and difficult time for everyone and I think it is particularly hard for young people.
“We recognise what a challenging time this is and we want PACE to continue to offer a creative outlet for our members and to provide a supportive online environment to help you through all this.
“We believe that at a time like this, the arts have an absolutely key role to play, being creative can provide a fantastic outlet for young people and it can also provide a way for them to process and explore what is happening around us.”
A Change of PACE is offered to members on a donate-what-youcan basis, to ensure all members are able to access the content regardless of their financial situation, which the charity recognises could be impacted considerably by coronavirus.
It gave me a focus to pursue a dream that I thought was unattainable