in Bentham Court on Ecclesbourne Road. By 1975 she had 1,000 pupils and 5,000 on the waiting list, so moved to the custom converted mission hall on Barnsbury Road in 1976, when the performing arts school was established as an independent charity. Scher's teaching style produces what critics call a natural delivery, but Scher comments that she just uses their natural voice. Of her improvisation technique, she told Simon Hattenstone of The Guardian in 2004: In 2000, Scher suffered ill health and stepped down during her recovery period. Scher was never reinstated as head of the theatre, despite a vociferous campaign led by her and her supporters, The Friends of Anna Scher. In 2005, the remaining staff and board set up a new school but Anna Scher went on to continue her theatre school under her own name at the nearby Blessed Sacrament Church Hall, Islington. Since 2009, the Anna Scher Theatre has been teaching from the St Silas Church in Islington and classes are run 3 days a week by Anna Scher and former pupil Bernie Burdis, who together have taught for over 30 years. Alumni The school has trained many actors who went on to star in the soap opera EastEnders, including Martin Kemp, Gillian Taylforth, Patsy Palmer, Sid Owen, Natalie Cassidy, Jake Wood, Susan Tully, Tilly Vosburgh and Brooke Kinsella. Scher also trained Oscar-winning actor Daniel Kaluuya, and he thanked her in his BAFTA award winning speech. References Literature Anna Scher (1988), Desperate to Act, Collins, . Anna Scher & Charles Verrall (1975),100+ Ideas for Drama, Heinemann Educational, . Anna Scher & Charles Verrall (1976), First Act: Drama Kit, Ward Lock Educational, . Anna Scher & Charles Verrall (1987), Another 100+ Ideas for Drama, Heinemann Educational, . Anna Scher & Charles Verrall (1992), 200+ Ideas for Drama, Heinemann Educational, . External links Official website for the Anna Scher Theatre Drama classes Official Agency website for the Anna Scher Theatre and Anna Scher Drama schools in London Education in the London Borough of Islington Youth theatre companies Performing groups established in 1968