Beth grew up in Liverpool and came to UCL to study for a BA in Classical Archaeology and Classical Civilisation. She had always been passionate about acting but living in Bloomsbury, on the doorstep of many great London theatres, meant she could immerse herself in the theatre scene.
When a friend at UCL asked Beth if she could choreograph her production of Parade, she decided to go for it. The show secured her an award at the National Student Drama Festival, where she also met a professional choreographer, who gave her the opportunity to do another show. A theatre career beckoned, something she hadn’t thought possible before.
The choreographer basically took a chance on me and said, ‘why don’t you do this professionally? If you want it to happen, you can make it happen.’ This echoed exactly what all my lecturers at UCL were saying.
More auditions came in and, after graduating from UCL in 2015, Beth trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. She has been a professional actor ever since, performing in shows such as Hadestown at the National Theatre and in the West End, West Side Story and A Chorus Line at the Leicester Curve, and Macbeth at Shakespeare’s Globe.
She credits UCL with ignting both her love of musical theatre and intellectual curiosity:
I definitely wouldn’t be who I am today or in the career I’m in without having gone to UCL. I loved having tutorials in the British Museum. UCL taught me to be curious, which in my opinion is one of the most important parts of being an actor.
This desire to learn remains with her, on her days off she is “always in a museum”.
Beth was also a disabilities representative at UCL, and she continues to champion disabled voices in the acting industry, saying that she’s “most proud of everyone that’s ever reached out or messaged me to ask for advice.”
Growing up, I never saw anyone who looks like me performing. It’s so important, especially for younger people with disabilities, to see that a performing arts career is possible even if you don’t look quite like everyone else.
Her advice for current students and aspiring theatre actors? “Be curious and be open.”
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