East-Ender is aiming to help stars of the future

22 July 2010

THE THRILL of performing on stage is something experienced by a relative minority, but it is so compelling there is nothing else quite like it.

Name in lights, public accolades, life in the fast lane, wealth! Well perhaps not wealth, but it is something that gets the pulse racing and the butterflies tingling.

Most professional actors and actresses accept the strange ways of their profession. When work is available, the champagne flows, the rest of the time it can be as mundane as shelf stacking at the local supermarket.

An actress who has seen both sides is "EastEnder" Carly Hillman.

Having experienced the highs of the other side of the stage door and loved every minute, the successful actress is now turning her attention to bringing her passion for theatre to a younger audience.

Carly is best known as the teenager who set the screens alight in EastEnders playing Nikki Di Marco and bubbled high in the fanzine list for the three years she was in the BBC series.

Having tasted the high life and spent some years touring, Hornchurch-based Carly is embarking on a new course and combining her love of acting with the thrill of bringing the joys of her profession to young minds.

"I am starting a Stage School," she said. "I have been thinking about it for some time. I have had a wonderful time in this profession and it's a way of giving something back."

Carly plans to launch her Act One Stage School in September taking youngsters from five to 16 for the three disciplines of Acting, Singing and Dancing.

"I got so much from stage schools when I was younger," she said. "They gave me everything - confidence, a sense of achievement - but more importantly, it was so much fun and I still have so many happy memories."

She says if her school has a motto then this will be blazoned on the front door. "It's going to be fun".

"The one thing there is no doubt about, is it is a hard career," said Carly. "But travelling on that road is brilliant.

"I enjoy watching young talent blossoming and get a real buzz when the youngsters realise just what that are achieving.

"It's all about confidence and encouragement and that is so important when you are maturing."

Carly was thrust into the limelight at 14 in EastEnders, and admits that looking back, she did not realise what was happening.

"I was a teenager having bags of fun," she said. "It was one big holiday. Not work, just fun.

"What I did not realise was just how much, and when the family were written out of the series I was left with a bit of a void.

"Some of the others were contacting their agents and going for auditions, and it took my mum to suggest I did the same."

The learning curve of losing the limelight and trying to get back in was difficult and has served to set Carly's mind precisely on how she is going to approach her venture.

"The ages of my students will be the most difficult as they mature and begin to appreciate who and what they are," she said.

"I found the change a bit difficult so, apart from teaching the highs, I will be rounding off the whole experience as it can be quite daunting if you are not ready."

Carly will be teaching acting and she is bringing in two other well-known names to teach other disciplines.

Queen's Theatre actress Gemma Salter is bringing her singing talents to school along with Evie Downer, who spent time with the exciting winners of 'Britain's Got Talent,' competition, dance act Diversity.

Gemma received rave reviews for her lead role in the Ray Davies musical at the Theatre Royal, Stratford called "Come Dancing" based on the famous Ilford Palais.

Planning for the opening, Carly has devoted most of her time to setting up her dream.

"Acting is a passion and I just want to share the fun I have had," she said.

Act One Stage School will be opening at Marshalls Park School, Pettits Lane, Romford, on Saturday mornings.

Full details can be obtained from their website www.Act One Stage School.