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Young acting hopefuls say scholarships with Inverness-based TFX Performing Arts Academy are growing in confidence


By Louise Glen

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TFX competition winners with their certificates, Old Hall, Inverness...Mark Maclennan, Molly Newell, Alicia Curtis and Spike Coates (front)...Picture: Callum Mackay..
TFX competition winners with their certificates, Old Hall, Inverness...Mark Maclennan, Molly Newell, Alicia Curtis and Spike Coates (front)...Picture: Callum Mackay..

TFX Performing Arts Academy students, who won the Karen Gillan in association with the Inverness Courier scholarships, are making real progress.

Four pupils, who were chosen for a year's free classes by the Hollywood actress for showing real talent in acting, dance and singing, say their confidence is growing.

Ms Gillan is a former pupil of Inverness-based TFX Performing Arts Academy, and wanted to support students to access free lessons for a year. The Inverness Courier supported Ms Gillan and TFX to promote the initiative.

In August, Alicia Curtis (18) from Culloden Academy, Mark Maclennan (15) from Buckie, Spike Coates (12) from Moray and Molly Rose Newell (12) from Culbokie were chosen from more than 100 hopefuls to attend classes for a year.

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Of the four pupils, Ms Gillan said Alicia showed an "amazing energy when she dances".

Alicia said the classes were already helping her to broaden the range of skills she had to take her to acting college after her gap year.

She said: "I am taking a gap year this year and I am working in Miele's Gelateria in the city centre – so it is really close to get to the hall where my acting lessons are.

"I had focussed on dancing in the past and I have taken classes with TFX before. But the scholarship is opening up other areas of training and I am really enjoying it.

"It has been going really well.

"In drama we have been working on different monologues. It is really pushing me to learn about contemporary monolouges, I have been working on one from the musical A Chorus Line. We have been doing them over a few weeks. The first week is to source a monologue and the next is to improve the way we are delivering them, and then we are performing them in front of the class.

"It is all new for me, as I have mainly concentrated on dance in the past. I am really enjoying the drama classes.

"I go to other classes in performance and in commercial dance. I am getting so much out of it.

The photo shared by TFX Performing Arts Academy of karen Gillan's first performance in Seasons of Love on stage at the Eden Court Theatre and Cinema.
The photo shared by TFX Performing Arts Academy of karen Gillan's first performance in Seasons of Love on stage at the Eden Court Theatre and Cinema.

"I am applying to university to do performing arts next year - so this extra training is really important for me."

Ms Gillan described Mark Maclennan as having a future on the big screen, she said: "I could see him on screen in the future, with a little training."

Mark said he was enjoying the classes and looking for acting opportunities. He said: "It is really great training, I am learning new skills which will hopefully help me get into movies and to get some acting experience.

"I have done a few local plays and I have started going to lots of auditions. The extra lessons in Musical Theatre are really helpful."

He added: "Karen Gillan's feedback was really lovely, and it has made me believe in myself."

Spike Coates' mum Nicola said her son was facing a number of serious health issues at the moment, and the classes were giving him more confidence.

From the Moray area, Karen Gillan called Spike "funny," saying: "So creative and natural in his acting".

Nicola said: "He is really loving the classes with TFX.

TFX competition winners with their certificates, Old Hall, Inverness...Mark Maclennan, Molly Newell, Spike Coates and Alicia Curtis...Picture: Callum Mackay..
TFX competition winners with their certificates, Old Hall, Inverness...Mark Maclennan, Molly Newell, Spike Coates and Alicia Curtis...Picture: Callum Mackay..

"He wants to be an actor in the future and the classes are helping him to achieve his dreams.

"Karen's words about Spike were really nice, he has been offered a great opportunity."

Ms Gillian said Molly Rose had a "really nice tone to her voice".

Mum Rosin said Molly Rose, who is from Culbokie and attends Fortrose Academy, is "singing again".

She said: "Molly Rose has really enjoyed the classes so far and being part of TFX has boosted her confidence.

"During the lockdown when she missed her friends she stopped singing. Like many young people the lockdown was very hard on them, they were missing their friends

"She needed a boost to get her back into singing. I can not thank TFX enough. It is the same for most children during lockdown - because all of their activities were cancelled.

"She runs and did athletics and all of a sudden everything stopped. She stopped all of the things she did, and it really was hard.

Rosin added: ""She is really starting to come into her own and being part of the group is really important to her.

"TFX has re-invigorated her and she is loving it."

To find out more about TFX visit www.tfxperform.com.

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