Aida Foster Theatre School Explained

The Aida Foster Theatre School for drama, dance and education was founded by Aida Foster in 1929 as a hobby to teach dancing. It expanded over the years to become one of Britain's foremost stage schools.

Many stage and film personalities of the 20th century received their professional education and arranged their first employment through the school. Run by Aida, and later by her daughter Anita Foster, it catered for three different groups of students: those that undertook dance training only, younger pupils that had full education plus both dancing and drama training, and older students taking drama training only.

The Aida Foster School supplied many of the pantomime "babes" (children's choruses and parts) for the West End Christmas shows of the 1950s.^[1] They also obtained modelling contracts for many of the juveniles.

Foster had started a theatrical agency associated with the school in 1944. Following the death of her husband she closed the school in 1970 to concentrate on the agency with her daughter Anita.^[2]

The school was situated on Finchley Road in Golders Green, north London, just north of the junction with Golders Green Road.

Alumni

Notable alumni include:

• film actress Jean Simmons
• Carry On actress Barbara Windsor
• actress Kate O'Mara
• actress Vicki Michelle
• actress Shirley Eaton
• singer and actress Elaine Paige
• singer and actress Marti Webb (who became Head Girl)^[3]
• actress Dilys Laye
• actress Moiya Kelly^[4]
• artist Sara Leighton
• actress Perlita Neilson
• child actor and musician Paul Layton^[5]
• actor Robin Davies^[6]
• actresses Linda and Jane Hayden

External links

• BritishPathe Aida Foster School video newsreel film

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Notes and References

1. Web site: Pantomime Chorus and Juveniles. its-behind-you.com. 2 August 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101124045044/http://its-behind-you.com/chorus.html. 24 November 2010. live.
2. "Theatre school closes... 40 years on." Times [London, England] 20 January 1970: 8. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 26 October 2013.
3. Web site: 20 Questions With…Marti Webb . Editorial Staff . 9 February 2004 . WhatsOnStage.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140822024922/http://www.whatsonstage.com/west-end-theatre/news/02-2004/20-questions-withmarti-webb_25486.html . 22 August 2014 .
4. Cast list for Master Crooks, theatre programme for the Comedy Theatre (1951), The Glenn Christodoulou Theatre Collection
5. Web site: pauls biog. thenewseekers.com. 30 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20131030171252/http://www.thenewseekers.com/new_seekers_web_site_331.htm. 30 October 2013. live.
6. Web site: Robin Davies: Actor who found fame alongside Wendy Craig and Catweazle. The Independent. London. 23 October 2011. 19 September 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171007021208/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/robin-davies-actor-who-found-fame-alongside-wendy-craig-and-catweazle-1969891.html. 7 October 2017. live.