RADA Studios facts for kids
Quick facts for kids RADA Studios |
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| Chenies Street, London | |
RADA Studios
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 RADA Studios
Location within London
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| Coordinates | 51°31′14″N 0°07′57″W / 51.520556°N 0.1325°W |
| Type | Drill Hall |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1882 |
| Built for | War Office |
| Architect | Samuel Knight |
| In use | 1882–present |
RADA Studios is a cool place in Bloomsbury, London, where people learn about acting and put on shows. It used to be called The Drill Hall. This building is owned by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), which is a famous school for actors.
Inside RADA Studios, you'll find rooms where actors practice their lines and movements. There are also meeting rooms and a special theatre called the Studio Theatre, which can seat 200 people. It's a busy hub for creative arts!
Contents
A Look Back: The History of RADA Studios
The building we now know as RADA Studios has a long and interesting history. It was first built in 1882. A person named Samuel Knight designed it.
Early Days as a Drill Hall
When it was first built, the building was the main office for a group called the St Giles's and St George's Bloomsbury Rifles. These were like local soldiers who trained there.
In the early 1900s, something really exciting happened. A famous dance group from Russia, called the Ballets Russes, used the building to practice their amazing shows. Imagine famous dancers rehearsing right there!
In 1908, the original soldier group moved out. Another group of soldiers, the 12th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (The Rangers), moved in. They used the Drill Hall as their base.
World War I and II
When World War I started in August 1914, the soldiers from this battalion gathered at the Drill Hall. From there, they went to fight on the Western Front.
Later, in 1937, the building became home to The Rangers, The King’s Royal Rifle Corps. During World War II, the hall was used for popular shows called Gang Shows, created by Ralph Reader. These shows helped keep spirits up during the war.
Changes and New Beginnings
After another change in 1947, the unit based there was renamed The Rangers, The Rifle Brigade. But in 1960, this group joined with another, and the Drill Hall became empty for a while.
In the 1960s, the building was even used as an art gallery! The Tate Gallery held an exhibition there.
Becoming an Arts Centre
In 1977, the building started a new life as an arts centre for the local area. By the 1980s, it had become a proper theatre, known simply as The Drill Hall. It was a place where many different kinds of plays and artistic works were shown.
For many years, The Drill Hall was a busy place for theatre and community events. It received some funding from the Arts Council England to help it run. However, in late 2007, the Arts Council decided to stop this funding. This meant the Drill Hall had to find new ways to support itself.
From 2009 to 2011, a theatre college called The Musical Theatre Academy was based at The Drill Hall. They later moved to a different location.
RADA Takes Over
In January 2012, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) took over the lease of the building. RADA had big plans for the venue. They wanted to use it for their own rehearsals and classes. They also wanted to rent out the space to others. This helps RADA earn money to keep their charity running.
Today, the entire venue can be rented from RADA. The 200-seat Studio Theatre is a great space. The BBC has even used it to record radio shows, like Cabin Pressure, in front of a live audience. So, it's still a very active and important place for the arts!
