Repertory Theater and Radio
Despite Anna’s early success in Musical Theatre, she was keen to move into television and film work. In 1993 in an attempt to be "taken more seriously" by the industry, she began a three year full time Acting BA at one of the UK’s most respected acting school’s, The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
She graduated as Student of the Year in 1996 and won the Chesterton Award. This brought with it a contract to work at the prestigious Bristol Old Vic Theatre.
The Beaux Stratagem
The Marat Sade
Anna immediately made her mark in roles in The Beaux Stratagem and The Marat/Sade working with resident director Andy Hay, who would, ten years later cast her in his TV movie Whatever it Takes.
Whilst at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School Anna’s vocal ability made a big impression on a visiting radio producer and coach, Shaun MacLoughlin. Upon graduation, Shaun cast her in The Hearts and Lives of Men for BBC Radio 4 which was narrated by it’s author Fay Weldon and voiced by a stella cast.
This was followed by guest spots on Radio 4’s award winning series Bristow, Love and Dissent and the title role in Gaia opposite Lindsay Duncan.
Further Repertory work took Anna to Ipswich in the award winning comedy Dead Funny by Terry Johnson. Her performance was singled out by reviewers as being...
“a perfectly timed and executed portrayal of (the character) Lisa...”
Dead Funny
Shaun MacLoughlin later cast Anna in an Oscar Wilde Trilogy for Penguin Audio Books which won several audio book awards in the USA.
Anna can be heard playing Mabel Chiltern opposite Sir Dereck Jacobi in An Ideal Husband and Cecily Cardew in The Importance of Being Earnest opposite Miriam Margolyes and Greg Wise.