Theatre schools are in crisis. More must be done to nurture young talent like Owen Cooper across the country
As well as the urgent social problems raised by Adolescence – online misogyny and radicalisation – the show’s phenomenal success has drawn attention to a growing cultural issue: the importance of grassroots drama schools and clubs, and working-class representation on TV.
Last Sunday, 15-year-old Owen Cooper became the youngest male actor to win an Emmy, for his performance as the teenage murder suspect Jamie Miller. Amid the celebrations, the founders of Drama MOB in Manchester, where Cooper attended weekly classes for two years, rightly pointed out the crucial part this training played in landing him the role, an impact the young actor acknowledged in his acceptance speech.
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