An American Actress in London

Video games, voice overs and writing

2012-05-10T22:09:00.000+01:00

MoCap suit and headcam

It is apparently spring but London weather is just laughing at us all. I have comforted myself with a leather jacket. And two summer holidays to sunnier lands.

But for those of you who aren't daunted by the rainiest April/May in a century, let's talk London acting. It's been a good year for work so far. Since January I've done three video games (two with motion capture, one just voice) and regularly get voice overs through my excellent agent, Hobson's. I auditioned for another game last week (top secret for now) and I've got a TV movie casting tomorrow. ALL of this with my natural American accent - there is indeed work for us Yanks here! In fact I've written an article about just that called Adventures in Lycra in the May issue of The American magazine.

On the screenwriting front I wrote a 10 minute short film called Gelert for It's My Shout Script Call 2012. Out of 150 scripts submitted, six will be professionally produced and aired on BBC Wales. This year they allowed entries from non-Welsh writers too and although my script didn't make the final six it was shortlisted.

I'm in the midst of rewriting my entry for the 50 Kisses Competition for London Screenwriter's Festival 2012. The rules: write a two page screenplay set on Valentine's Night and contain at least one kiss. It's been a fun challenge to fit a complete story into two pages.

Right. Enough about me. I've promised you tips. Here's one:

If you are a North American in London and interested in voice work, get yourself a VO reel and send it out to agents NOW. There is a surprising amount of work to be had but only if you get your voice heard. I let YEARS go by before I got my sh*t together, made a reel and actually got it in front of people. I highly recommend JP at The Showreel. I got the Agent Pack from him and have been hugely pleased. Partly because of that reel, voiceovers have been my main source of income in 2012.

Acting: DC to London

2012-02-28T09:03:00.002Z

Hey everyone, thanks for your patience - I know it's been nearly 7 months since I've posted. Baby has been keeping me busy.

Thought I'd start with answering some questions a reader sent me many months ago. She's an actress from my home state of Maryland, got her BFA two years ago and is currently acting and writing in NYC:

1) How did your networking transfer from the US to the UK? Did you have to start over or could people in DC refer you?
When I first moved to London I had only two UK connections that I got from colleagues in DC: a British director who I worked with at The Folger Theatre and the uncle of an actor I knew from the Studio Theatre. Fortunately both were very helpful. The director, also an actor, recommended me to the first agency that took me on. My friend's uncle is an well-known American actor here. He not only showed me the ropes and became a dear friend, but was also a major reason I got cast opposite him in Oleanna at the Bolton Octagon (which turned out to be one of the most rewarding theatre experiences I've ever had).

So, yes I had some help which was invaluable, but I did essentially have to start all over again. Even my training and credits that were currency in DC didn't really translate in London. Networking is everything - so mine your contacts for anyone with a UK connection. You never know how it could help.

2) How many years had you worked in DC before moving to the UK?
Five years.

3) How did you find representation in the UK?
As I mentioned before, my director friend recommended me to an agency then I invited them to see me in Twelfth Night the Musical in Edinburgh. After that I had an interview and they took me on.

4) Are there many American roles available in the UK?
There are, but unfortunately quite a lot of British people get them. Or American celebs who fancy working in London. Yet, I have worked so there are roles and the pool of good American actors here is fairly small. Once you make yourself known as a strong American actor it becomes a little easier. But that takes time, persistence and hard work. And networking, strategy and intelligence. And youth and beauty don't hurt.

5) Are there many American actors in the UK?
There are a fair amount of North Americans over here, but only a small percentage work regularly. It can be done but it is a challenge. If you're young and able to go to drama school here in London that will be a big advantage. Also, American men seem to work more often than women but that's true whether you're American or not.

But let's end on a positive note. Yes it's hard but I know several North American actors in London who have inspiring careers here. Some have worked at the RSC, the Royal Court, the West End, have thriving VO and video game careers, and a few regularly work in film and television. It can be done! Be bold, be brave, be positive and go for it.

Baby, Voiceovers & Edinburgh Fringe Festival

2011-08-21T10:48:00.000+01:00

BABY
Once again it's been months since last post. The excuse this time? A brand new baby boy. Cornelius Xan Brandreth, born 7th July. (He is mine by the way, I didn't just find a baby so I could use him as an excuse not to blog. That would be quite an effort just to avoid writing.) He came two weeks early and he's now six weeks old and healthy. He is that same baby boy who had his London stage debut while still in the womb back in May. I specifically wrote Judgment Day for SHORTS at the Landor Theatre so I could play a pregnant angel. (I didn't get pregnant just to have a believable bump on stage. That would be quite an effort just for some verisimilitude). Motherhood is going well and is predictably tiring yet exciting. According to Babycentre.co.uk he'll be smiling in two weeks. Good times.

VOICEOVERS
The other good news is that Hobsons are now looking after me for voiceover work. I signed with them back in March 2011, as they were looking for more Americans. Apparently there is a growing market for us Yanks. And - perfect for new moms - for most VO jobs there's no audition; clients just listen to your demo. So if I get work, I just turn up on the day. In fact I had a job booked for 7th July from 3-4pm and I thought, 'I'm not due until the 20th. What is the likelihood I'll give birth during that hour on that day?' And at 11am on the 7th my husband had to phone Hobsons to say, "I'm terribly sorry, but Kosha won't be able to make the job today. I think she's about to move into second stage labour." Turns out that is a totally acceptable reason to bail on a job. But I did need to send baby pictures after.

EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL
And that brings us to today. Little Cornelius and I are up in Edinburgh for the Fringe Festival as my husband, Benet Brandreth, is starring in his one-man show The Brandreth Papers. It began at Tall Tales in Kilburn, a night of comic stories and songs run by the talented writer Robert Hudson. (Incidentally, Tall Tales now has its own monthly podcast at listenandoften.com.)

I am pleased to report that The Brandreth Papers is a five-star hit, an official Scotsman 'Hot Show' and is now regularly selling out. The Daily Telegraph says, "Benet Brandreth ... is on fine, dinner-jacketed form in this delightfully surreal series of tall tales, taking in his (imagined) time as a Hollywood hunk, feted conceptual artist, and rescuer of the Duke of Edinburgh from a most invidious fate." If you're at the festival, you can book tickets to see it at 6pm at the Gilded Balloon Teviot until 29th August.

North Americans - the festival is an excellent way to get your work seen - whether you're writing and/or acting. Yes it's expensive, competitive, the weather is crap and on some days you may play to an audience smaller than your cast BUT Edinburgh is a fantastic city to explore and if you do well and get some glowing reviews... well who knows. All I can say is that lots of current hot actors and comedians get their start here. Visit www.edfringe.com for more details.

SHORTS at the Landor Theatre

2011-05-11T16:50:00.001+01:00

Script Frenzy is finally over, the 105 page first draft of my screenplay is complete, and I've moved on to the next project - SHORTS. My attempt at productivity is really just to the distract from the panic of being a new mother (first baby due in July). Also, it's been nigh on impossible to get acting work as a preggo. Hence the writing and voice over efforts.

SHORTS is an exciting ongoing event for new writing at the Landor Theatre, now in its third year. I wrote and performed a monologue called Deadly Sins for the inaugural show Behind Closed Doors back in summer of 2009, and now there's a new show in just 11 days!

This time I've written a two-hander. It's a comedy called Judgment Day about a call centre angel who faces eternal damnation when her boss finds out she's knocked up. I will be said angel, my stage husband from When Harry Met Sally, Luke Rutherford, plays my boss and the excellent Lucy Newman-Willliams is directing. Here's the lowdown:

SHORTS: Unfamiliar
Four plays and one monologue
Sunday 22nd & Monday 23rd May @ 8pm

Writers: Rosalind Adler, Liz Heery
Writer/Actors: Kosha Engler, Magali Muxart & Sara Stockbridge, Sandy Walsh
Actors: Mary Conlon, Edmund Dehn, Liz Felton, Luke Rutherford, Peter Saracen, Katie Wimpenny
Tickets: £10, book online at www.landortheatre.co.uk
Venue: The Landor Theatre, 70 Landor Road, Clapham, London SW9 9PH

Script Frenzy 2011

2011-04-14T10:18:00.001+01:00

Hey everybody,

Once again I've been slacking on the posting and this time the reason is Script Frenzy. It's a free international writing event in which participants take on the challenge of writing 100 pages of scripted material over 30 days in April. So far I'm up to 39 pages and aim to do another 5 by the end of today. If you're a fellow screnzy-er, my username is kengler. Stop by and say hello.

I'm also working on the third draft of Judgment Day, a 10-minute duologue I'm writing and performing for the next SHORTS at the Landor Theatre in Clapham. Sunday 22nd & Monday 23rd May at 8pm.

Ross Reports - UK Equivalent?

2011-02-26T18:51:00.003Z

This question came in from Allison, a US/UK dual national who spent the past eight years working as an actress in New York.

Q: How do you figure out which TV series are in production in London, and how do you keep tabs on that? In NY, that was so easy - I'd just consult Ross Reports. I'd often discover several cable-channel series I'd never heard of were currently being shot, and thus be able to tell my agent I think I'd fit in well, or contact the casting directors and get auditions that way. Or I'd simply start watching the series to get familiar with it should I get an audition in future.

But here in London, this seems impossible. Since I barely grew up here, I don't automatically know what TV series are new and being made, and which ones were cancelled last year. Also, the word "drama" here seems to apply to both "one-off" TV specials, as well as drama series. So I've made the mistake several times of contacting a casting director about a show I assumed to be a series, but it was just a one-off production. How embarassing! Thus, its very hard to know even what to look up in IMDB or which casting directors to look up. British actors seem to automatically know what is current on TV. One actor mentioned that maybe Equity has a list of at least films in production, but wasn't sure.

A: Yes, to my knowledge there is no Ross Reports equivalent over here, which is frustrating. The way I keep on top of stuff is through word of mouth with other actors, by asking my agent, and funny enough by reading the Sky magazine that comes in the mail as part of my Sky subscription. The Sky magazine has feature articles about new shows and lists everything that's currently airing including details about the show, who's in it, who directed and such. Now it's not ideal because usually the shows have already been made, and are not in production and therefore casting is often complete but it's a good way to get on top of shows here.

One-off dramas are harder to get wind of unless you know lots of people in the industry but once a series is announced it's fair game to write to the casting director and suggest yourself for upcoming episodes. You can find their details in Contacts 2011. While you're at it, why not look up production companies, check out their websites and research what they're producing - be it TV or film?

You can also check out www.tvguide.co.uk and read about TV shows at the Time Out London website. You might also have a look at TV/Film industry magazines like Empire which sometimes announce projects in production, from there you might be able to find out who's casting with a little internet searching.

And if you're a member of Spotlight.com, they've just announced the launch of The Spotlight Link Board - where casting professionals will be able to post details of forthcoming jobs which they want to share with ALL performers, regardless of their agency representation. That means every Spotlight member will have the option to view these casting opportunities.

Back on the case

2011-02-23T20:04:00.009Z

Hey everybody,

Well it's been over a year since my last entry but I'm officially back on the case. Absence due to 6 months of touring the UK then Blogger migration issues, which I have finally sorted out.

I've received quite a few questions from you all since I've been away and I plan to answer them all here on the blog. Apologies for the delay.

If you have any new questions about being a North American in the UK - send 'em on over!

My news since that last entry in January 2010, if you wanna know:

The When Harry Met Sally tour was great fun and it was fantastic to perform in so many different theatres across the country. We finished in Dublin this past July.

I'll be appearing as Dr. Becky Davis in Mermaids: A Body Found, a one off TV drama produced by Darlow Smithson, airing on Animal Planet in May 2011.

I've voiced some new video games: Elements of War, Star Wars: The Old Republic and Driver: San Francisco.

I'm in negotiations with a new voice over agent; details to follow.

That's it for now - more posts coming soon.

When Harry Met Sally

2010-01-17T10:37:00.005Z

Just got the call on Friday - from February to June 2010 I'll be on a No 1 UK Tour of When Harry Met Sally aka 'I'll have what she's having.'

I'll be playing Marie - the Carrie Fisher role in the film - and understudying Sally. I'll be going on as Sally at least once on Friday 14th May at the Manchester Opera House.

Based on the West End production, the show is directed by Michael Gyngell for Jamie Wilson productions and features Coronation Street's Rupert Hill as Harry and Sarah Jayne Dunn from Hollyoaks as Sally.

Show website: www.whenharrymetsallytour.com

Now must clear the decks for rehearsals on Monday. In a mere 2.5 weeks we open at the Wakefield Theatre Royal!

Keeping track of auditions & contacts

2009-12-28T15:51:00.007Z

I hope you all had a good Christmas holiday. Sorry to be so slow with new postings this month. I was preoccupied with rehearsing a production of Edmond by David Mamet, working on my new screenplay and as usual getting sucked into Christmas madness. But enough about that.

Edwin, an American actor who's recently moved to London from New York posted this question last month:

Q: 'I've always been terrible at keeping track of who I've met, auditions, bookings, etc, no matter which method I try. I thought I'd try to be better after moving here, and still struggle to keep track. I recently was reading this new website, which seems to be associated to various products too: www.thesavvyactor.com/savvy_products.php

The Protalent software seemed to be what I'm looking for (although I'm guessing that its mapping service is only for US). Have you heard anything about it, or know anyone who uses it? www.protalentsoftware.com/ptp_features_auditions.html

Or, do you have any advice of your own regarding keeping track of auditions, contacts, etc?'

A: I wholeheartedly agree that you should be keeping detailed records of every single audition and every industry person you meet. In my view, good record-keeping is as vital as honing your craft. The entertainment industry is so much about who you know, and effective networking leads to WORK. And that is what we're after, right? Yes, we love acting but it is also a business and we must treat it as such.

So how do you keep good records? The method is not as important as just doing it consistently. I haven't tried the two programs you mention although they do look great. If they have demos, give them a try and see if they work for you.

Although I'd like to upgrade my method to something more high tech, here's what I do now.

For auditions:
Every year I create a Word document divided into 7 columns: date, project, role, type, look/dress, comments, agent feedback, got the job?. Then, as I go through the year I can look through my auditions and start to get a picture of how my career is progressing - what's my hit rate, what sort of roles I go up for, which casting directors keep calling me in, if I get similar notes at auditions, if I don't get jobs - why not, am I getting a balanced range of theatre, TV, film and commerical auditions or is it more one thing than another?, etc. Then based on that information I can make a plan of attack - I need to improve my on-camera auditions, I want to go up for more theatre, I need to improve my English accent, etc.
Here's a sample audition record:
Date: 12 Feb 09
Project: US TV Pilot: Eastwick - Warner Brothers /ABC
Role: Joanna Frankel (lead)
Type: Early-mid 30s, American reporter, serious, painfully shy, comic
Look/Dress: Smart casual
Comments: Kate Dowd casting, run by assistant Bernadette. Maggie Friedman is behind the 1 hour show. Memorized both scenes, did them twice. Got a few laughs. Bernadette's comments: 'you showed the changes well, good sight-lines'
Agent feedback: none
Got the job? no

For contacts:
This is super important. You want to start developing long-term relationships with casting directors, directors and producers - because all of these people can get you work. And each time you have an encounter with someone - by phone, by post, by email - you need to be able to remember important details about them and what's gone on between you. The goal is for industry people to know who you are and what you're capable of so when the right job comes up, they'll think of you.
Here's what I do:
- Keep several folders on my hard drive for each category: directors, casting directors, producers, writers, etc.
- For each category, keep a separate document for every person I've met/worked with
- For each contact I create a Word document that contains this info:
name, company, contact details, associates, personal descriptions, personal data, shows previously cast/directed/produced/written. Then for every transaction I list the date and what happened. I review this document before every encounter with that person.
Here's an sample list of transactions for a casting director:
4 April 06 - Met Suzanne for the first time at casting for [TV show], up for role of Janet. Said I read well but was too young - my headshot made me look older. Asked me if I would be a reader for upcoming auditions since she needed an American accent.
10 April 06 - Reader for [TV project] auditions, met Jim the director, had lunch with Suzanne and Jim.
16 May 06 - mailed new headshot - 'hopefully this makes me look my age'
14 Aug 06 - mailed postcard about [current play]
29 Aug 06 - Suzanne called me to ask if I would play the lead in a reading of a film script
01 Sep 06 - in-house reading of film script. Met several actors and had discussion afterward about script.
AND SO ON
You'll start to see very quickly how your relationship is progressing and whether your post or email announcements have an effect - often they do.

Perhaps this could be one of your 2010 resolutions - Get on top of your record-keeping. Good luck!

Leave to Enter - TV Show

2009-12-02T10:02:00.006Z

First, a belated Happy Thanksgiving to all the Yanks reading this.
Now, today I've got an excellent treat for you. I had the pleasure of working with the funny and talented Sean McConaghy while doing Women of Manhattan at the Old Red Lion. He is, like me, an American actor living in London. We got to talking during rehearsal and I asked what else he was working on and he said he was writing and starring in his own web-based TV show called Leave to Enter. Wow, I thought. That's proactive. Sure beats waiting for work to come to you. So he sent me the link, I watched episode 1 "Be Agreeable" and thought it was great.

I highly recommend you watch it, so here's the low down:

The website: www.leavetoenter.com

The plot: Leave To Enter is the hilarious, new web-based TV show following the adventures of Sean McCaffrey, an Irish-American living in London, unsure if he's allowed to be in the country or not. While trying to make it as a chef, he's generally trying to get out of whatever trouble he's got himself into on that particular day. Helping (or hindering) his efforts are his Irish girlfriend Donnla, her combative sister Marie, Londoner Will and his Icelandic sidekick Mel, the “famous” Ben Aldridge and a whole swathe of friends from all walks of life.

Have fun watching and if you enjoy it, spread the word!

Accent Coaching for Actors

2009-11-12T10:49:00.006Z

In my effort to perfect my British RP (Received Pronunciation), I have stumbled upon a seemingly excellent website called The Voice Cafe at www.thevoicecafe.net.

It looks like it'll be particularly useful for actors who have auditions at short notice and need quick access to recordings of English accents from Britain, America, Australia and New Zealand.

For each accent there are several monologues with phonetic breakdowns, simple vowels, diphthongs, and word linking patterns with consonants and vowel sounds. There's also a self-study e-learning zone or one to one tuition offered online via Skype video. Brilliant!

The accents include male and female recordings of:
British
- London-Cockney
- standard R.P. & conservative R.P.
- Scotland - Glasgow & Edinburgh
- London area
- Northern Irish
- Newcastle/Geordie
- Liverpool/Scouse
- Manchester/Mancunian
- South Wales
Irish
- Southern
American
- General, Midwest & West Coast
- North East Coast
- Deep South
Australian
New Zealand
South African

There are some free areas of the site, but for full access you need to pay a reasonable fee - 1 month $15 USD, 3 months $28 USD, 6 months $50 USD, 1 year $80 USD.

Women of Manhattan Reviews

2009-11-04T10:46:00.009Z

We're into our final week and I thought I'd post some show reviews. Audiences have been great and we're all really enjoying the run.

Book tickets at the Old Red Lion website.

'Southern belle Rhonda Louise, maneater Billie and cheerfully sardonic Judy are engaging characters, vividly portrayed. Kosha Engler's breezily self-lacerating Judy is particularly excellent, chewing up Shanley's sparkling monologues with aplomb. ...scenes have wit to spare.'
TIME OUT

'It may only last 75 minutes but Women of Manhattan packs in a considerable amount of wit and wisdom... The focus of Rhonda Louise and Billie is Judy, given a finely nuanced portrayal by Kosha Engler. ...a very high quality drama about sexual politics that manages to combine humour with insight to great effect. ...the wise should rush to catch this delightful comedy before its run ends.'
BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE

'An intelligent look at the lives of three women who are successful, dynamic and complicated. Each of the characters' layers are slowly unravelled to reveal interesting and relatable people. Performances by all three female leads are excellent... Women of Manhattan is well written, engaging and thoughtful '
ISLINGTON GAZETTE

'Talk about feel-good plays. I have rarely seen a play so infused with love for its characters... irresistable. Lisa Jedan (married), Clara Perez (dumped) and Kosha Engler (horny) give impeccable performances, treading the very delicate line that allows their characters to be witty and truthful without every being bitchy, and leave us desperately wanting all three to live happily ever after.'
THEATRE GUIDE LONDON

'Well played comedy and zippy pacing throughout... an interesting, considered and humorous piece... Kosha Engler... [makes] light work of Judy's navel-gazing with a fleet and bouncy delivery; she has a genuinely comical sense of mounting neurotic despair.'
REMOTE GOAT

'...A charming night out. Kosha Engler shines as 'Fag Hag' Judy, her strong cynical exterior tamed effectively by Victor Perez's alluring Duke.'
DRAMA STUDENT MAGAZINE

'...This show combines witty wisecracks with dramatic confessions and pin points some admittedly cliche but mostly truthful instances concerning the contemporary man/woman psyche.'
FRINGE REVIEW

Women of Manhattan

2009-10-09T08:16:00.008+01:00

Very excited to announce the UK premiere of:

Women of Manhattan
by John Patrick Shanley

In a series of sharply written scenes, the lives and friendships of three women are exposed against the backdrop of a city that disappoints as quickly as it rewards. From the author of Doubt and Moonstruck, Women of Manhattan explores the universal themes of love, loss and getting laid.

From Tuesday 20 October - Saturday 7 November 2009, I'll be playing Judy in this production at the Old Red Lion Theatre.

Director: Sherrill Gow
Cast: Kosha Engler, Lisa Jedan, Sean McConaghy, Clara Perez, Victor Perez
Show times: Tuesday - Saturday at 7:30pm, Saturday and Sunday at 4pm
Tickets: £13/£11, NYC Night is every Friday - tickets are £16 and include a glass of wine and a free programme
Book: Call the box office on 020 7837 7816 or book online at www.ticketweb.co.uk

Deadly Sins at the Landor

2009-09-14T10:19:00.007+01:00

After a sell-out show in July, we're putting on the monologues again. Mine is called 'Deadly Sins' and I'm excited to give it another go. Details:

SHORTS: Behind Closed Doors
Sunday 27th September @ 8pm

The Landor Theatre, 70 Landor Road, Clapham, London SW9 9PH
Tickets £8, Box Office: 020 7737 7276
www.landortheatre.co.uk

An evening of eight short pieces of new writing performed by eight top notch actresses.

Writers: Christopher Durang, Laura FitzGerald, James Graham, Anthony Newell and Lucy Newman-Williams

Writer/Performers: Kosha Engler, Lesley Clare O'Neill, Sara Stockbridge and Amanda Symonds

Performers: Jenny Bolt, Di Botcher, Janet Prince, Sadie Shimmin

Driving theory test: preparation

2009-09-08T10:26:00.005+01:00

Just got back from 2-week holiday in sunny Provence and Corsica. Highly recommend both places, although our villa around St. Florent in the North bit of Corsica had by far the best view. Blue sea, sky, mountains and a charming medieval town.

This Friday I take my driving theory test. Hopefully I will pass. If you'd like to practice for your upcoming test, visit www.theory-tests.co.uk. Your free membership entitles you to access 2 free tests, book your theory test online, send friends and family e-Postcards and 'find your nearest' Theory Test Centre, using the official DSA search engine. For more features, you can pay £6.99 per month.

I've also taken my first driving lesson through BSM and it was excellent. I'd definitely recommend Julian from the Notting Hill centre. He was calm, knowledgeable and friendly.

How to drive in Great Britain

2009-08-01T14:37:00.007+01:00

Right. Or rather, on the left. After four years in this country I am finally sorting out my UK driving licence. I assumed because I had a full American licence that I could just apply for a UK one without having to take troublesome tests. Wrong. The rules for Americans and Canadians are:

For Visitors:
Provided your full licence or driving permit remains valid, you may drive vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes and with up to eight passenger seats, for up to 12 months from the date of coming to GB. However, you may only drive large vehicles which have been registered outside GB and which you have driven into the country.

For Residents (like me):
If you are the holder of an ordinary driving licence (car, moped, motorcycle entitlement) and provided your licence remains valid, you can drive any category of small vehicle shown on your licence for up to 12 months from the time you became resident. To ensure continuous driving entitlement a provisional GB licence must have been obtained and a driving test(s) passed before the 12-month period elapses. If you obtain a provisional licence during this period, you are not subject to provisional licence conditions eg displaying 'L' plates or being supervised by a qualified driver or being precluded from motorways.

However, if you do not pass a test within the 12-month concessionary period you will not be allowed to drive as a full licence holder and provisional licence conditions will apply. If you do not apply for a provisional licence within the first 12 months you must stop driving and obtain a British provisional licence with a view to passing a driving test. Provisional licence conditions will then apply.

If you are the holder of a vocational licence (minibus, bus, lorry entitlement) and a new resident, you must not drive large vehicles until you have passed the relevant GB driving test. Driving test candidates are required to pass a motor car (category B) test first before applying for provisional entitlement for larger vehicles.

For Students:
If you are a student holding a community licence you may drive cars and motorcycles in GB for as long as your licence remains valid, or until age 70. If you do not hold a licence you must have been studying here for at least six months prior to taking a driving test or applying for a full licence.

If you are a student holding a non-community licence or an international driving permit you may drive here for up to 12 months. If you hold a driving licence from a designated country you may apply to exchange this for a British one up to five years after becoming a resident here. If you do not hold a licence, or your licence was not issued in a designated country, you will need to apply for a provisional licence and then pass a driving test. You will be able to take a test and obtain a full licence once you have been in GB for six months.

For full details, application forms, and links to book your theory or practical test online visit the Directgov website.

Offering tea and coffee to the English

2009-07-29T14:35:00.006+01:00

The old conversation with my English gardener:

Me: Would you like a coffee or tea?

Gardener: Only if you're making it-

Me: Yes, I am.

Gardener: Oh, then a tea would be lovely. Thanks.

Me: What do you take in it?

Gardener: Milk and two sugars.

The new and improved conversation with my English gardener:

Me: I'm making tea. Would you like some?

Gardener: Yes, that would be lovely.

Me: Milk and two sugars?

Gardener: Yes, thank you.

It's a funny little social conundrum - offering tea and coffee in the UK. In the first conversation, surely it's clear that I'll only offer tea or coffee if I'm willing to make it. Yet so often guests will say 'Yes, but only if you're making it.' But perhaps those guests are the ones who only offer tea and coffee out of courtesy and would rather you said 'Water is fine, thanks.' The water pouring is easy and yet still makes the host feel like she's still doing something for her guest, but nothing as troublesome as boiling water and waiting for tea to steep or worse brewing fresh coffee (especially if the host doesn't drink coffee and feels tense about screwing it up). However if the guest replied to the drink offer with 'Nothing, thanks' that could potentially mean 'I want nothing you have, not even your free water, and I won't even act like I'm thirsty just to make you feel more comfortable.' OR 'Nothing, thanks' could be like throwing down the white flag. The host is let off the hook because she's shown willing and offered a drink and the guest is saying 'I won't make you go to the trouble, even though I may be thirsty, but thank you for your willingness to serve me. Now let's forget about this awkward drink business and get on with why I came to your house in the first place.'

It's funny how politeness can get in the way of actual communication, especially here in England. When my American friends and family come over, we just say what we mean regardless of whether it might be rude, and that way everyone knows where they stand.

For example:

My dad (American): Hey Kosh, you got any coffee?

Me: Yeah - want some?

My dad: Yes.

Me: OK I'll make it.

Nice, straightforward talk. But then that can go wrong:

Me: Hey, dad, how do I look?

Dad: That's a nice dress, but I think you should put on some makeup.

So perhaps the lesson of the day is to find a balance between English politeness and American bluntness.

SHORTS: Behind Closed Doors

2009-07-23T10:31:00.011+01:00

This Sunday 26th July - for one night only - I and seven top-notch actresses will perform 8 short pieces of new writing at The Landor Theatre in Clapham, London.

I'm particularly excited/scared because I have written my piece (my first time writing for the stage) in collaboration with the brilliant Lucy Newman-Williams. Actress and director Jenny Bolt founded SHORTS in 2009 to promote new writers and give actors exciting performance opportunities. Hopefully this event will be the first of many. Here are the details:

SHORTS
New writing at The Landor Theatre

Behind Closed Doors
Sunday 26th July @ 8pm

Behind closed doors and in the corners of the mind extraordinary things can happen...

Performers:
Jenny Bolt, Di Botcher, Kosha Engler, Lesley Clare O'Neill, Janet Prince, Sadie Shimmin, Sara Stockbridge and Amanda Symonds

Writers:
Christopher Durang, Laura FitzGerald, James Graham, Anthony Newell and Lucy Newman-Williams

Tickets: £8, Box Office 020 7737 7276 (best to call between 4:30pm-6:30pm Mon-Sat)

Venue: The Landor Theatre, 70 Landor Road, Clapham, London SW9 9PH
Nearest tube: Clapham North

Find out more: Visit Facebook event page

If you live in London and you'd like to take part in future SHORTS events either as a writer or actor, please email Jenny Bolt at shortswriting@aol.com.

Moonshot Airs Monday 20 July

2009-07-14T14:19:00.007+01:00

Hi everyone - the broadcast details have finally come through and here they are:

MOONSHOT: The Flight of Apollo 11
Premieres Monday 20 July 2009

ITV1 at 10:50pm GMT (UK)
More details here

The History Channel - 9pm ET (USA)
More details here (including video preview)

Synopsis:

Starring Daniel Lapaine (Hotel Babylon, Muriel’s Wedding) as Neil Armstrong, James Marsters (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Smallville) as Buzz Aldrin and Andrew Lincoln (Afterlife, Teachers) as Michael Collins, this drama documentary weaves the story of the men who undertook the mission with HD Nasa footage of Apollo 11 to bring together a unique testimony of this historic event.

Written by Tony Basgallop (Hotel Babylon), and directed by Richard Dale (Diana: The Last Days of a Princess, 9/11: The Twin Towers), Moonshot is the compelling story of the moment that united 600 million people around the world.

Dramatising key moments and events in the years spent preparing for their mission, the film builds a picture of the astronauts’ lives on the ground and how they shaped what happened in space and on the moon.

Store for Americans in the UK

2009-07-02T14:37:00.018+01:00

Introducing my new online store, created specifically for you, my blog readers. I've spent the last few weeks choosing the bestselling, most relevant and highly rated items from Amazon for American Anglophiles, expats, actors and writers.

There's a USA store for readers contemplating a move across the pond, and a UK store for those of you who've recently arrived.

When I first moved to London, it was hard to adjust - new place, new culture, new English, new climate, new everything. So for the store I chose a whole range of stuff - books, DVDs, software, gadgets, games, clothes and things for the home - that will make your transition to living in the UK a littler easier. I own most of the items and can vouch for their quality/usefulness, and what I don't own I'd like to.

Start shopping now. Click on any item and get all the details including customer reviews and suggestions of similar items.

Amazon.com Widgets

Moonshot Screening

2009-06-29T15:15:00.005+01:00

Very excited to announce the 1st screening of Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 at the BFI Southbank this Friday 3rd July. After the screening there will be a Q&A with the director and some of the cast. You can book your tickets at the BFI website. Here's the BFI's intro to the evening:

A fine new TV docu-fiction, Moonshot interweaves cinematic drama with hi-definition NASA footage in presenting glimpses of life behind the scenes in Houston alongside edge-of-your-seat moments in space. Written by Tony Basgallop (Hotel Babylon) and directed by Richard Dale (Diana: The Last Days of a Princess; 9/11: The Twin Towers), Moonshot is the compelling story of the moment that united 600 million people around the world.

Moonshot - the book

2009-06-21T13:33:00.010+01:00

First comes book, then comes movie, then comes DVD in the DVD case. Let's start with the book, published in May 2009 - Moonshot: The Inside Story of Mankind's Greatest Adventure by Dan Parry.

From the 4 star Time Out review by Peter Watts:
"'It was the arduous ordeal of defecation that really tested the men's resolve.' It's sentences like that which make this look at the first moon landing such a page-turner. Constructed as artfully as the Saturn V rocket that shot Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins out of the Earth's atmosphere 40 years ago, Moonshot dovetails passages covering the history of the space race up to 1969 with terrific reportage of the Apollo 11 mission itself, from launchpad to splashdown."

The story, as author Dan Parry tells it, is so compelling that a major TV drama was screaming to be made. How perfect that Parry is also Head of Research at Dangerous Films, a leading independent production company. Formed in 2003, it has produced the television events 9/11-The Twin Towers, Diana - The Last Days of a Princess, D-Day 6.6.44 and Emmy-nominated Human Body - Pushing the Limits.

So in May/June 2008 Dan Parry, the Dangerous Films team and cast which included Daniel Lapaine as Armstrong, James Marsters as Aldrin, Andrew Lincoln as Collins (and me as Collins' wife, Pat), traveled to Lithuania to shoot Moonshot, a major TV factual-drama inspired by the book.

Now, just over a year later, ITV is about to unveil the fruits of our labor. Next month (exact date TBA) Moonshot will be broadcast internationally. I, for one, am thrilled to finally see it! Stay tuned for details.

Useful advice in The Stage

2009-06-15T14:22:00.005+01:00

We all could use a little help. Whether you're an actor just starting out or have recently arrived in the UK from the states or Canada - learning the ropes can be daunting. Luckily there are smart, experienced people out there who want to help...

After contributing to a Dear John article in The Stage a couple weeks ago, I had a look at the Advice page online and it's brilliant. There are How To Guides, Frequently Asked Questions, Legal advice for performers and more. You can visit it here: www.thestage.co.uk/connect

The Dear John section is full of helpful tips on a huge range of topics, from how to find an agent to fundraising, from sexism in presenting to self-promotion and networking. Get some useful insights here: www.thestage.co.uk/connect/dearjohn/

As the Edinburgh Festival is just around the corner, here's a Dear John answer for you:
How to make the most of a festival appearance: click here

Working as an actor abroad

2009-06-05T09:33:00.017+01:00

Extract from Dear John section of The Stage newspaper published Thursday 4 June 2009, in which I'm featured:

Q: I'm thinking of moving to another country to work as an actor - is the audition/casting process basically the same everywhere or are there differences I need to know about?

what the experts say...

Kosha Engler is an American actress and Anglophile, originally from Baltimore, Maryland. While in the US she acted regularly in Washington DC's finest theatres and appeared in TV and film, including The Wireand John Waters' A Dirty Shame. In 2005 she married a Brit, moved to London and has since worked in television, theatre, radio, voice-overs and commercials. This July she'll appear on ITV in Moon Shot, a TV movie about the Apollo 11 moon landing. www.koshaengler.com

"The Baltimore/Washington DC area was a smaller and less competitive place than London and, because of that, I found a healthy amount of theatre work, radio dramas and some film and television jobs. But despite the thriving acting community, the DC market wasn't big enough to justify agents, except in the case of on-camera work, where casting teams such as Pat Moran Associates (who cast me in The Wire) functioned as both casting director and agent, taking a cut of our fee. Without an agent, we actors had to be fiercely proactive and forge our own relationships with those who could employ us.

"In the four years I've lived in London - now with an agent - I've had more big auditions than in DC, but landing the job is much, much harder. The proportion of TV and film castings to theatre has reversed since my time in DC and I mostly go up for American roles. In the US, I was cast as English characters as often as American ones.

"As for the audition process itself, the main difference I've found is how British people use language to disguise what is a difficult experience. Early in my UK career, my agent sent me to a meeting at the National Theatre to have a little read and a chat with the director. Earnest American that I was, I made the mistake of taking my agent literally and thought I really was just going to chat. I thought there might even be tea and cakes as we casually got to know each other. Little did I know the translation was, 'You're going to an audition, so thoroughly prepare your scenes, learn the lines if possible, then have an interview with sir big shot, the director."

dear john sums up...

John Byrne is an entertainment industry career advisor and the author of several career guides for performers, including The Right Agent Right Now ebook written with Mary Elliott Nelson and available for download from www.showbusiness-success.com.

As in many other areas of transatlantic interaction, it is often the fact that British and American culture look superficially similar that leads to more misunderstandings that might occur when an actor is aiming to work in a more overtly different market, such as Bollywood or Japan. The things that can trip you up aren't always to do with the casting process itself, as much as the subtle differences in interpersonal communication or cultural norms. Probably the best way to approach work in a new country - and indeed new work in this country - is not to assume that any job will be the same as any previous one and be alert to spot and adapt to different ways of doing things as they arise. While you might not be able to predict where the curve balls will come from, honing your skills and going the extra mile in preparation is a good basis to approach every casting from, no matter where in the world it is happening.

NAAA Playreading Festival 2009

2009-06-01T12:37:00.009+01:00

If you were curious about joining the NAAA here's your chance to see it in action. Details for the 9th annual North American Actors Association Playreading Festival:

Crossing the Divide
6 American plays. 6 Canadian plays. 12 UK Premieres.
Chosen from hundreds of entries, Crossing the Divide is an eclectic, startling mix of work by both new and established playwrights.

June 22nd - 27th, 2009
Staged readings at Bridewell Theatre
Bride Lane, Fleet Street, London EC4Y 8EQ
Tickets from £8 (£5 concessions)
Box office: 020 7353 3331

Performance schedule:

Monday, 22nd June
6.30 - CANADIAN TUXEDO (Short Play) by Nicole Pandolfo; 7-10 SPLIT by Michael G Wilmot
8.00 - BOBBY by Marc Israel-LePelletier

Tuesday, 23rd June
6.30 - FAITH by James McLindon
8.00 - FATHER LAND by James Holden

Wednesday, 24th June
6.30 - DELUSIONS OF A GOVERNMENT WITNESS by Louis Lippa
8.00 - REPEAT PLAY

Thursday, 25th June
6.30 - THE ELEPHANT SONG by Nicholas Billon
8.00 - MATTER OF INTENT by Gary Earl Ross

Friday, 26th June
6.30 - THE HUM by Robert Tsonos
8.00 - CAT AND MOUSE by Michael Wolfson

Saturday, 27th June
3.00 - IN FLIGHT by Jenny Lyn Bader
7.30 - LILY, ALTA by Kenneth Dyba