Chris Robson, a hidden gem in our neighborhood – Raunak Gupta Sutton Grammar

Born in the North East of England in Newcastle upon Tyne, Chris studied languages ​​at Cambridge University and then went on to study acting at a theater school. Much of Chris’s acting at drama school involved Geordie or German roles. This helped Chris in his career later when he used his Geordie accent to play working class soldiers.

When I interviewed Chris, I asked him what got him interested in the first place: “It was the concept of storytelling. On Saturdays I went to a theater in Newcastle called the People’s Theater in youth groups. This led me to a group of like-minded people who were interested in drama and theater. We often went there and studied together. While studying languages ​​in Cambridge, there were many good, well-funded theater groups, so I was able to pursue my passion. This is what led me to theater school.”

After studying acting at theater school, Chris worked in theatre, film and television. The most interesting thing in Chris’s career was performing in the theater. For him, theater is a live performance and the creation of a world for the audience in which they must believe. Compared to film and television, where you’re just part of something bigger, the filmmakers already have the power to manipulate you to tell the story in a different way.

After asking Chris about his acting career, I asked him about the important life skills he has gained through his roles. “Sustainability. Think of it this way. You sell something, but the marketable product is you, so you have to be persistent to go to audition after audition, and you have to be very strong to grab the job, and if you don’t get it, don’t worry about it. Sometimes there is no good reason for rejection. People have literally told me you’re the best actor we’ve auditioned today, but we can’t cast you because your hair color doesn’t match all the other characters. Basically, it’s all about wanting to do it, whether it’s a big-budget film or pub theater where you don’t get paid, it’s all about sharing stories with people.”

Having appeared in several films, theater and television, Chris is now a teacher at Sutton Grammar School. Next, I asked him what made him switch from an acting career to a teacher. “In the same way that I woke up every day and wanted to do it, one day I woke up and didn’t want to do it and I changed my mind because I didn’t have the drive anymore. I felt like I had accomplished a lot of what I wanted to accomplish. Believe it or not, when I stand in a classroom of students and help fulfill my passion for languages ​​and the concept of communication, which was key to what I wanted to do in acting, I still do today in the classroom, so the skills are still ongoing.”