Royal Conservatoire of Scotland uncovers early photographs of notable alumni
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) has opened its photographic archives to mark a 75-year milestone, releasing images of former students and associates taken before they became widely known.
The collection includes matriculation and production photographs spanning decades. The images present a cross-section of actors, directors, filmmakers, designers, producers and other creatives who trained at the institution now known as the RCS.
Among the figures featured is David Tennant. The conservatoire shared Tennant's matriculation photograph for the Junior Academy, taken in 1982 when the institution was known as the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. Tennant graduated with a BA in Dramatic Studies in 1991 and has since gone on to roles in Doctor Who, Broadchurch, Good Omens, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and the serial killer drama Des.
Reflecting on his early experience, Tennant said: "I came from a background where nobody really knew how you go about becoming an actor. We sniffed around and found out there was a Saturday morning class called the Junior School. I later found out that it was run by the students and it was part of the BA Acting course. At the time I just thought I was going to a Saturday morning drama club, and I did that every year until I left school and then I came here as a full-time student. I don't think I would have been able to survive professionally without the training here."
James McAvoy appears in a photograph from a 1999 production of The Beaux Stratagem. McAvoy graduated from RCS in 2000 and has built a career on stage and screen, including roles in major film and theatre productions. He established the James McAvoy Drama Scholarship at RCS in 2015 to support applicants who would otherwise struggle to meet pre-higher education tuition costs. McAvoy was presented with a Fellowship at RCS in 2008.
Sam Heughan and Alana Hood are pictured in a production of Romeo and Juliet. Heughan completed the BA Acting programme in 2003 and later achieved international recognition for his lead role in the series Outlander. Heughan has supported the conservatoire through scholarships and a creative commission initiative. He received an honorary doctorate from RCS in 2022.
Jack Lowden is shown in an RCS production as Giovanni in Sweet Sorrow. Lowden, who graduated from the BA Acting degree programme, has received a BAFTA and Olivier award and has been recognised with nominations for Golden Globe, Emmy and Screen Actors Guild awards. He returned to RCS in October to receive an honorary doctorate. This year he also took part in a West End run of The Fifth Step, a play written by David Ireland and directed by Finn den Hertog, both of whom are RCS graduates. Lowden commented: "It's a place that I'm incredibly proud of having gone to. The training completely formed me."
Ncuti Gatwa appears in a 2012 photograph performing as Valere in Tartuffe. Gatwa completed the BA Acting programme in 2013 and later gained international prominence through roles in Sex Education and as the lead in Doctor Who, a role he played for two series. Gatwa moved to Scotland as a toddler after his family fled the Rwandan genocide and has described periods of hardship before his acting breakthrough. He returned to RCS in 2022 to receive an honorary doctorate and has also appeared in films including Barbie and The Roses.
The archive release also includes a 1977 photograph connected with Billy Connolly's An' Me Wi' a Bad Leg Tae, a production taken to London's Royal Court. Sir Billy Connolly did not study at RCS but was presented with an honorary doctorate in drama in 2006.
Earlier material in the collection features Mary Marquis as Juliet in a 1955 production of Romeo and Juliet. Marquis graduated from the Diploma in Speech and Drama in 1955 and later became a well-known newsreader for BBC Scotland.
The conservatoire's archive highlights the range of careers that have emerged from its programmes. Other notable alumni named in the release include Robert Carlyle, Alan Cumming, Richard Madden, Kate Dickie, Colin Morgan and Tom Ellis. The list of former students and associated figures also features Ruby Wax, Elaine C Smith, Jonathan Watson, Tony Roper, Denis Lawson, Maureen Beattie, Greg McHugh, Bill Paterson and David Hayman.
The photographic selection emphasises the RCS's role in training performers who have gone on to work across theatre, television and film in the UK and internationally. The materials offer a retrospective view of early stages in the careers of individuals who later became household names.
RCS described the images as a way to mark its 75-year history of education and artistic training, tracing the institution's evolution and the careers it has helped launch.
Key Topics
Royal Conservatoire Of Scotland, Rcs Photographic Archive, 75-year Anniversary, Rcs Acting Programme, David Tennant Matriculation Photo, James Mcavoy Drama Scholarship, Sam Heughan Outlander, Jack Lowden Bafta Olivier Winner, Ncuti Gatwa Doctor Who, Billy Connolly An' Me Wi' A Bad Leg Tae, Mary Marquis Romeo And Juliet 1955, Rcs Alumni Success Stories, Rcs Production And Matriculation Photographs