College News

QE’s Preevue of Romeo and Juliet

Students from QE progress to a range of interesting and exciting careers, and it is always fascinating to hear about their achievements. One successful ex-student is Ryan Metcalfe, managing director of theatre production consultancy studio Preevue.

Ryan studied Computer Science, IT, Maths and Extended Project at QE and went on to attend the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Whilst there, he established Preevue, a company which uses laser scanning technology and virtual reality headsets to allow directors and designers to understand how a show would present itself in theatre years in advance. One of Ryan’s first breakthroughs was to provide visualisation services for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway and since then, he has worked on a number of different projects including Bat out of Hell, Moulin Rouge and Les Misérables. He also has some very well-known clients, including Andrew Lloyd-Webber. His latest production, Romeo and Juliet, starring Sir Derek Jacobi, was filmed in an entirely CGI environment and without the actors ever being in the same room. ‘The end product is something that is far greater than what can be achieved with Zoom, it is roughly on a par with stage recordings of regular shows’, Ryan explains.

Ryan’s advice for current QE students is: ‘Take as many opportunities as possible to flesh out your CV with things that will make you stand out, for examples your hobbies, interests and skills. Those are what I am interested in seeing as an employer.’ When asked about advice for students wanting to work in theatre, Ryan comments: ‘Although the theatre industry is in a very difficult situation at the moment and may take years to recover, there was a growing shortage of skilled backstage technicians as live events grew in scale and complexity in the years preceding the COVID-19 pandemic and we will once again return to this situation. The best way to enter the profession is by going to a drama school/conservatoire, obtaining an apprenticeship or by gaining as much experience as possible. My first backstage role was with Darlington Operatics Society which was a great first step’.

Romeo and Juliet will be released on Valentine’s Day and further information can be found at www.romeojuliet2021.com. If you are a former student and have a story to share, we would love to hear from you. If you could email qe@qeliz.ac.uk with your details, a member of staff will be in touch.