Jobs at risk as LAMDA begins restructuring plan

Drama school LAMDA is preparing to undergo a significant restructuring that will include redundancies, in a move that could impact more than 90 roles.

The Stage understands staff at the school have been notified of the restructuring, with proposals currently being drawn up and consultations beginning in July.

The Stage has been informed that the restructure is happening for a number of reasons, including to reduce operating costs, put in place more effective structures and systems to increase income, grow the LAMDA examinations and develop new products.

The school also wants to implement an emerging vision and strategy following a review that has been undertaken.

The number of staff expected to be affected, either as a result of redundancies or in connection with redundancies, will exceed 99, The Stage understands.

A spokeswoman for LAMDA said: “Like most organisations at this time we are reviewing how we operate to ensure we are able to achieve our organisational objectives serving our students and wider community of learners. It would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage.”

Jobs affected will be across all areas, it is believed, including management, training, examinations and administration.

Sarah Frankcom, former artistic director of the Royal Exchange in Manchester, became principal of the school in September last year.

When it was announced she was taking up the role, she told The Stage she wanted to find “radical solutions” to help drama training become more relevant.

At the time, she said: “Drama schools are way more representative, but what are the students appearing in? What texts are they working with? It’s an opportunity to say they have to be completely different. I am really excited about unlocking some of the potential that is here and finding radical solutions to how we create relevant training for more people from a wider variety of backgrounds.”