Andrew Lloyd Webber-Backed Drama School Accused of Bullying & Misconduct

According to a report in Deadline, a prestigious drama school in the U.K., funded in large part by Andrew Lloyd Webber, is facing allegations of favoritism, bullying, and other misconduct. The website spoke to more than two dozen people linked to ArtsEd(Arts Educational) and reviewed internal emails and written testimonies from students and ex-staffers.

Former students recounted instances of bullying from faculty and administrators as well as a “culture of fear” being promoted in the school.

“The majority of those who spoke to Deadline said they considered Spencer’s behavior to be bullying. Reflecting on their experience at the school, one recent graduate said: “Aspiring actors and singers need to feel safe and supported; you need to feel like you’re not being judged. At ArtsEd, it felt like you were walking through a Mafia neighborhood in Napoli.””

A barrister-led investigation in October 2021 found that ArtsEd had a “sexualized environment” and demonstrated a “lack of regard” for the wellbeing of students. According to Deadline’s sources, in the two years since the invstigation, very little has been done to improve conditions at the school. Earlier this year, unease over student safety boiled into a strike following complaints over teachers using discriminatory language.

“One teacher is alleged to have said the N-word and, during a conversation with a student about the inappropriate language, the young person was accused of saying the F-word, which is used as a homophobic slur. Kim Vithana, the director of ArtsEd’s School of Acting, allegedly repeated the F-word when attempting to explain the situation to a group of students.”

A participant in the strikes said students refused to attend lessons amid concerns for their wellbeing.

Other allegations involved Michael Attenborough, a distinguished British theatre director and son of Oscar-winner Richard Attenborough, who was engaged to lead a workshop with students in 2021. Two witnesses accused Attenborough of staring at female members of the class and making comments that some students deemed inappropriate, including referring to himself as being circumcised.

Attenborough declined to comment on the allegations.

The school responded to the allegations with a statement:

“The school’s leadership has been working to proactively improve our culture and processes. We have made many robust changes that were needed in light of those findings, including staff departures and instilling a new and more student-focused culture,” a spokesperson said. “Although this work is ongoing and we recognise that there is always room for evolving and building on the improvements that have been made, we are confident that the school today is a much more accountable and supportive environment than two years ago.”

Lloyd Webber has been associated with the school since 2007. His foundation donated millions to the school in 2013, he said he hoped the money could “make a real difference” to students who may one day follow in the footsteps of star graduates like Catherine Zeta-Jones.

While Lloyd Webber declined to comment, there is nothing to suggest that he was aware of the allegations.