Winslet turns up at old drama school
Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet has stunned pupils at her old stage school by turning up at a rehearsal session.
Winslet, patron of Berkshire-based amateur dramatic group Starmaker, answered questions from budding actors and actresses before participating in a drama workshop.
Students had no idea Winslet was in the building until the curtains were drawn back on the stage at Blessed Hugh Faringdon School, Southcote, Reading, where the rehearsals were taking place.
Reading-born Winslet waved and blew kisses at the audience before asking for questions, telling pupils: "Don't be shy, because I am very normal. Some of the people in this room can absolutely vouch for that. Ask me questions, anything you like."
She reminisced about her days treading the boards at the stage school during the half-hour chat on Wednesday night.
The mother-of-two said: "One of the best things about Starmaker is that everybody looks after each other, they really, really do, and there's nothing more exciting than your first opportunity of getting backstage in the theatre."
Asked for tips on overcoming first night nerves, she replied: "The great thing is when the lights come on you, you as the performers on the stage, you're so blinded by the lights, you can't see the audience, so it's fantastic. You don't have to be all nervous at all."
Winslet watched rehearsals for pupils' forthcoming productions of 'Boogie Nights' and 'Wizard of Oz'.
