The Show Must Go On – Alumni Inspire

Inspiration flowed from three Old Caterhamians who have each navigated the stage and screen to build successful careers in the performing arts. RSC, film and BBC’s The Split actor Chuk Iwuji, actor and soprano Sarah Gabriel and film and stage actor Harrison Osterfield all shared their career experiences and positive attitude with phenomenal frankness and optimism, even given the challenges of 2020. The star-studded panel was masterfully chaired by comedian, author and broadcaster Dominic Holland.

A packed audience of pupils, parents and alumni plus students from Caterham’s partner schools, joined the webinar with questions flying in from the global audience.

We are very grateful to our OCs for the time and energy they have given so willingly to support these and other events across the term. Their enthusiasm and honest advice is hugely appreciated by pupils and all whole community. A recording is available via the CaterhamConnected networking platform

Our panel for the evening was:

Chair: Dominic Holland

Comedian, author and broadcaster, Dominic won the 1993 Perrier Best Newcomer Award in Edinburgh. His BBC Radio 4 series, The Small World of Dominic Holland won a Comic Heritage Award. Dominic has written five novels.

Chuk Iwuji, Old Caterhamian

Chuk plays the role of Charles Edgefield in Tom Hanks’ new film News of the World, due to be released on Christmas Day 2020.  Chuk also stars as Alexander Hale in the hugely successful BBC family law drama The Split, the second series of which aired in summer 2020. 

Following A Levels at Caterham School, Chuk gained a degree in economics from Yale University before beginning his career in the arts. Chuk gained the title role in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Henry VI, Prince Tydeus in the Royal National Theatre’s Welcome to Thebes, and Løvborg in Ivo van Hove’s Hedda Gabler, at the National Theatre.

Read Chuk’s interview in Caterham Connected’s Omnia magazine here

Sarah Gabriel, Old Caterhamian 

After completing a scholarship at Caterham School, Sarah has enjoyed a highly successful career in both music and acting.  Described by Le Monde as ‘As fine an actor as she is a singer’ and praised in The Guardian for her ‘springwater vocals’, soprano Sarah Gabriel made her USA debut as Lucy Lockit (Britten The Beggar’s Opera) conducted by Lorin Maazel, and her European debut as Eliza Doolittle in Robert Carsen’s triumphant production of My Fair Lady at Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris, opposite Alex Jennings, Nicholas le Prevost and Margaret Tyzack.

Sarah has given solo recitals of music spanning 300 years at Wigmore Hall, Glyndebourne, Dartington and Cheltenham International Festivals and has broadcast for BBC1, BBC2, BBC Radio 3, 4 and 6, NPR (USA), RTÉ, France Musique, and Radio France.

Harrison Osterfield Old Caterhamian

Harrison’s first credited role was in George Clooney’s show Catch-22 (2019), where he plays Snowden. Osterfield’s next role will be one of the leads in the upcoming Netflix Original Series, The Irregulars, where he plays Leopold, which is due to be released in 2021.  He attended Caterham School where he signed up for the drama club and starred in school plays. This would inspire him to pursue acting, leading him to graduate to the BRIT School. Osterfield was accepted into the foundation course at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Read Harrison’s interview in Caterham Connected’ s Omnia magazine here