Anna Scher

Anne[1] Valerie Verrall MBE (née Scher;[2] 26 December 1944 – 12 November 2023)[3] was a British-Irish drama teacher who was best known as the founder of The Anna Scher Theatre School.

Anna Scher

MBE
Born
Anne Valerie Scher

(1944-12-26)26 December 1944
Cork, Ireland
Died12 November 2023(2023-11-12) (aged 78)
London, England
NationalityBritish-Irish
Education
Alma materBrighton School of Music and Art
OccupationDrama teacher • actress • journalist • author
Years active1968–2023
Notable workAnna Scher Theatre
Spouse
Charles Verrall
​
​
(m. 1976; died 2023)​
Children1
Websiteannaschertheatre.com

Scher was also known as an actress, a journalist and an author.

Early life

Anne[1] Valerie Scher[2] was born in Cork, Ireland on 26 December 1944,[1] as the eldest of four children[3] to Eric Asher Scher (1916–1982),[4][5] a dentist[6] of Lithuanian descent,[7] and[8] Constance Scher (1924–1984; née Hurwitz),[9][10] a housewife of Irish decent.[7] Her younger siblings were; sisters Sandra Geraldine Peggy Scher (1948–2014)[11][12] and Vida M Scher (b. 1953)[13] and brother Ronald D P Scher (b. 1961).[14] Her family moved to Hove, East Sussex when she was 14.[3]

Scher was educated at St Angela's convent, where she was the sole Jewish pupil.[15] She later attended the Hove County Grammar School for Girls and the Brighton School of Music and Art.[3]

Career

Scher founded The Anna Scher Theatre School (AST), an independent and co-educational performing arts school in Islington, London, in January 1968.[16][17] Her husband served as the co-director for many years.[18]

Scher made her debut, and only appearance, as an actress in 1969, but her father told her to get a proper job, so she became a journalist specialising in theatre with the Islington Gazette for five years, and reviewed for The Times Literary Supplement.[7]

Scher also worked as a primary school teacher, working with children whose first language was not English.[19] She was a chairperson of the International Song Contest for Peace in Ireland. She served on juries at BAFTA, Sony and the Royal Television Society.[16]

Scher was the castaway on a 2011 episode of the BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs.[20]

Scher co-authored three books with her husband.[21][22][23] She also authored two books as a solo author.[24][25]

Personal life

Scher married coach, writer and director Raymond Charles Verrall[26] in Hampstead, London in April 1976.[27] Their only son, John Benedict Verrall, was born four years later.[28] Her husband died in October 2023, at the age of 79.[29]

Scher had a breakdown in 2000 after suffering with depression and was admitted to hospital. She could not walk during her breakdown. She took a period of sick leave from The Anna Scher Theatre. Scher discovered that she had been blocked by the board of directors upon her return to her theatre.[7][30][3]

Scher promoted peace, love and understanding.[7] She was a patron of Neve Shalom/Wahat al Salam – Oasis of Peace.[16]

Death

Scher died in London during the early hours of 12 November 2023. She was 78.[19] Her death was confirmed and announced to the public at 2:55pm on the same day in a social media post by talent agency Nic Knight Management:[3] "It is with deep sadness that I must report that Anna Scher, the best and kindest drama teacher in the UK for the last 50 years, has passed. Joining her husband, Charles, in a better place to rest. She will be missed but never forgotten. RIP @annascherthtr + Charles Verrall."[31] Her obituary was published by The Guardian on 15 November.[3]

Scher and Verrall's joint private funeral took place at St Silas Church on Penton Street on 14 December 2023.[32]

Honours and awards

Scher was awarded a Community Award from the Irish Post the Woman of Distinction Award from Jewish Care. She was an Associate of RADA. She was awarded a Honorary Fellow of the Leinster School of Music & Drama.[16]

She was awarded the Peace Person of the Year Award in Ireland in 1999.[16]

Scher was awarded Freedom of the London Borough of Islington in 2003.[16]

Scher was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2013 Birthday Honours by Queen Elizabeth II for her services to drama.[33]

Commonwealth honours

Country Date Appointment Post-nominal letters
 United Kingdom 15 June 2013–12 November 2023 Member of the Order of the British Empire (Civil Division) MBE

Filmography

As an actress

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1969 The Battle of St. George Without Maudie 3 episodes [34]

As herself

Year Title Notes Ref.
1974 Aquarius 1 episode [35]
1988 The Lowdown 1 episode [35]
1999, 2003 This Is Your Life 2 episodes [35]
2011 Anna Documentary [35]
2011 Desert Island Discs 1 episode [20]
2013 In Confidence 1 episode [35]
2014 Piers Morgan's Life Stories 1 episode [35]

Bibliography

  • Scher, Anna; Verrall, Charles (1975). 100+ Ideas for Drama. Heinemann Educational Books. ISBN 9780435187996.[21]
  • Scher, Anna (1976). Final Act: Drama Kit. Ward Lock Educational Books. ISBN 9780706235463.[24]
  • Scher, Anna; Verrall, Charles (1987). Another 100+ Ideas for Drama. Heinemann Educational Books. ISBN 9780435188009.[22]
  • Scher, Anna; Verrall, Charles (1992). 200+ Ideas for Drama. Heinemann Drama. ISBN 9780435086060.[23]
  • Scher, Anna. Desperate to Act. Heinemann. ISBN 9780006728528.[25]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Ireland, Civil Registration Births Index, 1864-1958: MAR 1945 5 69 CORK – Anne V Scher
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Anna Valerie SCHER". GOV.UK. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Gilbey, Ryan (15 November 2023). "Anna Scher obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  4. ↑ Ireland, Civil Registration Births Index, 1864-1958: 17 MAY 1916 5 76 CORK – Eric Asher Scher
  5. ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007: JAN 1982 (aged 65) 18 0410 BRIGHTON – Eric Asher Scher
  6. ↑ UK, Medical and Dental Students Registers, 1882-1937: 29 NOV 1933 IRELAND – Eric Asher Scher
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Hattenstone, Simon (24 March 2004). "'I just want to be back at my theatre'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  8. ↑ Ireland, Civil Registration Marriages Index, 1845-1958: DEC 1943 5 46 – Eric Asher Scher = Constance Hurwitz
  9. ↑ Ireland, Civil Registration Births Index, 1864-1958: 4 SEPT 1924 5 125 CORK – Constance Hurwitz
  10. ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007: 12 JUN 1984 (aged 59) 12 311 ENFIELD – Constance Scher
  11. ↑ Ireland, Civil Registration Births Index, 1864-1958: SEP 1948 5 124 CORK – Sandra G P Scher
  12. ↑ England and Wales, Death Index, 1989-2022: 28 NOV 2014 (aged 66) LONDON – Sandra Geraldine Peggy Scher
  13. ↑ Ireland, Civil Registration Births Index, 1864-1958: DEC 1953 5 76 CORK – Vida M Scher
  14. ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007: JAN 1961 5h 391 HOVE – Ronald D P Scher
  15. ↑ Doherty, Rosa (13 November 2023). "Drama teacher Anna Scher, who launched careers of working class actors, dies age 78". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 "About Anna Scher - London". Anna Scher Theatre. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  17. ↑ Wynne-Jones, Roz (24 May 1997). "School for working class heroes - and heroines". The Independent. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  18. ↑ "Charles Verrall". Charles Verrall. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Sedghi, Amy (12 November 2023). "Tributes paid to 'wonderful' drama teacher Anna Scher, who has died at 78". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "BBC Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs, Anna Scher (2011)". BBC. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Scher, Anna; Verrall, Charles (8 December 1975). "100 + Ideas for Drama". Goodreads. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Scher, Anna; Verrall, Charles (1 January 1987). "Another 100+ Ideas for Drama". Goodreads. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Scher, Anna; Verrall, Charles (21 January 1992). "200+ IDEAS FOR DRAMA". Goodreads. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Scher, Anna (1 November 1976). "First Act: Drama Kit". Goodreads. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Scher, Anna. "Desperate to Act". Goodreads. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  26. ↑ "Raymond Charles VERRALL". GOV.UK. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  27. ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005: APR 1976 12 1412 HAMPSTEAD – Anna V Scher = Raymond C Verrall
  28. ↑ England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007: OCT 1980 15 2415 WESTMINSTER – John Benedict Verrall
  29. ↑ Obituaries, Telegraph (13 November 2023). "Anna Scher, drama teacher whose school produced actors such as Daniel Kaluuya, Kathy Burke and Linda Robson – obituary". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  30. ↑ Inverne, James (24 June 2004). "New Head of Anna Scher Drama School Announced — And It's Not Scher". Playbill. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  31. ↑ Management, Nic Knight (12 November 2023). "It is with deep sadness that I must report that Anna Scher, the best and kindest drama teacher in the UK for the last 50 years, has passed. Joining her husband, Charles, in a better place to rest. She will be missed but never forgotten. RIP @annascherthtr + Charles Verrall". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  32. ↑ Management, Nic Knight (9 December 2023). "Anna Scher and Charles private funeral details. #annascher #annaschertheatre". X (formally Twitter). Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  33. ↑ "No. 60534". The Gazette. 15 June 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  34. ↑ "Anna Scher - BBC Programme Index". BBC. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 35.2 35.3 35.4 35.5 "Anna Scher". IMDb. Retrieved 13 November 2023.