Ella's first play “Artificially Yours”, will show at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, London from Tuesday 9 April – Sunday 21 April starring Leslie Ash (Men Behaving Badly, Quadrophenia) and Tyger Drew-Honey (Outnumbered and Cuckoo).

Written by her friend and Tiffin boy alumnus, Aaron Thakar, the play is described as “a gripping, dark-comedy that explores the hilarious and disturbing consequences of our society’s increasing trust in Artificial Intelligence.”

Ella, who will also be performing in the play, has been involved in acting since the age of 8. She won a drama scholarship to Surbiton High School at 11 but turned it down when she was offered a place at Tiffin Girls’. “I loved the drama department and I was also interested in the academic side so it was an obvious choice for me”. 

While at school, Ella threw herself into the drama productions. Alice in Wonderland was a particular highlight. “Chloe Hunkin was Alice and I played the Duchess, Mock turtle and auntie. Miss Smith was directing it and it was brilliant.”

It was while she was at Tiffin Girls’ that Ella met Aaron Thakar. “He played Romeo in a joint Tiffin Girls’ and Tiffin Boys’ production of Romeo and Juliet. We just became great friends.” Ella left Tiffin Girls’ after GCSEs to study A-level drama at another school, but she she still came back to see the school production of Chicago and support her friend and now playwright, Jen Tucker, who is stage managing Artificially Yours.

Ella went straight into the acting industry after A-Levels and she has been very busy ever since. She has worked for casting directors, talent agents, undertook a course at Oxford School of Drama, set up a showreel company, Parkhouse Showreels, written film and TV scripts. She has also appeared in several films including A gift from Bob, in 2020, The Kindred in 2021 and A Midsummer Night’s Dream released in 2022 with Robert Lindsay as Oberon, Tyger Drew-Honey as Demetrius and Black Panther’s Florence Kasumba as Hippolyta.

Now, for the first time, she is producing a play which she also script edited. “As soon as Aaron first mentioned the concept for this play I was in love,” says Ella. “It’s brilliantly written and so clever and funny.” With her encouragement, Aaron developed the idea from a few scenes to a whole play which is already attracting a lot of interest thanks to the topical subject matter and the starry cast.

Ella says: “We hope that the journey of Artificially Yours isn’t finished yet; we would love to try and take the play somewhere else, perhaps on tour or to another venue. Aaron and I are also starting development for a new play, keep an eye out for that one! On a more personal note, I am aiming to film my directorial screen debut in the next couple of years and am writing that now.”

Tiffin Girls' alumnae are invited to attend at a special discount price of £15 per person by quoting the code, SCHOOL15 when booking online or over the phone with Riverside Studios. All the information can be found here