Falmouth University Hosts Poldark Preview

Lucky fans of Poldark and hundreds of local school pupils got a real treat this week, when they visited our Academy of Music and Theatre Arts for an exclusive sneak-peak of the opening episode of the fifth (and final) series of BBC One’s hit show, Poldark.

The screening was followed by a brilliant Q&A with Poldark’s Michael Ray (producer), Poppy Gordon-Clark (Cornwall location manager) and Sofia Oxenham (a new cast member introduced in the latest series), which was led by BBC Radio Cornwall’s Debbie McCrory.

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For the school students, it was a chance to learn all about the TV-making process and the opportunities that are available in the film and TV industry.

Terrie Fender, Director of our Academy of Music and Theatre Arts, said: “AMATA was delighted to host the Cornish schools’ preview of the new BBC series of Poldark, at our exciting Falmouth performance venue. It was great to greet so many young people and show them our amazing facilities for careers in music, acting, technical theatre and dance.”

For the school pupils, part of the day included tours around Falmouth’s professional-standard facilities. This demonstrated the various opportunities and roles that are available throughout the creative industries, particularly in TV, film and theatre.

Michael Ray, Poldark’s producer, said: “We employ so many different kinds of people in all sorts of different jobs, and they’re paid well. It is a successful industry and at the moment, a growing industry. There’s lots of opportunities for young people. It is a good thing to do, you can do it, you can be successful, you can make good money and have a good life.”

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During the Q&A, Michael described his role for the students and explained the process of creating a TV show. Poppy Clark offered invaluable insights into the world of location, telling stories of the ups and downs of filming in Cornwall, particularly on the cliffs!

Sofia Oxenham, originally from Cornwall herself, talked about what it was like to land her first major acting role and what it’s been like joining the Poldark cast as a new character.

Official dates for when the next series will air have yet to be released, but we can expect it sometime this summer. The official premiere opens at the Regal Theatre in Redruth tonight, where hundreds of fans are expected to line the streets in order to meet the Poldark stars!