A RENOWNED British theatre director has joined Essex University's acting school.

Tim Supple, who is known for his award-winning adaptations at the Young Vic and his production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, will be the new head of MA acting at the East 15 Acting School.

He hopes his international experience will help him to build and develop the course into "something for people...who know they're handling a precious art form".

Mr Supple, who was artistic director at the Young Vic between 1993 and 2001, has worked on acclaimed productions, including an adaptation of Grimms' Fairy Tales, which won him a Time Out award in 1994, and Tales From Ovid, adapted from a Ted Hughes translation.

He said: "What's great about East 15 is it's got room for each of the course leaders and each of the courses to develop its own thread within a very coherent whole.

"In me, they have a course leader who has one foot firmly in the nuts and bolts and grunt and grind of the British theatre which means I can help them with the reality of work.

"But on the other hand, I can open their minds to different approaches to acting which are numerous and rich and very important."