Declan Baxter wins Michael Bryant Award 2019

Congratulations to final-year actor Declan Baxter, who was awarded the Michael Bryant Award 2019 following the final held at the National Theatre on Monday 17 June.

The Michael Bryant Award is an annual verse-speaking competition established by Guildhall School alumna Judith Coke, in memory of her late husband, the renowned classical actor Michael Bryant. Each year, all final-year actors present a sonnet and a speech from Shakespeare, with eight finalists selected to go through to a final round at the National Theatre. This year the final was held in the Lyttelton Theatre.

Declan Baxter was selected as the winner following his performance of a speech from Shakespeare’s Henry VI and Sonnet 27. He was awarded his prize by director Jonathan Munby, who was joined on the judging panel by actor Roger Allam, currently starring in Rutherford and Son at the National Theatre, and Alastair Coomer, Head of Casting at the National Theatre.

Congratulations to Declan and to all this year’s finalists: Joseph Potter, Uri Levy, Naomi Preston-Low (commended), Nick Apostolina (commended), Laurel Waghorn, Kalungi Ssebandeke and Poppy Gilbert.

Visit the acting pages to see all Guildhall final-year actors.