Joan Oliver

Joan graduated from RADA’s three year acting programme in 1993, after which she appeared in many television programmes including Casualty, The Bill, Jonathan Creek, London’s Burning, EastEnders, and 15 Stories High. Some of her theatre credits include Educating Rita, Golden Girls, Don Juan Comes Back from the War and The Party’s Over.

Alongside her acting, Joan began establishing herself as a teacher, and freelance director. Joan’s directing at RADA has included random (debbie tucker green), Rotterdam (Jon Brittain), The Seagull (Anton Chekov), which she also adapted, and most recently NSFW (Lucy Kirkwood).

Joan’s professional return to RADA began with her involvement in the graduate workshop facilitation programme, when she was amongst the first group of acting graduates to be trained. Soon after this she was invited onto RADA’s audition panel, and in 2009 Joan became a full-time member of staff when she was given the responsibility of setting up RADA’s Education and Outreach department. This was a role that she continued to hold until 2014, when she took up her position as Foundation in Acting Course Director.

Joan has always been interested in improving accessibility to education. Joan believes that her new role as RADA’s first Director of Equity builds on her previous professional experience and the work she led as Chair of RADA's Anti-Racism Steering Group.