Meet the Acting team
We work internationally in-person and online
Aileen Gonsalves
London, UK
Principal and creator of the Gonsalves Method
The Gonsalves Method unlocks authentic human connection where other methods fall short. Rooted in the worlds of theatre, movement, voice, and storytelling, it brings the art of persuasion to business, leadership, and public life—making real connection not just possible, but magnetic.
Founded by Aileen Gonsalves, whose career spans over two decades at the highest levels of performance, the Gonsalves Method has shaped work with some of the world’s most respected artists, including Dame Judi Dench, Sir Simon Russell Beale, and Vanessa Redgrave. Aileen has trained generations of film and stage actors and has been instrumental in transforming and creating productions that are greatly enhanced with truth, emotional clarity, and presence.
She has been dedicated to improving acting in leading drama training institutions, as Head of the MA in Acting at Arts Ed and Head of Acting at Drama Studio London as well as sharing the method through international masterclasses with RADA students and the Gonsalves Method is now being taught as part of standardised actor training across UK and European drama training programmes.
She has decades of experience running theatre companies notably Butterfly Theatre Collective experts at immersive theatre focussed on performing Shakespeare in extraordinary locations of natural beauty, caves, castles ancient woodlands.
Through her long relationship with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Aileen became renowned for bringing relatable emotional truth to classical text. Today, her focus has expanded to the frontier of charismatic persuasion and political speaking, where she has played a key role in supporting the Green Party of England & Wales during their historic recent electoral successes.
Aileen now works closely with Zack Polanski, Leader of the Green Party of England & Wales, and her former acting student, shaping media communication, speechwriting, video messaging, and overall strategy. This work has helped the Greens triple their membership in just three months, while dramatically increasing Zack’s national visibility and impact—driving a new politics of hope, urgency, and bold leadership.
She is a Bloomsbury published author. Bloomsbury’s Actor and Performers Yearbook 2026 - (the forward and five peer artist interviews). She has co-written with Dr Tracy Irish, Shakespeare and Meisner (2021) and due out this year The Gonsalves Method: Meisner Updated for the Modern Actor.
Get in touch to discover what Aileen and the Gonsalves Method can do for you.
Accredited Trainers
Alex Gray
Edinburgh, UK
Alex is an actor and trainer who merges the worlds of art and digital technology, with a particular emphasis on virtual reality and digital creativity. He works at the intersection of artistic expression and digital innovation.
Caroline Colomei
Hereford, UK
Caroline has worked as an actor and director with Butterfly Theatre for over fifteen years. Having experienced the Gonsalves Method from its early days to now, she takes great joy in teaching it and supporting performers in discovering truthful expression.
Dan Cox
Southampton, UK
Dan is a director, facilitator and actor who currently works at MAST Mayflower Studios in Southampton. He specialises in authentic community engagement.
Diarm Scahill
London, UK
Diarm is a highly skilled singing teacher and dedicated voice coach with a passion for authentic expression. He helps actors and singers genuinely connect with their audience, creating powerful and memorable experiences.
diarmscahill.com →
Gemma Boaden
London, UK
Gemma Boaden is a voice coach, soft tissue therapist, actor and academic. She specialises in character creation through voice, blending science and imagination for authentic, healthy expression. A certified Estill Master Trainer, she is also trained in laryngeal manipulation and remedial massage.
Kay Crook
Exeter, UK
Kay is a dancer, choreographer, teacher, movement director, and Artistic Director of Chhaya Collective, a female-led contemporary dance company, and Chhaya Youth Dance Company.
Laura Douglas
Northern Ireland, UK
Laura is an actor, director, writer and creative facilitator with a particular interest in performance coaching. She supports actors and directors in creating authentic, connected performances and is deeply passionate about creative wellbeing.
Matt Sparkes
Oxford, UK
Matt is an actor and founder of Improv Discovery, an improv training company. He teaches actors to work with a script in a way that feels spontaneous, alive, and connected. With over 20 years of teaching experience in Asia and the UK, and a decade specialising in improvisation, he integrates the Gonsalves Method into his work with actors and improvisers.
Nathan Hook
Bristol, UK
Nathan is an actor, actor-combatant and stage director. He is the creator of the Gonsalves Cards, a toolkit for training in the method. His work is informed by psychological approaches - He is an associate fellow of the British Psychological Society and advanced hypnotherapist with the General Hypnotherapy Register.
Octavia Gilmore
London, UK
Octavia is a director, actor and improviser with extensive experience in the Gonsalves Method. Trained under Aileen Gonsalves at ArtsEd and a long-time cast member of Butterfly Theatre, she has applied the method professionally for many years. As an accredited director, she now teaches it, helping actors develop truthful performance and genuine connection in improv, theatre and film.
Peter Domankiewicz
London, UK
Peter is a film and television director with acting experience. Knowing both sides of the camera, he trains actors and directors in achieving authentic performances and self-tapes that get noticed.
Ruth Worth
Yorkshire, UK
Ruth is a professionally trained actress and director with experience across theatre, television, and film. She completed an Acting Masters with Aileen Gonsalves and now works as an actor, coach, and facilitator in both corporate and educational settings. Her passion is helping others grow in confidence and connection.
Samuel Koppel
Estonia
Samuel is an actor, theatre-maker, director and teacher. He specialises in contemporary dance and physical theatre.
Sarah April Lamb
London, UK
Sarah is a theatre-maker, movement director and teacher working across theatre, dance, performance art and circus. Her work explores human connection and tenderness in unlikely places.
Sochel Corvidae
Somerset, UK
Sochel worked as an actor and drama teacher before moving into crisis response and international development. She now focuses on mental health awareness, particularly in communication and relationship-building, working with local government and frontline services.
Sophie Kay
Surrey, UK
Sophie trained as a director at the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond and now runs her own theatre company, Key Players. She also has extensive experience in TV directing.
Sophie Rickman
Surrey, UK
Sophie is an actor and teacher with over 20 years of experience. One of the original members of Butterfly Theatre Company, she has a strong background in teaching and sharing the Gonsalves Method.
Wictor Koch
Stockholm, Sweden
Wictor is a director, actor, musical theatre performer and voice actor. Originally from Sweden, he uses the Gonsalves Method to coach actors and directors, and recently directed a multilingual A Midsummer Night's Dream in ten languages.