Performing in a five-star, sell-out London production of the Orwell classic 1984 is a great learning curve for St Albans schoolgirl Asha Banks.

Asha, 10, takes the role of the Parsons child in the play, which has been getting rave reviews since it opened on Thursday, February 13.

She is part of a cast of nine actors who started the play at Nottingham Playhouse and have taken it around the country before coming to the Almeida Theatre in London.

Asha attends drama classes at Top Hat Stage School in St Albans on Saturday mornings and its director Warren Bacci, whose agency represents her said: “We are so proud that Asha is in such a successful production.

“This is a compelling piece of theatre and the acting is as good as it gets, so Asha is getting wonderful experience with this play. She has already achieved three distinctions in her acting exams on our Top Hat LAMDA course, so we are sure she is cut out for a career in drama.”

Asha commented: “It is such fun working with the director and team at the Almeida theatre. I love watching the other actors, like Hara Yannas and Mandi Symonds, who plays my mum, as they are such amazing actors. I am learning so much by being in such a good play and I can’t wait for my teacher to come and see me in it.”