Queen opens £32m drama HQ

Ralph Fiennes was on hand to meet the Queen

The Queen has opened the redeveloped headquarters of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Rada) in central London.

The £32m building in the Bloomsbury area has three new theatres, exhibition space, a cabaret stage and a fully equipped sound studio.

Many former pupils of the UK's foremost acting academy which celebrates its centenary in 2004, were present at the opening.

Rada's alumini include its present chairman Lord Attenborough, the late Sir John Gielgud, Albert Finney, Glenda Jackson and Kenneth Branagh.

Rada chairman Lord Attenborough showed the Queen around

The new complex is built on the site of the original home of Rada on Gower Street, Bloomsbury.

It will now unite Rada's main buildings, in Gower Street and Malet Street which were previously connected by a staircase which was open to the elements.

The refurbished headquarters were funded by the National Lottery and a Rada campaign which raised £8m.

The Queen, who has been patron of Rada since she ascended to the throne in 1952, was introduced to past and present pupils by Lord Attenborough.

Among those who attended the opening were Ralph Fiennes, Dame Diana Rigg, Alan Rickman, Juliet Stevenson and Richard Bryers.

The Queen then unveiled a plaque to commemorate her visit.

Juliet Stevenson and Alan Rickman were at the opening

She said: "Britain has a proud heritage in all the arts, but none stands higher in world-wide reputation and acclaim than our theatre and acting profession."

She then watched a satire on the aristocracy - Clandestine Marriage.

Set in the 18th century, the play by George Colman and David Garrick, parodies a mismatch of love, money and class.