Eyes And Teeth

The reception was at Italia Conti

Academy of Theater Arts

Played host to a constellation of stars

Photos of Patsy Kensit, Tracy Ullman

Bonnie Langford, Leslie Ash

There are numerous east-enders

Countless pop stars

Then Louise Nerding

And most of the other Eternal girls

Many of the younger stars' glossy pics

Bear sugar felt tip testimonials

A kindly yet exacting woman

She's given thirty years service

Resulting in the eventual success

Of probably thousands of young performers

She's neat, blonde, welcoming

And very much in control

Her office on the top of a seemingly

Crumbling 50s building

Executive haven, executive haven

Executive haven, executive haven

Executive haven, executive haven

With tea served in floral cups

The coziness inside enhanced by the

Pressing view of a council estate

Groups of students drape themselves

Over reception sautees

Remembering their posture only when her

Eyes catch theirs

They're not allowed to go up to the office

In the building's rickety lift

Some of the students must climb

To the top using stair plates

Which lead to the studio

Crash or common area very symbolic

Hayley Newton, Hayley Newton

Hayley Newton, Hayley Newton

Hayley Newton, Hayley Newton

Hayley Newton, Hayley Newton

Hayley Newton, Hayley Newton

Hayley Newton, Hayley Newton

Hayley Newton, Hayley Newton

Hayley Newton, Hayley Newton

Hayley Newton is fifteen

Cute, outgoing, and poised

She's been preparing for a career on the stage

Since starting ballet at two years old

By day, she's a stage school student

Commuting from her home in Guildford

While her nights are filled with

Television appearances

And roles in west end musicals

Today, she's having her portrait taken

And like all the activities that take place

In the Italia Conti rehearsal rooms

It's practice for successful future

"Hope you like the pictures"

Offers the photographer, waving in his next subject

"I'd better" she twinkles, then runs off

To join her classmates

Like other exclusive London stage schools

Such as Sylvia Young's and Stella Adler's

Conti's takes talented potential-soaked tweens

As early as eleven

Grounding them in enough singing, dancing

And acting lessons to create future generations

Of light entertainers

These days it's always possible

To rise from the Conti ilk

Into the world of tele-presenting and pop

"I can imagine being big, I can see it

And I want to be as big as Celine Dion"

Mmmmmmmhmmmm......

Mmmmmmmhmmmm......