A TRAUMATISED teenager who was tormented throughout his entire school life has beaten his bullies and won a place at a top theatre company.

James McDonald from Greenock told today how performing on stage was his only escape from the daily diet of cruel jibes and taunts.

At one stage it got so bad he begged his teachers to be removed from class to learn on his own.

Now though the former St Columba’s High pupil has been selected as a member of the National Youth Theatre in London — seeing off competition from around 5,000 other hopefuls.

And the 18-year-old hopes other youngsters suffering from bullying will take inspiration from his success.

James, of Ardgowan Street, said: “I feel like I have beaten the bullies. 

“The theatre and the stage was my escape. The audience was my friend because I didn’t have any at school.

“It took me away from things — people liked me, they accepted me and I didn’t have to worry about being myself.”

But at school it was a very different story for James, first in Wemyss Bay Primary, then St Ninian’s and finally St Columba’s.

James said: “It started in primary four and just kept on happening

“It was just constant — name-calling and abuse.

“It did get physical at times and I had to try and stick up for myself.

“There was a group of boys that kept giving me a hard time and it followed me through school.

“I just wanted them to leave me alone.

“I couldn’t talk to anyone else without the bullies making insults at me.

“The schools did try to step in but it didn’t make a difference.

“It was so bad I had to have education psychologists to talk to.

“There was one boy who tried to stick up for me.

“At one point I just had enough and asked to go into a classroom on my own. It was better to be alone.”

James discovered drama aged seven and was soon starring on stage in local productions.

James said: “It changed everything for me.

“The Arts Guild and then the Beacon were amazing. They are so supportive and gave me the confidence that I didn’t have. I will never forget my first role, in Hank. I was hooked.”

Since then James has pursued his dream of making it on stage and film.
After leaving school he went to study performance at college and has worked closely with a number of theatre groups.

Earlier this year he took the step of auditioning for the National Youth Theatre in London.

The Greenock teenager will now be following in the footsteps of the likes of Dame Helen Mirren and Daniel Day Lewis.

James will go to London for a three-week introduction and will then have access to auditions and opportunities that would otherwise not come his way.

He said: “I can’t believe that I got in. It is very exciting. There are only 500 people in the whole country given the chance and 5,000 applicants. I just went for it.”

James has his heart set on serious drama on stage and in film, and he dreams of a chance at Hollywood.

He said: “I say to people who are bullied never to give up.

“When I am on stage I feel like I can be anybody.

“I think being bullied really pushed me to do something — I wanted it more — but the bullying is always in my head.

“This has changed my life.”

In August James will travel to London to begin working with the National Youth Theatre.

He is now starting to raise money to fund his spell there, with a number of events in the pipeline.

To donate visit his crowdfunding page on www.justgiving.com/james-mcdonald