What does theatre mean to you? How do actors marry up the dual emotional demands of their chosen profession? How many ‘characters’ or versions of ourselves to the rest of us play in our own lives?
Cry Havoc Q&A video: How much would you sacrifice for love? Which wins when sexuality & faith clash?
At a time when our headlines are full of news about Brunei’s gay death penalty laws and religious parents protesting LGBTQ inclusion in classrooms, let alone growing Brexit and Trump-era intolerance to asylum seekers and immigrants, Cry Havoc is scarily relevant and all-too-real.
Tony’s Last Tape Q&A video: Paying tribute to Tony Benn, from ‘most dangerous man’ to ‘national treasure’
Many in the audience at Clapham’s Omnibus Theatre knew and were influenced by Tony Benn and were happy to share memories and thoughts on what he would think about the play as well as today’s political situation.
Lord of the Flies Q&A video: How does William Golding’s fight for survival resonate in 2019?
This week, I chaired my second of three post-show Q&As with Lazarus Theatre Company as part of their 2019 residency at Greenwich Theatre – their highly acclaimed return production of Lord of the Flies.
Undetectable Q&A video: Tom Wright, Rikki Beadle-Blair & guests on chemsex & the gay community
Why is intimacy so hard? In the bedroom, when can drugs be a help and when a hindrance? How much should we reveal to a new partner? What new demons do today’s young gay men carry with them into relationships? After the fun we had last month with My Dad’s Gap Year at the Park Theatre, […]
Launch Q&A video: What’s different about the Lion & Unicorn Theatre under its new Proforca management?
How can a 60-seat black box studio above a pub stand out amongst nearly 100 Off-West End and fringe theatres in London? THIS is how. There was palpable excitement in the room on last night at Proforca Theatre Company’s industry relaunch of the Lion & Unicorn Theatre, with a very warm reciprocal embrace for the company’s […]
Call Me Vicky Q&A video: Celebrating transgender progress & working-class voices onstage
It was a great big family affair for my post-show Q&A at Call Me Vicky at the Pleasance Theatre this past weekend. The new one-act comedy-drama marks the playwriting debut for sisters Stacey and Nicola Bland, who also perform in the cast, and their mum, dad and nan were in proud attendance.
Listen: Q&A podcast with playwright Martin Sherman & his Gently Down the Stream stars
“It’s so rare these days to see a play about optimism,” the wonderful actor Malcolm Sinclair told me after a performance of Gently Down the Stream at the Park Theatre.
Video & transcript: Terri Paddock’s All in a Row post-show discussion
A lot has been said about All in a Row online (especially on Twitter around #puppetgate) – about the play itself, its depiction of autism and its use of a puppet in portraying the non-verbal autistic 11-year-old character. At a post-show forum, Mates co-founder Terri Paddock moderated an event taking the conversation offline.
The Tempest Q&A video and photos: What happens when the gender-flipping of this 400-year-old play goes even further?
In my first of three post-show Q&As this year with Lazarus Theatre, I was at Greenwich Theatre for this pioneering ensemble company’s exciting re-examination of Shakespeare’s The Tempest.