With his striking good looks, sharp wit and genuine love of the industry, theatrical impresario and anonymous Twitter phenomenon West End Producer has taken the theatre world by storm, amassing a devoted following. As his book Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Acting is published, here's an extract to whet your appetite, dears. The … Continue reading West End Producer: ‘Auditioning from my side of the table’
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Jez Butterworth: ‘who knows where plays come from?’
As his debut play Mojo receives its first major revival at the Harold Pinter Theatre in the West End, we've delved into our archives to bring you this interview with writer Jez Butterworth. Originally published in the anthology Jez Butterworth Plays: One, this extract of a conversation between Jez and NHB founder Nick Hern, dating … Continue reading Jez Butterworth: ‘who knows where plays come from?’
Jessica Swale: why the Blue Stockings were ‘the movers and shakers of their age’
Now premiering at Shakespeare's Globe, Jessica Swale's debut play Blue Stockings depicts the fight of female students at 1890s Cambridge University to be treated equally with their male counterparts. Here, the playwright gives an insight into the historical context of the piece, and the astonishing prejudices the 'Girton girls' had to endure. In the mid-1800s, girls in England … Continue reading Jessica Swale: why the Blue Stockings were ‘the movers and shakers of their age’
Mike Alfreds: ‘The play is not the thing’ – actors and storytelling in theatre
A legendary theatre director with over 200 productions to his name, over his long career Mike Alfreds has garnered a reputation as a true performance pioneer. As his new book Then What Happens? is published, the revered Shared Experience founder reflects on how stories are told on stage, and how actors, not plays, lie at the … Continue reading Mike Alfreds: ‘The play is not the thing’ – actors and storytelling in theatre
Paul Clayton: Ghostbusters, bananas and paying the bills – welcome to the world of corporate acting
In addition to his appearances on stage, film and in popular TV shows such as Peep Show, Coronation Street and Him & Her, Paul Clayton is also a veteran of the corporate acting circuit, with over 1400 credits to his name. As his new book So You Want To Be A Corporate Actor? is published, … Continue reading Paul Clayton: Ghostbusters, bananas and paying the bills – welcome to the world of corporate acting
Conor McPherson: A flash, an image, a feeling – the mysterious art of playwriting
As his modern classic The Weir receives its first major UK revival at London's Donmar Warehouse, playwright Conor McPherson reflects on the creative process, and how hard it all seems to explain. The best plays come in a flash. An image, a feeling, and that’s it. You know these ideas because they are the undeniable … Continue reading Conor McPherson: A flash, an image, a feeling – the mysterious art of playwriting
Janice Okoh: Three Birds in rehearsal – the evolution of a Bruntwood Prize winner
Janice Okoh's Three Birds - her startling and darkly comic play that won the 2011 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting - premieres at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester later this month. In this piece, the playwright talks about how the script has continued to evolve throughout pre-production, and the importance of the relationship between collaborators. When … Continue reading Janice Okoh: Three Birds in rehearsal – the evolution of a Bruntwood Prize winner
Paul Harvard: Do You See the Singers Act? – Acting Through Song in Les Misérables
With Les Misérables enjoying award nominations and critical acclaim in addition to its box office success, most critics are praising the emotion on display in the film. In this piece, Paul Harvard, musical director, composer and author of new book Acting Through Song, asks why that isn't always the case. The barricade has been erected, … Continue reading Paul Harvard: Do You See the Singers Act? – Acting Through Song in Les Misérables
Fin Kennedy: Calling all Theatre-Makers! An extraordinary challenge from Culture Minister Ed Vaizey
As an award-winning playwright, university tutor and writer-in-residence at an East London school, Fin Kennedy has a keen interest in the future of British theatre and the new writing that will lie at the heart of it. In this piece, he explains how a remarkable conversation with Culture Minister Ed Vaizey has spurred him into … Continue reading Fin Kennedy: Calling all Theatre-Makers! An extraordinary challenge from Culture Minister Ed Vaizey
Thomasina Unsworth: ‘peeling off the labels’ – why I wrote Becoming an Actor
Thomasina Unsworth teaches at Rose Bruford College, one of the UK's leading drama schools. In this blog piece, she explains her frustrations at the labelling of students, and how that inspired her to write her enlightening new book. My youngest daughter came home from school the other day in a miserable state. During swimming lessons … Continue reading Thomasina Unsworth: ‘peeling off the labels’ – why I wrote Becoming an Actor
The Prompt Book 