Current Work

I think we are Alone

I am currently producing the world premier of Frantic Assembly’s 25th Anniversary production, I Think We Are Alone by Sally Abbott.
As well as commissioning the formidable tour-de-force that is Sally Abbott to write the production, I am thrilled that Kathy Burke agreed to join us on this venture, co-directing the production with Artistic Director Scott Graham.

After years of discussion I was finally able to bring Designer Morgan Large (Joseph and his amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Wonderland) on board to design the production. I’m pleased to be working with Lighting Designer Paul Keogan after working with him on the Abbey Theatre, Lyric Hammersmith production of The Plough and the Stars. Sound Designer Ella Wahlstrom completes the team with Associate Director Jessica Williams touring the production.

I Think We Are Alone is a Frantic Assembly and Theatre Royal Plymouth production produced with Curve, touring from February 2020.

THE NATIONAL THEATRE RIVERSTAGE

I approached the National Theatre in 2018 to discuss becoming a partner organisation of their hugely popular outdoor festival, River Stage.
I’m delighted they agreed to give Frantic Assembly the keys to a whole weekend which I have now programmed to celebrate the company’s 25th Anniversary.
As well as giving focus to the company and our work including workshops demonstrations and new performances, we were keen to make sure the we could use this weekend as a platform for friends of the company to showcase their work. I’ve managed to recruit over 150 artists for the weekend including performers such as Declan Bennett, Kate Marlais, Karl Queensborough, Luke Brown Dance Co. Julie Blake from Erased Tapes, Honey Moon and many more.

The Full line up can be found on the National Theatre Website.

The weekend which was a huge success, both in performance and in attendance who joined us in public workshops, games, warm ups and performances. The weekend was beautifully documented in a commissioned piece by Ignition graduate Michael Lynch (scroll down to watch) which beautifully sums up the mood of the entire weekend.

After proclaiming it to be the ‘Best. Weekend. Ever’ Artistic Director brought the weekend to a close in front of a chorus of volunteers from across the country who had just performed ‘The Power of Love’. Graham went on to reach out to the public and those gathered to encourage people to ‘open a door to the arts to those who don’t realise this could be them’, in an unexpected speech he went on to discuss the importance of the arts and how keeping that door open is more relevant than ever in these uncertain political times.

A superb weekend. I am thrilled to have worked so closely with the National Theatre to achieve our ambitious weekend, and thank every single person who made such a special weekend possible.

PODCAST

The first series of the Frantic Assembly Podcast was a bit of an unknown for me, learning how to produce, promote and host the podcast across all major platforms. After being well received and available on iTunes, Sound Cloud, Acast and Spotify, it has been an adventure to commission a second series. I have also been keen to include more voices from the industry as the podcast has served as a useful access point to young people and those thinking about careers in the arts. The second series therefore will also feature guest slots from playwrights Anna Jordan and Sally Abbott, Director Neil Bettles, Lighting Designer Zoe Spurr and actors Papa Essiedu, Karl Queensborough and Joe Layton.