Employment Record:
Aug 2015- Present: Freelance Theatre Practitioner.
Since moving to Manchester towards the end of 2015 I have been working as a freelance theatre maker.
'She's Not The Queen, She's a Very Naughty Girl' For The Edge Theatre, Chorlton.
'The Man Who Left is Not The Man Who Returned' By Kevin Dyer. For Farnham Maltings, Tour.
'After Birth' by Nicola Schofield at the Royal Exchange, for The Highlight Collective.
'Hidden' By Vickie Donoghue. For Forest Forge Theatre Company. Tour.
'Flight' by Nicola Schofield for The Highlight Collective at Hope Mill Theatre.
'They Can't Take That Away From Me' For The Edge Theatre, Chorlton.
'Cool Dance' and 'Murder In Paradise' For Expressive Edge Theatre Co at The Edge.
'A Kidnapping' for Swaggering Crow theatre Co, Manchester. Performing at the Hope Mill Theatre and Steven Joseph Theatre Scarborough.
'The Crucible' 'Frankenstein' for Forest Forge Theatre Co young peoples Company.
I have designed several productions for Forest Forge Theatre Company including ‘Upbeat’ directed by Kirstie Davis. I wrote, designed and directed 'The Elves and the Shoemaker' and‘Hansel and Gretel’ for BumbleFly Theatre Co. I have worked as scenic artist on Manchester Parklife Festival and head scenic artist on ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ for CBeebies at The Liverpool Everyman. I have run a design team of students working on a work experience project that devised and toured a play, ‘Man Up Girl Up’ to secondary schools. I have directed a production of ‘Stockholm’ with degree students and ran weekly story making workshops with cancer patients. I am currently working on ‘My Wildest Dreams’, an art installation that explores homelessness in Manchester.
2002- 2015. Forest Forge Theatre Company. Associate Director/Company Designer
While at Forest Forge I designed sets and costumes for over seventy productions which toured nationally. These productions ranged from tiny scale ‘theatre for one’ through community venues and theatres to large scale, site specific work.
2004-2006, Vienna’s English Theatre. Freelance Director/Designer
I directed and designed two touring productions, ‘The Canterville Ghost’ and ‘Around The World In 80 Days’.
2003-2004, Oldham Coliseum Theatre. Freelance Designer
I designed three large scale productions at this rep theatre, ‘The Invisible Man’ (Nominated, Manchester Evening News Theatre Award, Best Design.)‘April in Paris’ and ‘Robin Hood’. All directed by Kevin Shaw.
1994-2002. Forest Forge Theatre Company. Resident Designer
I designed every production during this period. All directed by Kevin Shaw.
June 1994-Sept 1994, Colchester Mercury. Resident Designer
I ran the design department at the theatre, designing two shows during this short period.
1991-1994. Salisbury Playhouse. Resident Designer/ Scenic Artist
I designed many shows, both in the studio and main house. I also lead a team of up to four scenic artists. I had ultimate responsibility for paint shop organisation.
1990-1991. Various London Theatres. Freelance Designer/Scenic Artist/Builder
I worked on many shows including at The National Theatre, Almeida Theatre, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Paris Opera House, Battersea Arts Centre.
Training:
Post-graduate course in Theatre Design at Motley Design Course 1989-1990.
Diploma in Technical Theatre Arts at Rose Bruford College. 1986-1989.
MY WORK AS A DESIGNER:
I am an experienced designer, working extensively in small and medium scale touring over the last 20 years plus experience of large scale productions, building based, touring, immersive and site specific. I'm an inventive yet practical designer; used to working to budget and tight timescales, with a wide knowledge base in all aspects of technical theatre. I believe that all forms of theatre, no matter what scale, demand stylish and innovative designs with the highest possible production values. As designer I see my first duty to serve the script by creating a world unique to that play, which begins to tell the story before a word of the script is spoken. I find the collaborative process of working with a director and other artists to develop a visually rich concept that supports the story one of the most exciting aspects of a designer’s job. I then relish the challenge of taking the concept and working out ways to practically realize the design. I am a skilled scenic artist, builder, prop and costume maker.
'Peeling' for Forest Forge Theatre Co.