We have recently performed my first play, Hardcross with great success.
Rodney Hardcross was one of the most successful businessmen of his time - but a cold and distant father. His children, uptight Philip, rebellious artist Martin and dutiful Joyce feared him. When his death is announced, his children reluctantly gather at the family house to prepare for the funeral - and to receive their inheritance. However, before his testament can be revealed, Rodney has one final request that makes everyone ill at ease. In this tense atmosphere, buried conflicts and frustrations come to the fore, shameful secrets are revealed, and masks crumble.
The play explores themes that are painfully relevant in our times, especially for an audience of young adults between 20 and 40: the predominance of money over human connections, the break-up of families, marital troubles, women's rights, addiction, selfishness and the difficulty of communication, but the story is told in a fresh and humorous way. While we want to paint an honest picture about the difficulty of living, we intend to leave the viewers with an optimistic message. We use a minimalistic set for the play, consisting of 6 wooden blocks, a cabinet and a table. The blocks are constantly rearranged by the actors to represent various rooms in the house. Props are also basic. We want to keep the focus on the intensity of emotions. The play works especially well in intimate studio settings, where the audience can feel part of the family.
We are Heckcelsior, a newly formed theatre company under my direction. I am in my final year at Queen Mary University of London. In the last 2 years I have collaborated with various companies, such as Against the Grain Theatre and London Theatre Workshop as a stage manager and director. These experiences have made me committed to producing new writing. For me, theatre a great way of telling the stories of our times, stories that nobody else tells, stories to educate, to inspire, to help, while pushing the boundaries and experimenting with media, formats and ideas. I have studied performance art in detail, and I have an interest in combining stories with the more abstract elements of performance art. All in all, we want to produce work that is different, bold, daring and passionate, firmly grounded in modern life and still timeless. This is my first full-length play, and we are really excited about making our mark in the arts world.
Rodney Hardcross was one of the most successful businessmen of his time - but a cold and distant father. His children, uptight Philip, rebellious artist Martin and dutiful Joyce feared him. When his death is announced, his children reluctantly gather at the family house to prepare for the funeral - and to receive their inheritance. However, before his testament can be revealed, Rodney has one final request that makes everyone ill at ease. In this tense atmosphere, buried conflicts and frustrations come to the fore, shameful secrets are revealed, and masks crumble.
The play explores themes that are painfully relevant in our times, especially for an audience of young adults between 20 and 40: the predominance of money over human connections, the break-up of families, marital troubles, women's rights, addiction, selfishness and the difficulty of communication, but the story is told in a fresh and humorous way. While we want to paint an honest picture about the difficulty of living, we intend to leave the viewers with an optimistic message. We use a minimalistic set for the play, consisting of 6 wooden blocks, a cabinet and a table. The blocks are constantly rearranged by the actors to represent various rooms in the house. Props are also basic. We want to keep the focus on the intensity of emotions. The play works especially well in intimate studio settings, where the audience can feel part of the family.
We are Heckcelsior, a newly formed theatre company under my direction. I am in my final year at Queen Mary University of London. In the last 2 years I have collaborated with various companies, such as Against the Grain Theatre and London Theatre Workshop as a stage manager and director. These experiences have made me committed to producing new writing. For me, theatre a great way of telling the stories of our times, stories that nobody else tells, stories to educate, to inspire, to help, while pushing the boundaries and experimenting with media, formats and ideas. I have studied performance art in detail, and I have an interest in combining stories with the more abstract elements of performance art. All in all, we want to produce work that is different, bold, daring and passionate, firmly grounded in modern life and still timeless. This is my first full-length play, and we are really excited about making our mark in the arts world.
I have worked as a stage manager, producer, assistant director and director on various productions, collaborating with the likes of Scott Le Crass and London Theatre Workshop. I possess experience of site-specific and devised theatre, performance art and new writing. My experiences during these productions taught me the importance of deadlines and teamwork, and gave me the confidence to conduct rehearsals and run performances. I possess experience of sourcing props, and I am a confident user of the various websites and networks that specialise in prop and set exchange.
I am extremely passionate about building a career in theatre, and I have a unique vision that would enhance any production. As a result of my a multi-cultural background, as well as my affinity for various fields of arts, the productions I would like to create combine multiple disciplines, ranging from performance art to visual arts and poetry, delighting all senses. I am especially attracted to your play because of the deep emotions within it. Most of my work stems from personal experiences and feelings, and I believe that theatre is an excellent platform for expressing emotions that society forces us to repress. By providing a realistic representation of the characters' internal struggles, I want the audience to relate to them and thus be motivated to take action. While I am not afraid to reveal the darker side of life in my shows, but I want to leave the audiences with a message of hope. I enjoy experimenting with various styles, and pushing the boundaries of theatre conventions. As a director, I put emphasis on character development, and I encourage a collaborative and open relationship with my actors.
EXPERIENCE:
REVIEWS:
http://britishtheatre.com/review-the-tempest-eel-brook-theatre-4stars/
I am extremely passionate about building a career in theatre, and I have a unique vision that would enhance any production. As a result of my a multi-cultural background, as well as my affinity for various fields of arts, the productions I would like to create combine multiple disciplines, ranging from performance art to visual arts and poetry, delighting all senses. I am especially attracted to your play because of the deep emotions within it. Most of my work stems from personal experiences and feelings, and I believe that theatre is an excellent platform for expressing emotions that society forces us to repress. By providing a realistic representation of the characters' internal struggles, I want the audience to relate to them and thus be motivated to take action. While I am not afraid to reveal the darker side of life in my shows, but I want to leave the audiences with a message of hope. I enjoy experimenting with various styles, and pushing the boundaries of theatre conventions. As a director, I put emphasis on character development, and I encourage a collaborative and open relationship with my actors.
EXPERIENCE:
- Writer/Director, Hardcross, Heckcelsior, The London Theatre and The Bread and Roses, 2016
- Stage Manager, The Tempest, London Theatre Workshop at the Eel Brook Theatre, 2015 (directed by Brandon Force)
- Assistant Director, In a Better Place, Pure Fluke Theatre, Hotel Pelirocco, 2015 (dir. by Scott Le Crass)
- Assistant Stage Manager, Miss Havisham's Expectations, One Spirit Productions, Trafalgar Studios, 2014 (dir. by Di Sherlock)
- Assistant Stage Manager, Sheltered, Against the Grain Productions, Tabard Theatre, 2014 (dir. by Stuart Watson)
- Producer, Queen's Opera, Turandot, 2014 (dir. By Carita Drew)
- Director, LonDram, Shout in the Dark (written by Bill Saunders) and Smoke and Mirrors (written by Rhiannon Falshaw-Skelley), performed at The Space, 21-22 February 2014
- Assistant Director, Stage Manager and Costume Assistant for The Real History of Britain (written and directed by Melanie Sefton), performed at Britannica International School, Budapest, 17 December 2011
REVIEWS:
http://britishtheatre.com/review-the-tempest-eel-brook-theatre-4stars/