Profile
I am a theatre maker, actor and director, with a background in collaborative, devised and text-based work. I am co-artistic director of Inspector Sands theatre company with whom I have been making and performing work for national and international touring since 2006. The company makes work through a collaborative process with a strong focus on integration of performance with design elements, in particular sound design. We have a special interest in the way global events and trends are reflected in the details of social interaction in everyday life.
I came to theatre through an early interest in contemporary dance and choreography and my work has always been influenced by a strong interest in movement. I read English and French at Sussex University, with an ERASMUS year assisting on mid-scale classical productions at the Théâtre des Treize Vents in Montpelier. I then trained as an actor at the Jacques Lecoq theatre school in Paris, where I also undertook a one-year writing programme and two-year design training with the Laboratory of Movement Studies. At the Lecoq school I was introduced to the Feldenkrais Method, which has since become an important part of my theatre practice and teaching. After 10 years of Feldenkrais practice I undertook the professional Feldenkrais training programme in London with Elizabeth Beringer.
On graduating from the Lecoq school I worked as an assistant director with Theatre O and for Rufus Norris (Young Vic; National Theatre). I formed Stamping Ground Theatre in 2004, making small-scale devised work for UK touring (including work for BAC and Riverside Studios), before co-founding Inspector Sands. The company has toured extensively in the UK and internationally, performed at the National Theatre and developed work at the National Theatre Studio, had projects commissioned by Lyric Hammersmith, BAC, Almeida, Southbank Centre and Without Walls and won several awards at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Our current project,The Lounge, opened at Summerhall in Edinburgh and transfers to the Soho Theatre in spring 2017.
With Inspector Sands and as an independent theatre maker I have received grants from Arts Council England, The Wellcome Trust, The National Lottery, The Sackler Trust, Royal Victoria Hall and The Peggy Ramsay Foundation.
Outside of the company I work as a freelance performer and director, most recently for Bristol Old Vic Ferment and for Simon McBurney at Dutch National Opera and ENO.
Teaching Practice
I began teaching at Central in 2007 with a focus on Lecoq practices, before becoming a movement lecturer in 2016. I have taught on MA/MFA Advanced Theatre Practice (ATP) and MA/MFA Actor Coaching and Training at Central and on the actor and director trainings at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and Guildford School of Acting. I have run workshops for professional and non-professional actors and theatre makers at the Young Vic, BAC, Almeida, Lyric Hammersmith, Southbank Centre and in a broad range of national and international touring contexts with Inspector Sands. More recently I have co-led workshops for mental health care professionals using theatre and Feldenkrais-based skills in collaboration with a systemic family therapist, for organisations including the Institute of Psychiatry, The Tramshed and (upcoming) the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust.
Related work
In 2015-16 I was an Artist Support Associate for Theatre Bristol, working with independent theatre makers on the development of their practice - from artistic development to self-producing.
Since 2006 I have worked as a freelance interpreter between English, Czech and French, with clients including the BFI, the London Film Festival, ITN and Al Jazeera.
Practice
2017. Co-creator/actor, The Lounge, Soho Theatre (director Lu Kemp for Inspector Sands)
2016. Co-creator/actor, The Lounge, Summerhall, Edinburgh Festival Fringe (director Lu Kemp for Inspector Sands)
2016. Co-director /actor, Move Along, Bristol Old Vic Ferment (co-director Miranda Henderson)
2014. Actor, Horizontal Collaboration, The Traverse (director David Leddy)
2014. Co-creator /actor, A High Street Odyssey, National Theatre Watch This Space/ UK tour (director Ben Lewis for Inspector Sands)
2014. Director /actor, Rock Pool, UK tour (Inspector Sands)
2012-13. Actor, The Magic Flute, Dutch National Opera/ENO (director Simon McBurney)
2012. Co-creator/actor, Mass Observation, Almeida (director Lu Kemp for Inspector Sands)
2011. Director/actor, Portrait of the Ordinary Festival Goer, Southbank Centre
2010. Co-creator/actor, If That’s All There Is, Lyric Hammersmith, Traverse, UK/ international tour, Brits Off Broadway NYC (director Lu Kemp for Inspector Sands)
2008-10. Co-creator/actor, Hysteria, London International Mime Festival/ Brits of Broadway NYC, UK/ international tour (assoc. director Joseph Alford for Inspector Sands)
2008. Staff director, Market Boy, National Theatre (director Rufus Norris)
2008. Assistant director, Tintin, Young Vic (director Rufus Norris)
Register of Interest
Inspector Sands Theatre Company - Co-Director