I work with theatres, schools, community and arts organisations as a playwright, educator and theatre director.
Recent work
Recent work
Kiln Theatre and Henna Asian Women's Group 'A Friendly Society' programme
Throughout the summer of 2018, I facilitated an eight week course in biographical storytelling, theatre and writing in collaboration with Kiln Theatre and Henna Asian Women’s Group. Each session focussed on a different theme such as arriving and settling in Britain; childhood; becoming young women; work; marriage; motherhood; cultural and religious identity, among others. The series of workshops formed part of Kiln Theatre’s wider heritage learning programme, ‘A Friendly Society’, which takes its name from the Foresters Friendly Society. The Foresters were the original inhabitants of Kiln Theatre’s building, and aimed to help people in need as they ‘walked through the forests of life’. The broader programme encompasses a wide range of opportunities for participants of all ages and backgrounds to discover the heritage of Kiln Theatre and the history of care in the local community through research, oral histories, engagement workshops, exhibitions, and a community play.
London Playback Theatre in collaboration with Sparkle and Dark Theatre Company
On Saturday April 1st, 2017, London Playback Theatre teamed up with Sparkle and Dark Theatre Company at Fisher Theatre in Suffolk to explore the subject of grief and loss.
Sparkle and Dark performed their award-winning physical theatre show, I AM BEAST, which they devised in response to the questions: What strategies do we use to escape when our present reality is too hard to face? What happens when the wilder and darker parts of our imagination take control and transform our realities? The creation of I AM BEAST was informed by the views and experiences of psychiatrists, drama therapists, neuroscientists and bereaved teenagers.
After the show, London Playback Theatre offered an improvised performance. We invited audience members to share thoughts, feelings and memories that I AM BEAST had provoked in them, and we spontaneously enacted their stories and reflections.
Sparkle and Dark performed their award-winning physical theatre show, I AM BEAST, which they devised in response to the questions: What strategies do we use to escape when our present reality is too hard to face? What happens when the wilder and darker parts of our imagination take control and transform our realities? The creation of I AM BEAST was informed by the views and experiences of psychiatrists, drama therapists, neuroscientists and bereaved teenagers.
After the show, London Playback Theatre offered an improvised performance. We invited audience members to share thoughts, feelings and memories that I AM BEAST had provoked in them, and we spontaneously enacted their stories and reflections.
London Playback Theatre at the House of Commons
London Playback Theatre performed at the House of Commons on January 28, 2016, and spontaneously enacted personal stories shared by audience members on the theme of austerity and social justice, and specifically the way in which government cuts to public services are drastically affecting peoples everyday lives. This event was created in collaboration with GlobalNet21, a leading forum in the UK for discussing the major issues in the 21st Century.
Cambridge University Festival of Ideas and Playback Theatre
As a member of London Playback Theatre, I performed at Cambridge University’s Festival of Ideas on October 22, 2014. The innovative event ‘A Mind Full of Memories’ featured neuroscientists and theatre practitioners, and stimulated discussion about ways to bring neuroscience and theatre together to support people to recover from post traumatic stress disorder.
London Playback Theatre Company
I am a core member of London Playback Theatre Company. We encourage audience members to share their real life stories and spontaneously bring those stories to life through physical theatre, storytelling, song and music. Our tailor-made performances enliven events from conferences and training programmes to family and community festivals and celebrations.
We also offer post performance workshops in which participants have an opportunity to explore the themes which have emerged during the performance. Examples from previous workshops include: diversity and difference, managing conflict, deeper listening and communication skills, enhancing spontaneity and creativity.
Click here to find out more and view our most recent performances and workshops.
We also offer post performance workshops in which participants have an opportunity to explore the themes which have emerged during the performance. Examples from previous workshops include: diversity and difference, managing conflict, deeper listening and communication skills, enhancing spontaneity and creativity.
Click here to find out more and view our most recent performances and workshops.
Northwood Arts Centre
Commissioned by Northwood Arts Centre to celebrate the 100th anniversary since St Johns Church in Northwood was used as a Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital during the First World War, I devised and directed a performance project with local people of all ages. The performance interwove drama, poetry and song and was based on creative interpretations of rich stories collected by local families about the soldiers, doctors, nurses, entertainers and other volunteers who contributed to the hospital between 1914-18 (June 2014).
Imagine Children's Festival: Royal Festival Hall Southbank Centre
In collaboration with Lone Twin Theatre, I co-created and perform in the participatory theatre piece, Beastie, as it tours the UK and internationally. Beastie has been performed at The Barbican, The Sage, and Discover Centre among other places, and for the second year running will again be performed at the Royal Festival Hall Southbank Centre, as part of Imagine Children’s Festival in February 2013.
Brightonshed
I performed with Brightonshed (a branch of Chickenshed Theatre) in Battleship Island, an interactive theatre piece created with and for children and their families about friendship, courage and community, as part of the Brighton and Hove Children's Festival in April (2012) at The Basement Theatre.
Islington Community Theatre
In partnership with Islington Community Theatre I was the Oracle Project Director based at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School, facilitating drama workshops for girls from local primary and secondary schools in Islington, which culminated in a theatre performance in March (2012).
Sacred Spaces
In partnership with Creativity Culture and Education and Curriculum Enrichment for the Common Era CE4CE, I worked with young people to explore their heritage and what is sacred to them. The project culminated in a theatre performance, which was part of a wider celebratory event at the Royal Society in London (2011) that gathered together young people and educators from different faiths.
Foundling Museum
In partnership with the Foundling Museum and Harlequin Youth Theatre Redhill, I facilitated a series of drama workshops with young people (12-16 year olds) based on the experiences of people who grew up at the Foundling Hospital School, and devised the play The Music Inside (dramaturge Helen Edmundson). The play was performed by Harlequin Youth Theatre and Emerald Chamber Choir at the Harlequin Theatre and the Foundling Museum (2010-2011).
Foundling voices resources (2009-2011)
Foundling voices resources (2009-2011)
Lone Twin Theatre
In collaboration with Lone Twin Theatre, I co-created and perform in the participatory theatre piece, Beastie, as it tours the UK and internationally.
Beastie has been performed at The Barbican, The Sage, and Discover Centre among others.
Beastie will next be performed at the Southbank Centre, London in February 2012.
Beastie has been performed at The Barbican, The Sage, and Discover Centre among others.
Beastie will next be performed at the Southbank Centre, London in February 2012.
Lister Community Performing Arts School
In partnership with Eastside Heritage and performing arts specialist school, Lister Community School in East London, I facilitated workshops with high school students and devised and directed the school theatre production Pastimes (2010).
Sydney Opera House
I was writer and director of the Sydney Opera House: Kids at the House Babies Proms interactive music theatre shows for young children and families with the Sydney Opera House Orchestra (2006-2008).
Shows include: Mozart Boy Genius, The Drum, Pecorino’s first concert, Music Book, Dougal the Garbage Dump Bear (adapted from the Matt Dray's book), A,B,C,1,2,,3, Yummy In My Tummy, Santa Babies, Flip Flops, The Colour of Fun, and others.
Shows include: Mozart Boy Genius, The Drum, Pecorino’s first concert, Music Book, Dougal the Garbage Dump Bear (adapted from the Matt Dray's book), A,B,C,1,2,,3, Yummy In My Tummy, Santa Babies, Flip Flops, The Colour of Fun, and others.
Amnesty International
I was commissioned by Amnesty International to research and write a play, Fly20 (dramaturge Hilary Bell) about the experiences of refugees and asylum seekers (2007).
As part of this project, I devised and facilitated drama workshops based on human rights for secondary school students at the Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP).
Aboriginal Life Story Project
I was Artistic Director of the Aboriginal Life Story Project, a community cultural development project, which involved recording oral histories of Aboriginal Elders, and writing and directing theatre pieces and publishing books based on their life experiences (2006-2008). The theatre pieces were performed at The International Dreaming Festival, Campbelltown Arts Centre and NAISDA Dance College (2007).
Read more
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Once Upon a Lifetime
I was Artistic Director of Once Upon a Lifetime, an intergenerational community project which featured drama and writing workshops, and the theatre production Light Years (written by Hilary Bell) inspired by the memories of older people in Sydney’s inner city (2005-2006)
Further plays I have written are: Baby Dove (dramaturge Hilary Bell), Pasha’s Marble, Witness Me, Look ‘em in the Eye, Paint Yourself Black, The Gentle Rain that Falls, Wild Swan Hunting, Cave Dreaming.
