Applied Theatre

My Applied Theatre practice (drama in socially-engaged contexts) includes work with former prisoners, as well as with other marginalised and underrepresented groups.  I apply this work in educational, artistic, and community settings, and am Co-Founder of Blank Cheque.

July - October 2022 Producer, Director & Facilitator: The Women Inside, Blank Cheque. Generously funded by Arts Council England, this project built on The Writer Inside. Over eight online sessions, Blank Cheque, in partnership with the Independent Film Trust, worked with the women of Hibiscus Women’s Centre to develop a verbatim piece which reflects their experiences as asylum seekers and migrants to the UK. The work culminated in a short, participatory, verbatim film: The Women Inside, which was launched at the Migrant Women’s Conference, ‘My Voice, My Story!,’ hosted by Hibiscus Initiatives as they celebrated their 35yr anniversary supporting migrant women trapped in the immigration and criminal justice system to rebuild their lives. The film is also the winner of the Jury Award for Best Short Film at the 2023 London Independent Film Festival.

July - August 2021 Producer, Director & Facilitator: The Writer Inside, Blank Cheque (also co-founder). Over eight weeks, a group of women affected by criminal justice, detention, and trafficking took part in a series of playwriting workshops led by playwright Suhayla El-Bushra. The women developed characters and wrote original scenes which were then performed by professional actors to an invited audience. The project was funded by Arts Council England and was delivered in partnership with Hibiscus Initiatives.

June 2019 - February 2020 Associate to Access & Widening Participation, LAMDA. Working closely with the Access & Widening Participation Manager and Head of Academic Services, redesigned delivery of LAMDA’s regional Pathways Programme along with developing a monitoring and evaluation system that linked with key performance indicators of LAMDA’s Access & Participation Plan (a requirement of the Office for Students). Secured new regional partnerships and developed a calendar of workshop delivery to meet the needs of stakeholders including participants, partner organisations, schools, funders, and statutory bodies.

July 2016 Assistant Director: A Raisin in the Sun, Synergy Theatre Project at Thameside Prison
A full-scale production of the play performed by Prisoners at HMP Thameside, alongside professional actresses and presented to the public. Working collaboratively with Director Juliet Knight.

2016 Project Designer, Producer & Facilitator: ‘The Mythology Project,' a week-long workshop with former prisoners.  The group devised a scratch performance based on the structure and style of ancient Greek mythology, creating their own modern myths from newspaper clippings, improvisations, and stories from their personal experiences.  Participants received their OCR Level 2 Cambridge Technical Certificate in Performing Arts after completing this workshop.  The project was funded by Arts Council England, was produced in partnership with Synergy Theatre Project, and was supported by Clean Break.

2013-2015 Associate to the Educational Program, Clean Break
Assisted on the Performance Poetry course, the ‘Summer at Central’ theatre workshop, the Fun Palaces devised project ('All the Women'), and with the young women's group Brazen; encouraging participants to fulfill their potential as writers and performers. Additionally provided grant-writing support to the Fundraising and Development Team.

2015 Project Designer, Producer & Facilitator: ‘Women in Mythology,’ a two-day workshop for female ex-prisoners and vulnerable women.  The group devised a short collaborative performance art piece based on research into ancient mythological women from Africa, India, Scandinavia, and Native America.  The project was funded by Arts Council England and was supported by Clean Break.

2014-2015 Mentor for the National Theatre Step Change Programme
Step Change offers experience-based learning to expand the range of opportunities for young people, especially those who are overlooked and underrepresented, who are hoping to make a transition into or within the performing arts.  Over a period of 10 months, provided fundraising advice and support to a young performer making a move into producing.

2013 Associate Director: Shane Meadows’ 24/7, DreamArts
Original musical production of Shane Meadows’ 1995 film 24/7 performed by young people from low-income households; worked with the participants in developing characters.

2009-2011 Director/Tutor: ‘Introduction to Drama’ summer school course, The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA)
Taught presentation, devising, and performance skills to young adults over three consecutive summers.  The work also included analysing relationships, status, and various forms of communication that can be applied in a performance environment, in one’s community, and in the workplace.

2011 Workshop Leader bushfutures, Bush Theatre
Led post-show drama workshops for mature adults as part of the Bush Theatre’s community development initiative.

2009-2010 Project Designer, Producer & Facilitator: ‘The NOLA Project,’ a socially-engaged theatre project that involved British artists working with disadvantaged and emotionally disturbed young people in New Orleans.  Through a series of theatre-based arts education workshops, our group worked to raise self-esteem, promote learning, and encourage healthy social behavior.

2009 Program Assistant Student Action for Refugees and Body Action Campaign (BAC)
Accompanied a group of 50 young refugees aged 8-16 on a camping trip in the English countryside.  Assisted with activities including orienteering, adventure playground games, and indoor drama games, all to encourage confidence and teamwork.  Also filmed footage to be used in BAC workshops that teach young people how to use technology in healthy ways.

2007 Workshop Leader for Precinct Theatre on Packington Estate, Islington
Led workshops in preparation for a devised piece about William Wilberforce that celebrated the 200th year anniversary of the abolition of slavery.  Working with a group of 20 young people aged 11-18, we discussed the meaning of slavery in a wider context both in conversation and through improvised scenes.  This work was used to underpin the final piece.

2000-2016 Theatre Director (selected credits): The Seven Deadly Sins: ‘Lust’ (Invertigo Theatre Company); Infliction and Infliction the Movie (BeesKnees Productions); Seascape with Sharks and Dancer (Peppercorn Theatre Company); Desdemona (LAMDA); The Lover (InterArts Theater).  Assisting credits include: Koanga (Sadler’s Wells, Helena Kaut-Howson); Don Juan (Theatre for a New Audience, Bart Sher); Someone Else’s Shoes (Soho Theatre, Stephen Unwin).