Thursday, July 27, 2017
One of the great privileges of being an artistic director is the opportunity to give jobs to other people. I derive as
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AMThursday, June 29, 2017
Good rehearsal rooms are like gold dust. Just recently, I realised how much I’ve taken for granted the huge contribution a good
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AMThursday, June 1, 2017
Last month, I was invited to the first ever Tonic Awards, which took place at the Mayfair Hotel in London. For those
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AMThursday, May 4, 2017
We have been auditioning a lot lately at Chichester Festival Theatre. There’s nothing new there. The season has just kicked off and we have 11
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AMThursday, April 6, 2017
I’m currently working with 52 local youngsters aged between 10 and 19 on the first production of our season: Forty Years On
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AMThursday, March 9, 2017
We recently advertised for five assistant director roles for our 2017 season. These are paid posts and the successful candidates will assist
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AMThursday, February 9, 2017
I don’t know about you, but I find I’m feeling anxious. Now, that could be because we’ve just signed off the brochure
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AMThursday, January 12, 2017
I hope I’m not alone in saying that one of the most challenging aspects of being an artistic director is finding time
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AMThursday, December 1, 2016
Arts organisations up and down the country have now entered the NPO application period. This is the time when it’s common to
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AMWednesday, October 26, 2016
Emma Rice’s departure from Shakespeare’s Globe induced a rallying fervour from the theatre world in London and beyond. Justifiably so. Rice had not only
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 12:07PMThursday, October 6, 2016
I find myself feeling grateful for my good luck. When I was appointed artistic director of Sheffield Theatres in 2009, I had
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AMThursday, September 8, 2016
Once it was announced that I’d be moving down south to become artistic director of Chichester Festival Theatre, one question seemed to
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AMThursday, August 11, 2016
Any artistic director will tell you that a major (if not the) bane of her or his life is rights. Not human
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AMThursday, July 14, 2016
Last month’s political events have brought the notion of leadership into sharp focus. As our political leaders were resigning left, right and
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AMThursday, June 16, 2016
After seven-and-a-quarter years, it’s time to say goodbye. By the end of the month, I will no longer be artistic director of
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AMThursday, May 19, 2016
I recently directed two musicals. One old, one new. In fact, the elder – Show Boat – is often considered the antecedent of
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AMThursday, March 31, 2016
During my seven years as artistic director at Sheffield, there was one thing we hadn’t dared programme: a new play in the
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AMThursday, March 3, 2016
For some time now at Sheffield Theatres, we have been trying to break down our walls. We were inspired by our city’s
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AMThursday, January 28, 2016
Actors are amazing. I know I am one, but this isn’t about me. It’s about the courage, the determination, the passion, the
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AMThursday, December 10, 2015
Christmas is a busy time at the Sheffield Theatres. We co-produce a pantomime in the Lyceum Theatre, a musical in the Crucible
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AMThursday, November 12, 2015
Do we need a code for online self-promotion? It’s a question I’ve been asking over the last few weeks. Particularly as we
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 02:00AMTuesday, October 20, 2015
Before the summer, we decided to knock down the walls to Sheffield Theatres. Not literally. But we knew we had to intensify
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 01:00PMTuesday, September 22, 2015
I get a lot of emails from agents asking me to meet directors they’ve just taken on. In fact, I could probably
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 01:00PMTuesday, August 25, 2015
Last month, anyone visiting Sheffield’s city centre at night might have had the shock of their lives. The Peace Gardens were turned
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 01:00PMTuesday, July 28, 2015
Something’s in the air. Recently, I’ve had more than a handful of requests to meet actors who wish to make the transition
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 01:00PMTuesday, June 30, 2015
These days, anyone and everyone knows how essential fundraising is for any arts organisation. We look enviously towards our Continental colleagues whose
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 01:00PMTuesday, June 2, 2015
Recently, I was fortunate to see Sweeney Todd at Harrington’s Pie Shop, albeit at its franchise store on Shaftesbury Avenue. It was
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 01:00PMTuesday, May 5, 2015
They say that our bodies renew themselves in seven-year cycles. So, physically at least, we are brand new every seven years or
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 01:00PMTuesday, April 7, 2015
Recently at Sheffield, we mounted a season of work dedicated to the playwright Sarah Kane. We produced full productions of three of
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 11:00AMFriday, March 6, 2015
When I was invited to write this column, I made a vow: to never write in a way that criticised the younger
SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 01:00PM 
