THE INSIDE GUIDE TO DIRECTING Introduction by 02 Katy Rudd What is Directing? 06 Artist profile: 08 Ashen Gupta Pre-Rehearsals 12 Artist Profile: 16 GUIDE Ebenezer Bamgboye Guide compiled by Euan Borland Rehearsal Room 20 Directing Exercises by Roberta Zuric Photography Credits Artist Profile: 24 Joanna Higson Manuel Harlan Sean Linnen EDUCATION & COMMUNITY How to be a Leader 28 Director of Education & Community Hannah Fosker Education Manager Top Tips for Directing 30 Euan Borland Young Person’s Programme Manager Naomi McKenna Lawson Further Reading, 32 Education & Community Coordinator Kate Lawrence-Lunniss Watching & Listening Education & Community Intern Annys Whyatt Abena Obeng Glossary of Terms 34 With generous thanks to Old Vic staff and associates Next Steps 36 If you would like to learn more about our education programmes please contact [email protected] CONTENTS 1 When I left university, I knew that I wanted to During this time I had the good fortune to be a director but I had no idea how, or where, meet Marianne Elliott who kindly had a cup to start. At university I wrote and directed of tea with me – she gave me some advice plays as part of my course and I was given and told me to go to the regions and learn a good introduction to making theatre. your craft. Then she wished me good luck. In our spare time we put on our own shows rehearsing after hours in whatever space we So I did. I went to Salisbury Playhouse where could commandeer; empty lecture rooms, I spent three glorious months assisting on communal spaces or failing that our bedrooms. main house productions and directing in the The audition process for these student studio. I worked with some inspirational artists productions was basically whoever was the who were determined to deliver first-class least hungover and whoever I could convince productions to their audiences. The theatre to come and join in. University gave me was the heart of the community and it felt vital. invaluable knowledge, great support and When my time at Salisbury was up I came opportunities to work collaboratively with back home to London. Next, I managed to get people who were as passionate about making a job in production — again not exactly where theatre as I was. I was pretty proud of the I wanted to be — but another vital element work we made but this couldn’t be what it in putting on a play. There was a lot to learn. was like in the real world, could it? How do What was the budget for a play? What does you become a director, a proper director? everything cost? How does a director work RUDD with a production manager and designer to I did some research and found there were prioritise and keep productions in budget? some courses you could do. Perhaps I could What happens when things go wrong? Who do one of these? But coming out of university were the directors and designers pushing with a considerable amount of debt meant this technical boundaries in theatre? Who were wasn’t a realistic option for me. So, I wrote the directors driving technical innovation? lots of letters and finally got a job working for It was another fantastic experience. At the a casting director. My role was mostly doing end of my time in production I knew how administrative work, and that wasn’t exactly to achieve a lot with a little and I felt I had where I wanted to be, but I was working in a better technical understanding of other theatre. This experience also taught me that people’s roles. This still helps me today when casting is an invaluable part of the directing I am managing my creative team, talking with process. I learnt a great deal about the technical crew and going through my budget meticulous work that goes into casting, line by line! I got to know the work of as many actors as I could and I got to go to some plays and And finally... I found my way into more regular musicals for free. I also took the opportunity, assisting work; assisting jobs are very when it arose, to tag along and meet as many competitive and it can feel as though you are KATY artists and directors as I could. I wanted to lucky to be there — but it is important to know expand my knowledge of what was out there your own value. You bring a lot to the room and — whose work did I like? What work did I not the role of the assistant director is vital. When like? What sort of director did I want to be? choosing what plays to assist on I decided pretty early on that it either had to be for a Finally, I got my first job as a ‘directing intern’. director who I found inspiring, a play that In practice this meant making a lot of tea but challenged me or a genre that I had never crucially it allowed me to watch what went on worked on. This meant that I continued to inside the rehearsal room. What happened learn and further my skill set. on the first day? What was everyone’s role? INTRODUCTION BY What was the director’s role in the room? 2 3 I started assisting on the fringe but as time KATY RUDD went by I was offered work on productions at the National Theatre, the West End and Theatre as Director includes: in the regions. I was finally learning how to The Ocean At The End Of be a director. I assisted some of the most The Lane (National Theatre); successful and established directors in the The Almighty Sometimes country and the most valuable thing that (Royal Exchange Manchester) I learnt was: there is not one way to direct. — Stage Debut Award for Every director has a different process and Best Director. their own way of working. And every one of them has come into directing via a different Theatre as Associate Director route. Coming out of the education system, includes: Lungs, The Master it’s natural to look for a clear career pathway Builder (The Old Vic); into directing but in reality there isn’t one; Groundhog Day (The Old Vic/ directing is one of the most open careers you Broadway); Curious Night at can have. You just need to find your own way. the Theatre, Mojo (West End); The Curious Incident of I decided I wanted to take time to watch and the Dog in the Night-Time learn on the job and so for a while I was happy (National Theatre/West End/ to keep working as an assistant director. Broadway/UK tour); This gave me confidence in my own ability. Husbands & Sons, Pinocchio It gave me time to find my voice as a director (National Theatre); Linda and to have the confidence to know that my (Royal Court). ideas and opinions were as valid as the great directors whose work I admired. It demystified Theatre as Assistant Director what the job was and made me realise that includes: The Playboy of the there is no such thing as a ‘proper director’. Western World (The Old Vic); Every director is different. Into the Woods (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre). I hope this guide will give you some insight into how others direct and into their experiences. Katy is the Baylis Director at Above all, I hope it will give you confidence, The Old Vic and an Associate knowing that your life experience is unique and Artist for Elliot & Harper knowing that you are from a new generation Productions. of directors. You have your own voice and that is your strength. I hope you enjoy navigating this wonderful industry and finding your own way into directing. PHOTO: MANUELPHOTO: HARLAN 4 5 ‘You cannot create results. You can only create conditions in which something might happen’ Anne Bogart, American theatre director and co-founder of SITI Company WHAT IS DIRECTING? Directing can often be misconstrued as it’s not as visible as acting or design. The process can be much more elusive. But essentially, directing is facilitating a rehearsal space in which ideas are explored and organised into a theatrical experience for an audience. The old perceptions of a ‘dictatorial’ director are long gone. In truth, there are as many directors as there are individuals. We all come into a creative process with individual references, backgrounds, understandings. And that’s what makes it really exciting. Things to consider: 1. What sort of director do you want to be? 2. What are your strengths? 3. What kind of art excites you? PHOTO: MANUELPHOTO: HARLAN TASK: THREE PIECES IS OF ART List three pieces of art that have impacted you in some way (this can be anything that is made by an artist to communicate something e.g. painting, music video, poem, lyrics, graphic design, theatre, dance, etc.). Analyse what about it you connected to. PHOTO: MANUELPHOTO: HARLAN WHAT DIRECTING? 6 7 HOW DID YOU GET INTO WHAT IMPORTANT LESSONS DIRECTING? HAVE YOU LEARNT IN YOUR I started at GCSE level with collaborative CAREER SO FAR? devised projects. I always ended up being I heard an amazing director speak called the person that told people where to go and Rikki Beadle-Blair, and he taught me four I would always end up sorting out the tech incredibly simple life lessons: ‘Be seen, as well. When I did A Level Theatre Studies, be heard, turn up, commit’. And I have just I told my teacher, ‘I’d be interested in doing lived my life and career by that ever since.