Robbie Gordon Theatre-Maker and Playwright
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ROBBIE GORDON THEATRE-MAKER AND PLAYWRIGHT Email: [email protected] Mobile: 07891173246 Website: www.robbiegordon.org TRAINING 2012-2016 Royal Conservatoire of Scotland – BA (Hons) Contemporary Performance Practice CREDITS o Movement Director Lost Elves (Citizens Theatre and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) 13th – 29th December (Tramway). o Associate Director Square Go by Gary McNair and Kieran Hurley directed by Finn Den Hertog (Francesca Moody Productions) UK Tour: 9th September – 13th October 2019 o Writer/Movement Director 549: Scots of the Spanish Civil War directed by Jack Nurse (Wonder Fools) in association with the Citizens Theatre and Brunton Theatre: 21st May – 23rd June 2019 (Scottish Tour) o Writer/Director YOUNG BLOOD (Ayr Gaiety Young Theatre Company in collaboration with Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Young Company): 17th of November (Traverse Theatre as part of Chrysalis Emergence); 30th March 2019 (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland); 2nd April 2019 (Ayr Gaiety Theatre); 5th July 2019 (National Festival of Youth Theatre) o Director – WFxS presents: TWO ((Wonder Fools x SHOOSHT) 5th December 2018 o Workshop Leader/Sand Facilitator Pages of the Sea (Danny Boyle; National Theatre of Scotland; 1418 NOW): 11th November 2018 o Writer/Director The Madness of Crowds (The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Young Theatre Company): 28th June (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) o Writer A Man’s A Man For A’ Whit? (Wonder Fools in association with Summerhall and Burns Unbroke): 3rd March (Summerhall) o Writer/Movement Director 549: Scots of the Spanish Civil War (Wonder Fools in association with the Brunton Theatre and Citizens Theatre): 6th -10th of February 2018 (Prestonpans Town Hall); 13th – 17th of February (Citizens Theatre) o Writer/Performer – The Coolidge Effect (Wonder Fools): 19th – 21st January 2016 (Into The New Festival); 8th – 9th December 2016 (The Glue Factory); 22nd March 2017 (Camden People’s Theatre); 2nd June 2017 (PUSLE Festival; New Wolsely Theatre); 20th-22nd September 2017 (Traverse Theatre); 27th – 30th September 2017 (Tron Theatre) 20th October 2017 (Macrobert Arts Centre); 18th of November 2017 (New Diorama Theatre); 20th January 2018 (Big Burns Supper). o Associate Director – Lampedusa directed by Jack Nurse (Citizens Theatre in association with Wonder Fools): 8th-18th November 2017 o Director – WFxS presents: ONE (Wonder Fools x SHOOSHT) 6th July 2017 o Assistant Director – Punnocchio by Gary McNair (Oran Mor) 3rd – 22nd July 2017 o Writer/Director – ORPHEUS (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Young Theatre Company): 27th + 28th June 2017 (Glue Factory) o Research Assistant – Locker Room Talk by Gary McNair (Traverse Theatre) 2017 o Director - When Two Worlds Collide a site-specific physical theatre performance for Galoshans Festival, Greenock (Conflux): 31st October 2016. W: www.robbiegordon.org E: [email protected] P: 07891173246 o Director – The Savoy: A Eulogy a site-specific performance (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) 23rd May 2016 (The Savoy Centre, Glasgow) o Director - What Are They Like by Lucinda Coxon. Co-directed with Barry Henderson (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Young Company, National Theatre Connections): 22nd June 2016 (Lyceum Theatre) o Assistant Director - Dream On! Directed by Graham McLaren (Shakespeare 400; BBC Symphony Orchestra; Royal Conservatoire of Scotland; University of Glasgow; Glasgow School of Art): 23rd April 2016 (Bute Hall, Glasgow) o Director/Writer - 549: Scots of the Spanish Civil War co-written with Jack Nurse (Wonder Fools): 1st April 2016 (Old Hairdressers, Glasgow) o Director/Creator – This Is What You Look Like (Wonder Fools): 12th – 14th June 2015 (Eden Festival); 8th – 9th August 2015 (Mugstock Festival); 21st -23rd August 2015 (Doune The Rabbit Hole); 19th September 2015 (North West Glasgow Arts Trail); 3rd – 5th of July 2015 and 1st – 3rd of July 2016 (Kelburn Garden Party); 6th – 9th August 2015 and 5th – 7th August 2016 (Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival) o Director/Writer – McNeill of Tranent: Fastest Man in the World co-written with Jack Nurse and George McNeill (Wonder Fools): 21-22nd of July 2014 (Old Hairdressers, Glasgow); 30th of July 2014 (Glasgow Commonwealth Culture 2014; Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow); 12th of November 2014 (Le Monde, Edinburgh); 20th August 2014 and 18th February, 19th May 2015 (Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh) o Director – Love The One You Hurt by Andy Gunn (Wonder Fools; Wee Theatres): 15th February 2015 o Director – Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart by David Greig (Wonder Fools; Playwrights Studio Scotland; Crossing the Lines): 17th November 2014 (The Arches) o Assistant Director – Howl[ing] Directed by Drew Taylor-Wilson (Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival; Glasgay!): 16th October 2014 (Traverse Theatre) 21st October 2014 (The Arches) o Director – We Are Not Good People (Creative Electric; Unga Nyskapare): 21st – 24th August 2013 (Kulturhuset, Stockholm Fringe Festival) UP NEXT o Writer High Rise, Low Fall (development) Tron Labs Winner 2020 o Writer This House is Burning (pre-production) commission from the Oran Mor in association with Wonder Fools: Autumn 2020 EMPLOYMENT 2014-Present Wonder Fools Co-founder and Trustee I am the co-founder and Trustee of the critically acclaimed “fiercely curious” (The Herald) Wonder Fools. Wonder Fools (SCIO) create new theatre based on a diverse range of current and historical real life stories. Our programme is conceived to be as varied as it is dynamic: exploring different forms - verbatim theatre, participatory performance, performance installations - in tandem with wide-ranging subject matters. Our last three shows have received both critical success and sell out audiences: Lampedusa was ‘an evening worth remembering’ ★★★★ Joyce McMillan (The Scotsman); The Coolidge Effect is ‘Incredibly powerful and innovative’ –★★★★ (Young Perspective); and 549: Scots of the Spanish Civil War ‘resembles Black Watch reimagined for a small town function room’ ★★★★ Neil Cooper (The Herald). W: www.robbiegordon.org E: [email protected] P: 07891173246 We are aiming to push the boundaries of who contemporary theatre and performance can appeal to by attempting to bring stories to the communities they directly concern. As a company we actively prioritise the encouragement of participation in theatre and we place engagement at the centre of our activities. Our workshops and Creative Learning programmes broaden opportunities for participation within the arts, giving the public an active role in the creation of our work For more information visit: www.wonderfools.org 2018-Present Ayr Gaiety Theatre Associate Director (Creative Learning) Our long-term vision is for a re-energised performing arts sector in Ayrshire, with the Gaiety Theatre as the hub of a network of venues and activities that will develop audiences and artists, stimulate the cultural life of the area, grow economic prosperity and improve wellbeing. One of my primary responsibilities is to manage and coordinate Gaiety Creative Learning a community theatre initiative which aims to remove any barriers people may experience in accessing theatre. We offer opportunities for people to be audience members or participants in performance and technical theatre. We work in multiple locations including areas of deprivation where income may prevent participation in the performing arts and in rural areas where opportunities to participate are limited geographically. Through our work we aim to increase well-being by developing confidence, social skills, resilience and positive aspirations for young people, and by reducing loneliness and isolation for older people. My main aim since taking up the post at the Ayr Gaiety in June has been to raise participation in theatre by providing meaningful, engaging and accessible creative opportunities to the young people of South Ayrshire. I’ve focused primarily on keeping activities low cost or free, taking work directly to communities, forming lasting partnerships, and carefully reviewing what has come before. In August 2019, I left my full-time post as Creative Learning Coordinator and became the Associate Director of Creative Learning so I could balance freelance opportunities alongside working with the Ayr Gaiety. Dropping my contracted days down in addition to attracting funding from Cashback for Creativity enabled us to employ a small team of Creative Learning staff who I now manage within my new role. The team are currently creating recorded content for a youth led live podcast, which will be broadcast from the Ayr Gaiety Mainstage on the 17th of February and will be presented by young people from all over South Ayrshire. For this project, we are working with young people in rurally isolated communities, SIMD 1 and 2 areas, Barnardos and the South Ayrshire Champion’s Board. We are also working on partnership programmes with Ayrshire College, UWS, Scottish Youth Theatre, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s Fair Access department and National Theatre of Scotland. After successfully hosting the National Festival of Youth Theatre in July 2019, we are currently planning our own youth led arts festival in July 2020: ForwardFields. We will invite a collection of Scotland’s most exciting and boundary-pushing young companies and performance collectives to share their work on the Ayr Gaiety’s main stage. Hosting a series of workshops, Q&As, and creative exchanges over the two days, ForwardFields promises a W: www.robbiegordon.org E: [email protected] P: 07891173246