Vanishing Point Assistant Director – the Dark Carnival Job Information Pack

Vanishing Point Assistant Director – The Dark Carnival Job Information Pack

About Vanishing Point

Vanishing Point is Scotland’s foremost artist-led independent theatre company, internationally recognised and acclaimed for its distinctive, ground-breaking and visionary work. Our mission is to create world class, international theatre, led by director Matthew Lenton.

‘one of the UK’s most singular theatre companies’ The Guardian

Established in 1999, the Company has developed an international reputation for creating bold and ambitious performances that are visceral, visual and entertaining. We explore our contemporary society through a unique lens of abstraction, imagery and text, creating worlds that resemble our own, but are magical and sometimes surreal. We produce highly visual, multimedia theatre infused with haunting poetic visions.

‘an international force’ The Herald

Our perspective is international and multicultural. We collaborate with artists and producers from other countries and cultures, us travelling to them and them to us, thereby enriching life experiences, artistic experiences, the diversity of our respective cultures and the experience of our audiences. We create work that overcomes language barriers and communicates across cultures.

‘In overcoming differences of language, Lenton has in a sense developed a theatre of soundless voyeurism, defying every rule of drama… brave and relentless, terrible and necessary’ The Scotsman on Wonderland

Our work has been created and performed in over 20 countries with leading international festivals and venues including Edinburgh International Festival, Buenos Aires International Festival, Santiago A Mil, BOZAR Arts (Brussels), Theatre de la Ville (Paris), Stanislavsky Season Festival (Moscow), National Theatre of Portugal (Porto) & Brighton Festival.

Vanishing Point is committed to providing a range of Creative Learning experiences for audiences and artists. Each year we host student placements, offer Assistant Director posts, provide workshops, talks and post-show discussions.

Previous work includes Tabula Rasa (2017), a co-production with Scottish Ensemble; Bluebeard’s Castle and The 8th Door (2017), a co-production with Scottish Opera; The Destroyed Room and Interiors, presented as a double-bill of work as part of the 2016 Edinburgh International Festival; The Destroyed Room (2016), a co-production with Battersea Arts Centre (London); Tomorrow (2014/15), a co-production with Brighton Festival, Cena Contemporanea (Brasilia), Tramway (Glasgow) and the Stanislavsky Season Festival (Moscow); The Beautiful Cosmos of Ivor Cutler (2014/15), a co-production with National Theatre of Scotland; Wonderland (2012), a co-production with Napoli Teatro Festival Italia, Tramway (Glasgow) and Eden Court (Inverness); Saturday Night (2011), a co-production with Teatro Naçional São João, São Luiz Teatro Municpal, Centro Cultural Vila Flor and Tramway; The Beggar’s Opera (2009), a co-production with Royal Lyceum Theatre and Belgrade Theatre in association with Tramway; Interiors (2009), a co-production with Napoli Teatro Festival Italia, Teatro Stabile di Napoli, Traverse Theatre in association with Lyric Hammersmith and Tron Theatre, developed with the support of the National Theatre Studio (London); Little Otik (2008), a co-production with the National Theatre of Scotland, in association with the Citizens Theatre; Subway (2007), a coproduction with Tron Theatre in association with Lyric Hammersmith and Lost Ones (2005 & 06).

Vanishing Point, Citizens Theatre, 119 Gorbals Street, Glasgow, G5 9DS Tel. 0141 418 6262 Email. [email protected] Vanishing Point is a limited company (No. 194127) and a Charity Registered in Scotland (No. SC028765) Vanishing Point Assistant Director – The Dark Carnival Job Information Pack

About the Assistant Director Post

Position: Assistant Director on Vanishing Point’s The Dark Carnival Organisation: Vanishing Point Job Type: Freelance Fee: Above the minimum ITC / Equity 2018/19 rate Dates: 1 week in Sept 2018, 6 weeks in Jan & Feb 2019 + additional dates later in 2019 to be confirmed Where: Rehearsals will take place at Company base i.e. Glasgow.

In 2018/19 Vanishing Point will create The Dark Carnival in collaboration with the brilliant Glasgow band, A New International. The show will be a ‘darkly comic pop opera’ formed around songs written and performed by the eight-piece band, text written by Matthew Lenton, and a cast of up to eight performers. Two versions of the show will be created; a mid to large-scale version and a small-scale touring version (reduced to one singer/musician and a storyteller) designed to go almost anywhere. The Dark Carnival will be presented in Spring 2019 around Scotland.

The Assistant Director will work closely with Vanishing Point’s Artistic Director Matthew Lenton on both the mid to large- scale and small-scale production, along with the creative team.

The role will involve observing rehearsals, responding to developments as required, assisting the director in the day-to-day running of the rehearsal room, working with performers under the artistic director’s instruction, keeping a rehearsal room diary and preparing and leading educational workshops to coincide with the production.

Job Description

As Assistant Director, your duties would include:

• Providing general assistance to the Director. • Observing rehearsals & responding to developments as required. • As agreed with the Director, carrying out any research that will inform and benefit the production. • Working with the actors under the Artistic Director’s instruction. • Facilitating an environment in which the performers will feel comfortable improvising and being creative. • Being a sounding board for the Artistic Director, responding sometimes as an outside eye. • Being a conduit between the rehearsal room and the wider operation, conveying ideas, requirements and needs to the management and stage-management team in response to developments in rehearsals • Assisting the company in documenting the rehearsal process for the purposes of marketing, archiving and evaluating the project through blogs, social media and other forms as agreed. • Preparing and leading educational workshops to coincide with the production as required. • Attending and participating in post-show discussions by mutual agreement with the Producer.

Criteria / Person Specification

Essential

• Previous experience of being a director or an assistant director in a professional context • Live in Scotland full time • Be available for the full period noted below • Be able to attend pre-production meetings with the Artistic Director • Interested in pursuing a career in theatre • Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written • Pro-active and self-motivated Vanishing Point, Citizens Theatre, 119 Gorbals Street, Glasgow, G5 9DS Tel. 0141 418 6262 Email. [email protected] Vanishing Point is a limited company (No. 194127) and a Charity Registered in Scotland (No. SC028765) Vanishing Point Assistant Director – The Dark Carnival Job Information Pack

Desirable

• Knowledge of the arts sector • Experience of keeping a rehearsal room diary / blogging / report writing • Experience of developing and leading Creative Learning activities • IT literate • Knowledge of Vanishing Point’s work • Educated to degree level

Dates

The Assistant Director will need to be available for: w/c 3rd or 10th September 2019 Development in Glasgow 14th January – 11 th February 2019 Rehearsals in Glasgow 11th – 16 th February 2019 Technical Rehearsals in Glasgow 18th – 23rd February 2019 Previews & Opening Performance in Glasgow

In addition, you will be required to carry out 1 weeks work on the small-scale tour and 1 weeks work on the creative learning aspect of the production – dates to be confirmed.

Fee

This is a paid position with a fee above the minimum ITC/Equity 2018/19 rates.

Vanishing Point will contribute towards travel and relocation expenses if the selected individual is based out with Glasgow. If you are invited to interview, this will be discussed in more detail.

About the Application Process

To apply, please send a C.V. and a covering letter (of no more than one side of A4) to [email protected] by 5pm on Friday 20th April 2018.

Please also complete an Equalities Monitoring Form and send this with your application.

Please detail:

• Why you are interested in working as an Assistant Director with Vanishing Point • How this opportunity will contribute to your professional development • Your previous experience as a director and / or assistant director

We will select candidates for interview and notify them by Monday 30th April 2018. Please note that if you have not heard from us by this deadline, you should assume we will not be taking your application further.

Interviews will take place in Glasgow in May/June.

Vanishing Point is an equal opportunities employer. If you are invited to attend an interview and have any special requirements, please let us know so that we can cater for you.