Manchester's Big Theatre Podcast

Welcome to our final episode of Series 3! In this episode we interview Rachel Moorhouse - one half of Art With Heart which is a Salford based company who create accessible artistic experiences in and around Greater Manchester.   In this episode, Rachel talks about how the company formed, the responsibilities that come with running a company as well as some of her highlights.

Episode 5 sees Joe interview Garfield, the director of Sustained Theatre Up North, an organisation supporting artists from culturally diverse backgrounds to make work. STUN are based in their own space inside of Z Arts in Hulme.  Garfield talks about his own career including the time before STUN, when Garfield was Artistic Director of the Greenroom - a live art/experimental theatre venue that operated on Whitworth Street until 2006.     

Joe interview Nickie Miles-Wildin as she comes to the end of her eighteen-month traineeship at the Royal Exchange. Nickie has assisted on Guys and Dolls, the House of Bernarda Alba and directed the Young Company show 'The Tempest' in Summer 2018. She has also been an assistant at the National Theatre and worked extensively with Graeae, the UK's foremost disabled-led theatre company. In 2012, she performed in the Paralympic Opening Ceremony as Miranda.  She can be found on twitter @knockback78.

In Episode 3, Sophie interview's The Lowry's Senior Producer for Artist Development, Claire Symonds. Claire talks about how The Lowry's approach to developing artists has changed over the last ten years, focusing more on the artist's long-term growth, rather than a specific production.  Claire also speaks about her personal journey into working in the arts - from reviewing shampoo made from caviar and truffle oil to working at the Arts Council and then The Lowry. We interviewed her on International Women's Day, and Claire gives us her stance on what needs to change in the industry, and what it is like being a parent of two young children.  Claire is on twitter @claire_roses.

Episode 2 is an interview with Box of Tricks, a theatre company who champion new writing and work with writers to develop their work over a long period of time. Have a listen to hear Joe's interview with Adam and Hannah and let us know what you think via social media! Twitter is @mbtpodcast1 or you can find us on Facebook.

Welcome to Series 3! Our first interview is with actor and president of Equity Maureen Beattie. We spoke to Maureen while she was in Manchester for her role as Linda Loman in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman at the Royal Exchange at the end of last year. Maureen graduated from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 1974 and has worked at the National Theatre, the RSC, and the Royal Exchange. She has also worked extensively in television, most notably as Sandra Nicholl in Casualty from 1991 to 1993. In 2018, she was elected as President of the actors' union Equity, becoming the second woman to hold the position. She has overseen the organisation's reaction to the #MeToo campaign, and its work to on the Safe Spaces campaign.  Maureen inspires as he talks about this and much more, making this episode a belter to launch this series with!

As part of our partnership with ADP Audio, we launch the second of our audio dramas, "The Bruise" written by Dave Jones. ADP Audio give new writers the chance to have their radio dramas performed by professional actors, and we release them here, alongside interviews with the writers and creatives. The Bruise was produced by ADP Audio. It was written by Dave Jones, directed by Jamie Kehoe and stars Mary Hooton. Special thanks to Salford University for supporting the project.

We interviewed founders of Hope Mill Theatre in Ancoats in Series 1, and for Series 2 we are now interviewing their technical manager Alice Longson. After studying drama at university, Alice got into stage managing, and started working more generally in the technical side of theatre. At only 22, she was appointed technical manager at Hope Mill. In this episode, she reflects on her work and her career so far, as well as giving us her thoughts on Manchester and sharing her aspirations for the future - mainly to work in New York at some point!

Sarah Frankcom has been Artistic Director at Manchester's Royal Exchange since 2014. She has been credited with bringing a new lease of life to the organisation and putting the theatre back on the map. Sophie and Joe interview her about her career, her work leading one of the country's most important theatres, as well as what she hopes to achieve going forward.

Joe interviews Joshua Val Martin, a young playwright living in Manchester. Finalist for the 2017 Bruntwood prize, the biggest playwrighting prize in Europe, Joshua is represented by United Agents. His plays include 'This Is Not America' (Bruntwood 2017 finalist) and 'Backseat Betty' (Best Play at the LOST One-Act Theatre Festival & Best Drama at the Great Manchester Fringe Festival 2015). He can be found on twitter @thesecondshelf.

Episode 2 sees Joe interviewing Elizabeth Newman at Octagon Theatre Bolton about how she became Artistic Director aged 29 and you can have an insight into her rehearsal room.    

Welcome to the first episode for Series 2! This is also our first episode for our partnership with Manchester ADP and ADP Audio. Have a listen to the drama Spring Forward Fall Back by Joe Osborne. We also caught up with actor Lynda Arron about her experience working on the audio drama.

Manchester's Big Theatre Podcast are launching Series 2 and ADP's 3rd Birthday Party on 11th August at 53Two! We are also celebrating our new partnership which sees Manchester's Big Theatre Podcast working with ADP Audio to release Audio Dramas that have been discovered through the ADP Scripts Aloud evenings. This will be an opportunity to be the first to hear the recorded audio dramas as well as being part of our first ever live podcast recording! There will be a photo booth, games and more. And of course there'll be awards and prizes. We hope you can join us. 6.30pm Arrival and live music 7 pm ADP Audio Installation opens 8pm Live Podcast Recording 9.30pm Awards and Prizes 12 pm - Finish (/ onto somewhere else!)

We have some exciting news to announce, have a listen here to find out what plans we have been brewing.   ***SAVE THE DATE*** August 11th we are having a party at 53Two! We are going to have a guest speaker and an opportunity to listen to extra content. Put it in your diaries, this isn't an event to miss!

Joe and Sophie go on a trip to The Oldham Coliseum to speak to the actors, director and designer on A Taste of Honey which can be seen from 25th May to 9th June. Join us for this special episode which marks the end of our first series.

Manchester-based vocal coach Nic Redman tells us about her journey from being an actor to a professional vocal coach working with RADA, LIPA and the BBC. This episode includes handy vocal tips, practical exercises you can do at home, and a competition!    

Joe interviews the former Associate Artistic Director at the Royal Exchange Theatre. Having directed productions at the Young Vic, the Royal Court and Theatre Royal Stratford, Matthew has just finished three years at the Royal Exchange, and helped create the venue's Open Exchange network for artists in the city. He talks to Joe about his career so far, what inspires his choice of plays, and how theatre needs to adapt and change in the future. 

Hope Mill Theatre is in its third year and has had success after success. In January it was awarded Best Fringe Theatre by The Stage. It produces its own musicals, big shows with high production values, made and rehearsed in Manchester. Several of these have transferred to the West End, including Yank and Pippin. Sophie speaks to owners Joe & Will about what made them open a new venue in Manchester, and where the theatre is heading next.   

This week sees us talk to founder of 53two Simon Naylor. Simon talks about his career so far, how he set up the venue and what's next for this exciting theatre.

After an incredible response to our first episode, Joe interviews Hannah Ellis-Ryan and Diana Atkins, co-founders of ADP, a collective of writers, directors, actors and producers staging script-in-hand performances of pieces of new writing. Since its launch just over two years ago, the group has had great success on the Manchester scene and has recently received an Arts Council grant for its first full production. Joe finds out more about ADP, its beginnings and what the future holds for the organisation. Find out how to support them and get involved yourself as a creative.

For our first episode, Sophie speak to Chris Lawson, who has been Associate Director at the Oldham Coliseum for the last two years. The position didn't exist before Chris arrived, so he speaks about his approach to directing on the mainstage and how he went about creating a studio programme for the first time at the venue.

Joe & Sophie introduce the podcast and give you a taste of what to come. Check back on Monday for our first full episode with the Oldham Coliseum's Associate Director Chris Lawson.