Wise Children is a new theatre company conceived, created and led by director Emma Rice. Wise Children marks the beginning of a new chapter and the culmination of the practice and ethos Emma has developed over her unique 30-year career, which has included tenure as artistic director of Shakespeare’s…
We're back and with exciting news. After years of searching, we've finally found our own creative space - the old Portway Methodist Church in Frome, Somerset, renamed The Lucky Chance. In this episode, Emma (Rice) talks to the team (Simon Baker, Poppy Keeling & Jay Jones) about the plans, hopes and dreams for this new adventure.
In this extraordinary episode, our intrepid artistic director, Emma Rice heads north armed with her fluffy mic, notebook and jumper in order to find her Cathy, her Heathcliff and her Moors as she starts work on Wuthering Heights. Battling the wind and rain Emma gets to grips with the Brontë's, the brutality and the tragedy of this most epic tale. This is one of the most intimate and bravest podcasts we've ever released. A true insight into the writing process. Just Emma, alone on the Moors.
In this special one-off episode, Emma talks about the making of Bagdad Cafe at London's Old Vic.
As you may know, we were just about to head to the airport and fly to LA with our musical Romantics Anonymous just as Lockdown v1 was announced. A few months, lots of research and plenty of on-line shopping later, we launched Wise TV and broadcast Romantics Anonymous around the world from the Bristol Old Vic stage - where it had all started. In this special one-off episode, Emma Rice sits down with Exec Producer Poppy Keeling and Technical Director Simon Baker to explain how it was done. You can find out all about our adventure here (This podcast includes some exclusive clips from the show).
In this episode, a croaky voiced Emma arms herself with her fluffy mic and goes in search of answers about making a musical, Orchestrators and Sitzprobes. Featuring interviews with the Romantics writing team and exclusive clips straight from the sound desk on press night.
Join Emma Rice and her Wise Children team as they reflect on the year that's just gone and look ahead to 2020. With exclusive clips from Wise Children, Malory Towers, Romantics Anonymous and Emma's new show for the National Theatre - Wuthering Heights.
Malory Towers at the Passenger Shed is finally open! This week Emma sits down with Exec Producer Poppy Keeling to talk about the highs and lows of opening a new show and new venue in a heatwave. As this is the last in the series we've included an exclusive clip of the show. The Malory Girls attempt to calm down Sally Hope who has taken on the role of producer for the end of term play - A Midsummer Nights Dream. Recorded at ParkFarm/WiseChildren's Passenger Shed Hosted by Emma Rice and featuring Poppy Keeling and the cast of Malory Towers Produced and Mixed by Simon Baker for Wise Children Limited First released on Monday, 28th July 2019.
UPDATED - SBx Rehearsals are over and it's time to move to the theatre. This is usually stressful enough but you normally don't have to build the theatre first. Nothing is ever simple at Wise Children. Malory Towers is being performed at The Passenger Shed at Bristol Temple Meads station, a vast warehouse space normally used for exhibitions which we've decided to turn into a theatre this summer. Join Emma and her team of regulars as they explain what's going on. Recorded at ParkFarm/WiseChildren's Passenger Shed Hosted by Emma Rice and featuring the Wise Children Team Produced and Mixed by Simon Baker for Wise Children Limited First released on Monday, 21st July 2019.
It's been an eventful week in the world of Wise Children. This week Emma talks about the role movement plays in her work. She talks candidly about her early ballet lessons, school days and her training in Poland. She also talks to Alistair David, Malory Tower's Choreographer about creating this unique new show. The Wise Children podcast leaves no stone unturned as Emma also reveals why we couldn't actually finish this podcast fully... Recorded at ParkFarm/WiseChildren Rehearsals Hosted by Emma Rice and featuring Alistair David and Simon Baker Produced and Mixed by Simon Baker for Wise Children Limited First released on Monday, 15th July 2019.
We're deep into Malory Towers rehearsals now. The show is up on its feet, choreography steps being learnt and harmonies being taught. We join Emma back in the rehearsal room in East London as she talks to Ian Ross, the show's composer about the score for the show. This is a real insight into how work actually gets made and also includes a sneak peek of one of the scenes in rehearsals Recorded at ParkFarm/WiseChildren Rehearsals Hosted by Emma Rice and featuring Ian Ross and the original company of Malory Towers. Produced and Mixed by Simon Baker for Wise Children Limited First released on Monday, the July 2019.
It's the first week of Malory Towers rehearsals and just like the first day of school, everyone is feeling a bit anxious and worrying about where to get lunch. The lift is out of order along with the air-con as we join Emma in a noisy rehearsal room in East London - an insight into the inner working of Wise Children against a backdrop of Harps, Piano Tuners and hand dryers as she introduces us to the cast. Recorded at ParkFarm/WiseChildren Rehearsals Hosted by Emma Rice and featuring the original company of Malory Towers. Produced and Mixed by Simon Baker for Wise Children Limited First released on Monday 1st July 2019.
We're back! Finally! Since our last podcast Wise Children has been out tour, we even made a movie of it but right now Emma is back in rehearsal for our new show - Enid Blyton's Malory Towers. Over the next few weeks catch up with all the usual suspects as we get the show ready for the first audience in our new summer venue - The Passenger Shed. In this episode join Emma as she explains why she chose Malory Towers. She's joined by her Mum, Maureen Rice. Recorded at ParkFarm Produced and Mixed by Simon Baker for Wise Children Limited First released on Friday 21st June 2019.
In this special episode for the holiday season, Emma Rice looks back on 2018 and the first year of Wise Children, both the show and the Company. With previously unreleased material from the show, clips from the rehearsal room and a very special treat at the very end. Emma talks candidly about leaving the Globe and her new adventure. Wise Children. As Time Out wrote - "it's good to back on Planet Rice". Hosted by Emma and featuring The Wise Children Company. Recorded at The Old Vic, London and SandfordRoad Produced and Mixed by Simon Baker for Wise Children Limited First released December 2018
It’s preview week for Wise Children at The Old Vic, and Emma talks to the company backstage as they get ready for a performance after a day of rehearsals. She finds out how they prepare for each show, how they keep going in this demanding period before press night - while they’re performing every evening and continuing to work during the day - and what it’s like to finally put the piece in front of an audience. Hosted by Emma and featuring The Wise Children Company. Recorded at The Old Vic, London and SandfordRoad Produced and Mixed by Simon Baker for Wise Children Limited First released on Monday 15th October 2018
After all the planning, Emma Rice's new company move into London’s Old Vic to prepare for the opening of their first show: Angela Carter's Wise Children. This week, while the actors take a well earned day off, Emma bothers everyone in the auditorium and asks them what they do. We meet the creative and technical teams as they prepare for the start of technical rehearsals and get ready for the Dress Rehearsal. Hosted by Emma and featuring Wise Children's Creative and Technical Teams including Cath Bates, Vicki Mortimer, Malcolm Rippeth, Simon Baker, Lucy Martin, Lizzie Frankl, Steph Curtis and Charlie Smalley. Recorded at The Old Vic, London and SandfordRoad Produced and Mixed by Simon Baker for Wise Children Limited First released on Monday 7nd October 2018
This week Emma Rice talks to Bristol artists Beth Carter & Stuart Mitchell about the animation they have created for Angela Carter's Wise Children due to open at the Old Vic on October 8th. The animation takes Nora and Dora Chance from Brixton to Chelsea, from the wrong side of tracks to legitimacy, as they attend Melchior Hazzard's 100th birthday party. Emma explains how she conceived this tricky but pivotal moment of staging. Recorded at The Hut by The Harbour and SandfordRoad Produced and Mixed by Simon Baker for Wise Children Limited First released on Monday 1st October 2018
This week Emma talks to the Wise Children producing team, Judith Dimant, Poppy Keeling and Matt Lister and asks them to explain how a theatre company actually works. Recorded at Ashton Court, Bristol and set against a backdrop of the early stages of rehearsal for Wise Children, this is an insight into how theatre gets made.
Emma talks about the new School For Wise Children and her ambitions to train a new generation of actors and musicians. Recorded during the first School For Wise Children - Music For Ensemble Theatre - and features material from the inaugural students and an interview with Ian Ross on what it takes to be a musician in a band for an Emma Rice show. With music created and performed live by the students.
Hosted by Emma and featuring key members of the Wise Children team this first episode, recorded in June 2018, features rare and exclusive rehearsal footage as Emma starts work with the company on constructing material for the first production.