firstlight meets...

The production. Episode 5. 10 weeks to opening night.

This episode features an extract from one of the diaries discovered at Katyń. It was written by Waclaw Kruk and is contained in the astonishing 'The Katyń Diaries' edited by Marek Sobieralski. 

The production podcast. Episode 4: discoveries

My Polish friends have made some amazing discoveries...

A chat with David Derrington - episode 2/2

The second part of my chat with David Derrington. David tells us about how The Bear Pit Theatre came about - and we are so grateful for his continuing work keeping alive this jewel of Stratford's public theatre.

A chat with David Derrington - episode 1/2

David is one of the most fascinating and important people in public theatre. He is very influential in my life - a genuine role model.  David is known to us all as a real gentleman: an extraordinarily skilled actor and director. 

The production - episode 2. 15 weeks to opening night

The production of 'An Announcement By General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev On April 13 1990' is cast. In this episode, I chat about what the play is about, offer some thanks to people who have got involved and try to keep calm!
Copernicana can be found at: https://www.copernicana.org
The Polish Cultural Institute:https://instytutpolski.pl/london/ 
Tickets for the show: https://secondthoughts.org.uk/bookings/
 

The Production - episode 1. 16 weeks to opening night

16 weeks to go to opening night. A personal podcast documenting 'An Announcement' - a production of this precious, precious play I've written. Performance dates 5th-8th October 2022.

Emma Beasley and Tom Purchase-Rathbone

Two of the most lovely people any of us know. They are incredibly busy in the Stratford public theatre scene. Emma and Tom combine talent with charm and wit. How do they do it?

Part 2 of our Steve Farr chat

Steve's humble self -portrait: 'He is frequently extremely annoying, a Marmite character who frequently rattles cages. Like many actors Steve exhibits a level of self obsession tempered only by his acknowledgement of it's absurdity.' Judge for yourself. (I think we'd all agree he's a bit of a public theatre genius.)

Steve Farr. Part 1 of my chat with the gifted Stratford-upon-Avon director

Award winning playwright Steve Farr is our guest on the podcast this month. Steve is a gifted director and actor. He has directed in many productions at The Bear Pit theatre and other theatres in the area and wider afield. Steve has an exciting and original directing style. In the podcast Steve shares fascinating thoughts about what drives him as one of the most significant artists in regional public theatre.

Part 2 of my chat with the fascinating Alex Kapila

In part 2 of my chat with acclaimed actor Alex Kapila, I find out more about the huge range of media Alex is working with. We talk about what makes theatre and film so essential - and we even opine on the theory of self!