Neil Bull

From a working class background raised on the south coast, I originally trained as an actor at Mountview Academy, taught by Sam Kogan who was taught by Stanislavski’s pupil, Maria Knebel. I worked throughout the industry, before beginning to retrain as a Director in 2013.

My Directing, Assistant and Associate experience has included large scale productions in regional NPO venues, tours and work on the London fringe which have received ACE and Trust funding. I have also been a script reader, have dramaturgical experience, taught by Hanna Slattne, and was a board member for Tinderbox Theatre, Belfast for the past 6 years.

My experiences have given me a extensive knowledge of play, playwrights and the industry as a whole.

Keen focuses have been supporting and developing new writing, the importance of regional theatre and the stories of the people and communities effected by the challenges and social issues they face. I have worked with community groups, and taught and directed in Drama Schools which has been inspiring.

I have been assistant to the Artistic Director and General Manager for a prolific regional NPO venue, worked in Box Offices for all the leading London Theatre groups, worked on Stage Doors, and have experience as a Company Manager for Arts Council funded productions touring to large scale regional venues across the UK.

I have a Foundation Certificate in Counselling and Psychotherapy from Regent University, and am currently studying for a Diploma and optional MSc in Integrative Psychotherapy at the Metanoia Institute.

My preferred pronounce is he/him.

Credits

Director, New Futures 2017, Pentabus Theatre (Ludlow / Skipton), x1 week, 2017
Director, Everything Between Us, Finborough Theatre / LIC / LICC, 1 month, 2017
Director, Made in ‘Salem, Theatre503 Rapid Write Response, x2 perfs, 2016
Director, Peripheral, Theatre503 Rapid Write Response, x2 perfs, 2016
Director, What Flows Past the Baltic, Nott’ham Playhouse: Neville Studio, x1 week, 2015
New Writing by Young Playwrights: mentor project, Scene & Heard (Volunteer Director): since 2012 and ongoing

Associate / Assistant Director:
Associate Director, HMS Pinafore, ENO-Liverpool Arts (sight specific), Dir: Lizzi Gee, x1 week, 2020 (Pre-production completed; production cancelled due to Covid)
Associate Director, Say When, Living Pictures, Cardiff Arts Depot and small scale regional tour / Dir: Elen Bowman, x3 weeks, 2019
Associate Director, Pathetic Fallacy, Farnham Maltings / Dir: Anita Roschen, x1 week (Ed Fest Transfer), 2019
Associate Director, The Jungle Book, adapted by Jessica Swale; Royal & Derngate / Chichester Festival Theatre / UK Tour - Dir: Max Webster, 9 months, 2017-18
Assistant Director, Far From the Madding Crowd, Watermill Theatre, Adapted & Dir: Jessica Swale, 6 weeks, 2015
Assistant Director, Journey’s End, Watermill Theatre: Dir: Paul Hart, 6 weeks, 2014
Assistant Director, A Bunch of Amateurs, Watermill Theatre: Dir: Caroline Leslie, 6 weeks, 2014
Assistant Director, Charlie Peace, Nottingham Playhouse/Belgrade Dir: Giles Croft, 6 weeks, 2013
Assistant Director, Jack by Mike Kenny, Nottingham Playhouse / Community tour, Dir: Andrew Breakwell, 6 weeks, 2012

Drama School:
Director: The Angry Brigade, Mountview Academy, 3 perfs, 2018
Director, DNA, Chiswick Theatre Academy, 3 perfs, 2017
Director, Hope, Mountview Academy, 3 perfs, 2016
Director, Bassett, Mountview Academy, 3 perfs, 2015
Director / Teacher, Realism Project: Introduction to Contemporary Text Mountview Academy, 2015 / 16 / 18

Rehearsed Reading:
Director, The Jasmine Terrace by Shazea Quraishi, Soho Theatre 2014
Director, What Flows Past the Baltic by Liam Shannon, Arcola Theatre: PlayWrought Festival, 2014

Training

Diploma and optional MSc in Integrative Psychotherapy (Metanoia Institute) - Currently studying.
1 yr Certificate in Psychotherapy and Counselling (Regent's University)
Mountview Academy (3 yr Acting & Musical Theatre Diploma ).
Arts Educational School (Post Diploma BA Hons)
Young Vic Directors Programme - Director training.
Living Pictures - Director Training.

Workshop:
Directors Book Club: Project Facilitator, Living Pictures / Young Vic, 2019-2020
Far Away, Lyndsey Turner, Living Pictures, 2020
Blood Wedding - Text Approach, Mike Alfreds, Living Pictures, 2020
Our Country's Good - Michael Chekhov Technique, Sinead Rushe, 2020
Creativity & Resilience, Polly Teale, Living Pictures, 2020
Meisner Technique: Robbie Bowman (Neil Bull: project facilitator), Young Vic (London, Derby) 2018 - 2019
Michael Attenborough: Shakespeare as a Contemporary writer, Living Pictures, May 2017
Mike Alfred’s: Exploring Text / working a Scene, Living Pictures, Nov 2016
Elen Bowman: Objectives, Actions and Events, Living Pictures, July 2016
Mike Alfred’s: Then What Happens: Storytelling & Adapting, Living Pictures, July-Oct 2015
Sinead Rushe: Michael Chekov Technique, Living Pictures, July 2015 / August 2020
Mike Alfred’s: Different Every Night, Living Pictures, Mar 2015
Lyndsey Turner: Staging Shakespeare (Hamlet), Living Pictures, Jan 2015
Ellen McDougall / Lyndsey Turner / Nick Payne, Workshop series, The Gate Theatre, July 2014
Springboard Project: Natalie Abrahami / Lyndsey Turner / John Tiffany, Michael Longhurst / Ramin Gray / Ian Rickson / Sacha Wares, Young Vic, Feb 2014
Sacha Wares: Workshop series: Director / Writer / Actor / Designer, Young Vic, Mar 2013
Giles Taylor: Shakespeare: Classical Text, Verse & Prose, Young Vic, 2012 / 13

R&D:
The Nest by F X Kroetz / translation by Conor McPherson / Dir: Ian Rickson Living Pictures, July 2016
The Events by David Greig, ATC Dir: Ramin Gray, ATC / Young Vic, July 2013
Old Times by Harold Pinter / Stanislavsky – Dir: Ian Rickson, Living Pictures, June 2012