Neil Smith

Lover of new writing, new styles, new-ness. Natural gravitation to fresh voices and old hats with new things to say.
Older director at ease with taking big risks and small risks who has time to settle into the requirements and heat of making good work.
Theatre trained but also practically trained in opera-making.
Co-Artistic Director of Haywire (formerly Opera Room) an opera company that writes and produces their own work. Directed all their productions at various venues.
Also an internationally performed and published playwright. Plays performed in Poland, Russia and Italy as well as London and Edinburgh. Published in Russia, translated into Russian.

www.neilsmith.org

Credits

2015: NEW OPERA, Ebb, Premiered at The New Diorama, Euston, Tete A Tete Festival https://www.tete-a-tete.org.uk/event/ebb/
2015: NEW OPERA, The Invited: Re-Staging at The Arcola Theatre, Dalston, Grimeborne Opera Festival, 2015
2014: NEW OPERA, Flat Pack: Premiered at Central St. Martins, Tete a Tete Festival, https://www.tete-a-tete.org.uk/event/flat-pack/
2014: RESTAGING, OPERA The Invited Premiered at St. John's Church, Covent Garden
2012: DEVISED, In Her Gesture, Lost Theatre, Footfall Theatre Company, 1 performance
2012: NEW OPERA, All To Play For: Riverside Studios, Tete a Tete, https://www.tete-a-tete.org.uk/event/all-to-play-for/
2010: NEW PLAY, Doggerland by Debbie Kent, World Premiere Barons Court Theatre, Three-week run
2008: DEVISED PLAY Echoes of Willard, Devised, Wimbledon Studio, , Four performance run
2006 WEST SIDE STORY, Rogers Theatre, Malvern College
Theatre, one week run, http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=5F82383388283C49&search_query=West+Side+Story+Neil+Smith
2005, MACBETH by William Shakespeare: Malvern College, Rogers Theatre, November
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=DBFD919B237FF43C&search_query=Macbeth+Neil+Smith
2005 DON QUIXOTE by Keith Dewhurst: Malvern College, June
2004 AMADEUS by Peter Shaffer: Malvern College, November
2004 ALICE IN WONDERLAND by Adrian Mitchell: Malvern College, Rogers Theatre, June http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=DE501B179857C48D&search_query=Alice+in+Wonderland+Neil+Smith
2003 THE CRUCIBLE By Arthur Miller: Malvern College, Rogers Theatre, November
2002, PARK LIVES (own play/devised): Interclub, Poland, March
2002 NEW YEAR’S PUNCH (own play/devised): Interclub, Poland, January
2001, MACBETH: Rzeszow, Poland, July
2001, THE HERO (own play): Radom Theatre, Poland, June
OPERATION: XMAS APOCALYPSE (own play): The laznia, Radom 2001, SEVEN AGES OF LOVE (devised): Lublin Theatre, Shakespeare festival, January 2001, The laznia,
Radom, Poland, October 2000
2000, CABARET (devised): Radom Theatre, June

Training

Trained as an actor at Guildford School of Acting, Degree in Theatre and Drama at Royal Holloway, Two years in Poland working on community theatre projects, writing plays and directing new work as well as developing actor training connected to learning languages. Four years as Director of Drama at Malvern College before completing a Masters in Theatre Directing at Royal Holloway.

OTHER TRAINING
Peter Brook and Marie-Hélène-Estienne (exploring ‘The Man Who…’) Max Stafford Clarke (rehearsing new texts); Melly Still (devising with the body); Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod (approaching classic texts); Bella Merlin (Stanislavsky and active analysis); Ian Rickson (directors working with text); Irina Brown (tools for the director); Adrian Noble (rehearsing with Shakespeare); Paul Allain (Grotowski and the body); Cheek by Jowl (bringing a classic to life) Frantic Assembly (devising physical texts); Paule Constable (lighting); Mask; Puppetry