How to Build a Theatre

In this podcast episode of "How to Build a Theatre," co-hosts Phil Wilcox and Edward McMillan engage with guest Fabrice Murgia, a Belgian theatre and opera director. They discuss the intricacies of establishing a theatre space, the itinerant nature of theater companies, and the integration of technology in the arts. Murgia shares his immigrant background and his artistic journey, reflecting on the differing support for the arts in Flanders and Wallonia and the societal influence of theatre. The episode also covers Murgia's upcoming projects, including with various opera companies, highlighting the cultural and political facets of theatre production in Belgium.

In this special episode, Phil and Edward head to Inside Out Festival Dorset to see the impact that a local theatre festival can have on the way we relate to our planet. During their day at the festival, they get to know the creatives that contribute to the festival and examine the continuing value of "glocal" arts festivals. For an introduction to Inside Out Festival, check out episode 26: Curating an Outdoor Theatre Festival

In this month's episode, we hear from US-American playwright, George Brant. George Brant wrote the iconic drama that explores drone warfare, GROUNDED; a play that is being produced by The Bridge Theatre in 2023. George explains how his background as an actor helps his writing process and discusses the continuing relevance of the play that is over 10 years old. You can find out more about George Brant via his website: https://georgebrant.net/

In a change from the normal podcast routine, Phil and Edward get out in the field at Inside Out Festival in Dorset, UK. In this episode, they hear from Bill Gee and Kate Wood, co-artistic directors of the 10-day festival that takes place in rural and urban areas in the south of England every two years. This episode is a must for anyone exploring how to make relevant and meaningful outdoor theatre.

As a theatre that aspires to reflect the dreams, wishes and realities of the local context where we are based, we are always keen to learn more about our beautiful city, Brussels! And who better to talk to than the esteemed Professor Philippe van Parijs, Belgian political philosopher and expert on Brussels. Join Phil and Edward for this fascinating conversation and get to know the Capital of Europe from the inside.

In this episode, Phil and Edward talk with Jess Lowe, an agent for actors, about what it means to represent an actor and the highs and lows of doing so. Jess explains how she got into the industry and muses on the trends affecting the casting process.

Fred Rossillion, Sales & Events Manager at the Théâtre de Liège tells Phil and Edward about his experiences of working with the Liège-based companies to further the mission of his city's theatre. In this episode, Fred explains the importance of building personal connections and how companies are looking for much more than just a logo on a poster in their relations with cultural institutions.

In this month's episode, Edward and Phil dive into the conversation with Luca Dellatorre, Associate Director of Acoustics at CharcoalBlue, a global leader in theatre, acoustics, and digital design. Together, they explore the unseen aspects that can make or break a theatre experience for the audience.

In this episode, your hosts, Phil and Edward, talk with Samuel Hus of In Limbo. In Limbo is an initiative started by four Brussels-based organisations that aims to facilitate the donation and reuse of materials within the socio-cultural sector in Brussels. With over 500 partners, In Limbo helps reduce the flow of materials to the recycling sector and ensures that organisations with fewer resources can obtain these reusable materials.

In this month's episode, Phil and Edward chat with Heidi Wiley, Executive Director of the European Theatre Convention (ETC), about the main trends and topics affecting theatres across Europe today. The ETC is a fantastic example of a once primarily nationalised sector joining forces across different traditions to become a stronger sector at the European level. ETC is the largest network of publicly-funded theatres in Europe, with 57 members in 30 countries. They organise a wide range of activities to create new theatre, support and develop people working in theatre, and fight for the European theatre sector in a political context. You can find out more at: https://www.europeantheatre.eu/