Manchester's Big Theatre Podcast

Welcome to our final episode of Series 3! In this episode we interview Rachel Moorhouse - one half of Art With Heart which is a Salford based company who create accessible artistic experiences in and around Greater Manchester.   In this episode, Rachel talks about how the company formed, the responsibilities that come with running a company as well as some of her highlights. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 5 sees Joe interview Garfield, the director of Sustained Theatre Up North, an organisation supporting artists from culturally diverse backgrounds to make work. STUN are based in their own space inside of Z Arts in Hulme.  Garfield talks about his own career including the time before STUN, when Garfield was Artistic Director of the Greenroom - a live art/experimental theatre venue that operated on Whitworth Street until 2006.      Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joe interview Nickie Miles-Wildin as she comes to the end of her eighteen-month traineeship at the Royal Exchange. Nickie has assisted on Guys and Dolls, the House of Bernarda Alba and directed the Young Company show 'The Tempest' in Summer 2018. She has also been an assistant at the National Theatre and worked extensively with Graeae, the UK's foremost disabled-led theatre company. In 2012, she performed in the Paralympic Opening Ceremony as Miranda.  She can be found on twitter @knockback78. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Episode 3, Sophie interview's The Lowry's Senior Producer for Artist Development, Claire Symonds. Claire talks about how The Lowry's approach to developing artists has changed over the last ten years, focusing more on the artist's long-term growth, rather than a specific production.  Claire also speaks about her personal journey into working in the arts - from reviewing shampoo made from caviar and truffle oil to working at the Arts Council and then The Lowry. We interviewed her on International Women's Day, and Claire gives us her stance on what needs to change in the industry, and what it is like being a parent of two young children.  Claire is on twitter @claire_roses. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 2 is an interview with Box of Tricks, a theatre company who champion new writing and work with writers to develop their work over a long period of time. Have a listen to hear Joe's interview with Adam and Hannah and let us know what you think via social media! Twitter is @mbtpodcast1 or you can find us on Facebook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Series 3! Our first interview is with actor and president of Equity Maureen Beattie. We spoke to Maureen while she was in Manchester for her role as Linda Loman in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman at the Royal Exchange at the end of last year. Maureen graduated from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 1974 and has worked at the National Theatre, the RSC, and the Royal Exchange. She has also worked extensively in television, most notably as Sandra Nicholl in Casualty from 1991 to 1993. In 2018, she was elected as President of the actors' union Equity, becoming the second woman to hold the position. She has overseen the organisation's reaction to the #MeToo campaign, and its work to on the Safe Spaces campaign.  Maureen inspires as he talks about this and much more, making this episode a belter to launch this series with! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As part of our partnership with ADP Audio, we launch the second of our audio dramas, "The Bruise" written by Dave Jones. ADP Audio give new writers the chance to have their radio dramas performed by professional actors, and we release them here, alongside interviews with the writers and creatives. The Bruise was produced by ADP Audio. It was written by Dave Jones, directed by Jamie Kehoe and stars Mary Hooton. Special thanks to Salford University for supporting the project. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We interviewed founders of Hope Mill Theatre in Ancoats in Series 1, and for Series 2 we are now interviewing their technical manager Alice Longson. After studying drama at university, Alice got into stage managing, and started working more generally in the technical side of theatre. At only 22, she was appointed technical manager at Hope Mill. In this episode, she reflects on her work and her career so far, as well as giving us her thoughts on Manchester and sharing her aspirations for the future - mainly to work in New York at some point! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah Frankcom has been Artistic Director at Manchester's Royal Exchange since 2014. She has been credited with bringing a new lease of life to the organisation and putting the theatre back on the map. Sophie and Joe interview her about her career, her work leading one of the country's most important theatres, as well as what she hopes to achieve going forward. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joe interviews Joshua Val Martin, a young playwright living in Manchester. Finalist for the 2017 Bruntwood prize, the biggest playwrighting prize in Europe, Joshua is represented by United Agents. His plays include 'This Is Not America' (Bruntwood 2017 finalist) and 'Backseat Betty' (Best Play at the LOST One-Act Theatre Festival & Best Drama at the Great Manchester Fringe Festival 2015). He can be found on twitter @thesecondshelf. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.