Taio Lawson's relationship with the Young Vic started when he visited as a school kid and watched someone fry an egg on stage in The Three Musketeers. Nearly 17 years later he's worked on Matthew Xia's production of Sizwe Banzi is Dead and is currently the Jerwood Assistant Director to Joe Wright on his production of Bertolt Brecht's Life of Galileo.

From his first theatre company, Metal Mouth to The Brit School and studying Anthropology at university, Taio talks about why Prince and Ultz are some of the most influential people on his career to date, how he approaches working as a director and how that differs to when he's assisting others as well as why he always takes a tooth brush into every rehearsal room.

This episode features a short snippet of Joss Ryan's Digital Love for a new feature and if you've got a pretty sweet sound set up you might even catch the bass line from Tom Rowland's music from Life of Galileo going on in the Main House during the recording. Let us know what you think of our quick fire round by sending us a tweet (twitter.com/youngvictheatre) and leave us a review on iTunes or some love on Soundcloud.

Taio Lawson - Off Book

The Young Vic theatre's podcast series, Off Book, features interviews with many of the exciting artists who have visited us recently.

Our conversations bring to light people's first experiences with the arts and theatre, how their background has informed the work they produce today and how they have developed throughout their career.

At the Young Vic we tell stories that change the way people look at the world.

Our shows are created by some of the world's great artists - of this generation and the next. With roots deep in our neighbourhoods, we reach out to theatre makers across the globe.

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This two-part episode looks at authors and authorship, at leadership, and at collaboration. We look at two pieces of work: Best of Enemies, written by James Graham, and The Collaboration, written by Anthony McCarten. Both plays started their life at the Young Vic shortly after one another, before transferring to the West End and to Broadway respectively.  
 
In part 1, we talk to playwright James Graham about Best of Enemies, and Tyler Woodhouse, one of the participants in the Young Leaders programme from the Young Vic’s creative engagement department Taking Part interviews Artistic Director and director of The Collaboration Kwame Kwei-Armah.

Best of Enemies and The Collaboration: authors, authorship, leaderships and collaboration (part 1)

This two-part episode looks at authors and authorship, at leadership, and at collaboration. We look at two pieces of work: The Collaboration, written by Anthony McCarten, and Best of Enemies, written by James Graham. Both plays started their life at the Young Vic shortly after one another, before transferring to Broadway and the West End respectively.  
 
In part 2, we talk to writer Anthony McCarten about The Collaboration, and we bring you a brand new audio piece created especially for the podcast by Young Vic Creators Program member Gabriele Uboldi which responds to Best of Enemies, and talks to all of this episode’s themes.

Best of Enemies and The Collaboration: authors, authorship, leaderships and collaboration (part 2)

How does Hamlet inspire and intrigue audiences and artists? Designer Anna Fleischle unpacks how to bring the world of Hamlet to life, and Dr Louise Owen tackles the questions of the play for our times. 

We also introduce an original audio piece: “The Man and his Soul” by Nana-Kofi Kufuor

Hamlet: Imagining Elsinore, the Man and his Soul

The Young Vic podcast investigates the power of a 4000-year-old story about exile and home: how the tale of Sinuhe inspired Ben Okri to write Changing Destiny. And Kwame Kwei-Armah speaks to Egyptologist Allison Hedges about mummies, myths and the origins of theatre.

Changing Destiny: How Kwame Kwei-Armah and Ben Okri tell a 4000 year old tale

Director of stage and film Nadia Latif chats to Off Book presenter Dan de la Motte about growing up between Sudan and London, her early experiences of London theatre, drama school, and why what’s on your bookshelf is so important.

Nadia also discusses working with Jackie Sibblies Drury and her experiences of directing the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Fairview at the Young Vic.

Nadia Latif was the 2018-2020 Young Vic Genesis Fellow and Associate Director, a position which supports someone to develop their craft as a theatre director whilst working closely with the Young Vic’s Artistic Director. Opportunities whilst in post include supporting the theatre’s programming and artistic planning, contributing to the work of the Young Vic’s Directors Program and mentoring Genesis Future Directors Award recipients.

The Young Vic presents Off Book, a podcast where we shine a light on the creatives who inspire us, offering a candid insight into their life and careers.

Taio Lawson - Off Book

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