Our Co-Founder Matt chats with Indiana Lown Collins, director of our latest show The Purple Princess, and actors Tom Capper and Isabelle Hart.

The show raises awareness of epilepsy, and is primary schools in Guildford this May and June, including two free public performances in the Castle Gardens on 29 May.

The show has been inspired by the real-life experience of Indiana, who has uncontrolled epilepsy and experienced a seizure on a train, while fellow passengers were unable to help her.

To engage younger audiences, the play, written by Ant Stones and designed by Ice Niemz, and featuring actors Hassan Maarfi and Emily Juler, merges modern life with fantasy creatures.

Matt Pinches gives us the story so far, setting the scene for 'Henry V' with a speedy run-through Shakespeare's three preceding history plays in the Henriad - Richard II, Henry IV part 1 and Henry IV part 2! 

Streaming live and online from 22 - 25 April! Book tickets here: https://booking.guildford-shakespeare-company.co.uk/booking-start

Kerry Elkins, our award-winning regular Audio Describer, presents a new audio description for GSC's 'Henry V', streaming live and online from 22-25 April. Listen to Kerry explaining the context of the performance, the virtual backgrounds and get to grips with the 25 different characters being played by the 5 actors in the company!

Watts Gallery, Artists' Village is the hidden gem of the Surrey Hills. Founded initially by G.F. Watts before his death, the arts and crafts hub boasts historic sculpture and painting in its gallery space, the grade I Listed Watts Chapel and Watts Studio and Limnerslease, a closer, more intimate look at the Victorian artist’s life. Before coming to Watts Gallery Artists' Village, Alistair Burtenshaw was the director of Charleston in East Sussex, the former home of Bloomsbury Group artists Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant. Alistair is also currently chairman of Surrey Hill Arts. 

Ciaran sat down with Alistair to talk about the founding of the artists' village, its art-for-all mission and the prosperous online work they have been producing!

Follow Watts Gallery on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and find out more on their website here: https://www.wattsgallery.org.uk/

Recorded 1 March 2021.

Dream on me by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/58983 Ft: Javolenus

Guildford Fringe Theatre Company bring the West End to Guildford with their ethos that you don’t need all the bells and whistles of major regional theatre productions to enjoy the same fun! Nick Wyschna had trained in Musical Theatre before founding Guildford Fringe Theatre Company and is passionate about bringing all the arts together in Guildford every July as part of The Fringe Festival.

Matt Pinches sat down to Jeremy to talk about the power of conducting, and how music can bring a community together.

Recorded 5 March 2021.

Dream on me by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/58983 Ft: Javolenus

Jeremy Backhouse joined Guildford-based Vivace Chorus in January 1995 and has since led it to dazzling heights. He has conducted Vivace in ambitious programmes including Howells’ Hymnus Paradisi and Szymanowski’s Stabat Mater, and Verdi’s Requiem in the Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Ciaran Walsh, Marketing and Graphics Designer at GSC, sat down to Jeremy to talk about the power of conducting, and how music can bring a community together. 

Recorded 11 March 2021.

Dream on me by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/58983 Ft: Javolenus

Dominique Frazer, Director and Founder at The Boileroom, is renowned for her commitment to booking an eclectic programme of emerging national and international musicians as well as spearheading creative and wellbeing workshops that support and benefit the local community in Guildford.

Ciaran Walsh, Marketing and Graphics Designer at GSC, sat down to Dominique to talk about her journey from music promoting to founding a venue, what's going on at The Boileroom this season and looking forward to reopening with actual audiences! 

The Boileroom website: http://www.theboileroom.net/

Recorded 2 March 2021.

Dream on me by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/58983 Ft: Javolenus

Joanna Read, Director and Chief Executive of the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre joins The Green Room today. Joanna was previously Principal and Chief Executive LAMDA, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Salisbury Playhouse, Associate Director at Octagon Theatre Bolton and Head of Education and Participation at Birmingham Rep.

Matt Pinches, GSC Co-Founder, sat down to chat with Joanna about all things theatre, the history of the industry and what the future looks like in uncertain times!

Recorded 24 February 2021.

Dream on me by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/58983 Ft: Javolenus

Gavin Thomas is a singer-songwriter from Guildford who has been playing his solo acoustic request nights across the South East for the last three decades. He runs the critically acclaimed GT Live Sessions and despite the pandemic Gavin continues to play live online twice a week from the summer house in his garden.

Matt Pinches, GSC Co-Founder, sat down to chat with Gavin about how he's been coping with the pandemic, his illustrious career and the first song he ever learnt on the guitar... (Gavin has a repertoire of over 400!)

Gavin's website: http://www.gavinthomas.com/

Recorded 18 February 2021.

Dream on me by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/58983 Ft: Javolenus

Photo credit - Hester Barnes

Ten years ago, in February 2011, Caroline Devlin directed a riveting production of one of Shakespeare’s best known plays and possibly one of the greatest pieces of drama ever written. A team of actors were assembled, Ben Ashton in the title role, Noel White as Claudius and Johanne Murdock as Gertrude, most of whom had never performed in a GSC show before. Together they told the Bard’s oft-adapted story and it played to rave reviews. BBC Surrey described the show as “Intelligent, provocative, hard-edged...a very fluid, powerful adventure story.” And it was for the British Theatre Guide, simply "A Hamlet to die for – outstandingly powerful and atmospheric...a riveting thriller" . Now, in 2021, we’ve assembled the original cast of the production to talk memories, what they miss, and the enduring power of Shakespeare’s Hamlet...

Dream on me by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial  (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/58983 Ft: Javolenus