The Uncensored Critic Podcast

Jeff is a director, writer and dramaturg who has worked across the globe on his own work, Shakespeare and ballet companies. As well as being a long time friend and collaborator of Ivo Van Hove.

His most recent production was an adaptation of Shakespeare's A Winter's Tale at the Dailes Theatre in Latvia. Setting it in the modern era of social media/Silicon Valley with the characters being absorbed into the internet. Jeff discusses his show and how he likes to call the Winter's Tale the bard's "wildest and unpredictable" play.

Other productions include an adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion that played at the Rose Theatre, Kingston. Jeff takes on Austen in a slightly different way that one may expect. Instead of the "traditional" Austen set and costumes Jeff strips it all back with minimal set and modern day dress, allowing the audience to hear the words rather than see the costumes and the horses.

Further work he’s been a part of includes:

• Macbeth at The Globe
• Shooting Hedda Gabler at the Rose Theatre, Kingston
• Uncle Vanya, Minerva Theatre, Chichester
• Antigone at the Barbican, Luxembourg, Amsterdam
• Blurred Lines at the National

With Ivo Van Hove he’s worked on:

• View From The Bridge, Wyndham’s Theatre with Mark Strong
• Hedda Gabler, National Theatre
• The Changeling, Young Vic
• A Little Life, Richmond, Pinter and Savoy

Jeff talks me through his directing process, Shakespeare, adapting it into the modern day and working with actors who may not speak your first language. 

Oliver Gower

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Instagram: @ollietheucensoredcritic

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Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ 

Track Name. Early Morning 

The return of Rosie Sheehy!

Fresh from her critically acclaimed performance of the Young Woman in Sophie Treadwell's "Machinal" at the Old Vic, Rosie returns to discuss her experience in the play and her unique take of Puck in A Midsummer Nights Dream at the RSC.

Machinal is based on the true story of Ruth Snyder who was executed in the electric chair in 1928 after murdering her husband Albert with her lover Henry Jude Gray. A play talking about the dark side of human ambition, frustration and need for freedom. The Young Woman (Ruth Snyder) seeks to end her relationship with her abusive husband Albert and together they plot and successfully kill him. It's a commentary on how some human beings are pushed to the edge, what we are capable of and the lengths we'll go to to get away from an abuser.

Rosie gave an stupendous performance of this highly demanding role on both an emotionally and physically level. She talks me through the challenges and rewards of the part, as well as the key part of her preparation and the warm down after the show.

On top of this, since our last conversation she also did Puck at the RSC directed by Eleanor Rhode. She brilliantly discusses how she found her own version of the classic character and she made it her own.

Such a pleasure as always Rosie, great to have you back!

Oliver Gower

Spotlight Link: https://www.spotlight.com/9097-9058-5261

Instagram: @ollietheuncensoredcritic

For enquiries and requests: [email protected]

Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ 

Track Name. Early Morning 

Candida is an MD (musical director), composer and arranger whose worked across the globe on musicals and plays. Her work includes:

As composer:

• The Little Prince at the Taunton Brewhouse
• The Tempest and The Hostage at the Southwark Playhouse
• Buckets at the Orange Tree Theatre

As an MD:

• Woyzech, Old Vic with John Bodega
• King Lear, Duke of York’s Playhouse with Ian McKellen
• To Kill A Mockingbird, Gielgud Theatre with Matthew Modine and Race Spall
• A Strange Loop, West End and Barbican, the show received 11 Tony Nominations
• The Hills of California, Harold Pinter Theatre, directed by Sam Mendes
• The Lehman Trilogy, National Theatre, West End, Broadway and International Tour

Candida talks about her recent involvement in The Lehman Trilogy, both in the UK and Internationally. A show portraying the 163-year journey of the Lehman brothers, from Henry Lehman arriving from Ellis Island all the way to its dissolution during the 2008 financial crisis. 

Candida was the live pianist playing the score that accompanied the brilliant performances of the actors as they took the audience on a pulsating ride through the financial world. 

She discusses how the show evolved from the first day, putting the score together, working with Sam Mendes, Nick Powell and the original cast (Ben Miles, Simon Russell Beale and Adam Godley) on creating one of the most spectacular shows of all time. 

If you get the chance to see this show in the future I implore you to see it!

Thank you Candida! Stay tuned to for part 2!

Oliver Gower

Spotlight Link: https://www.spotlight.com/9097-9058-5261

Instagram: @ollietheuncensoredcritic

For enquiries and requests: [email protected]

Please Like, Download and Subscribe!

Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ 

Track Name. Early Morning 

Krupa trained at Drama Studio and has worked in audiobooks, film, TV and theatre. 

Her credits include:

- Love on the Menu - Audiobook

- Honeycomb Lodge - Film 

For Stage:

At the Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre:

- Midsummer Nights Dream

- Othello 

- Cyrano de Bergerac

- Twelfth Night

- Masters are you Mad

As well as:

- Robin Hood

- Dinnerladies UK Tour 2009. 

- As SHE Likes It - UK Tour 2024. 

For TV:

- Hollyoaks

- Tin Star

- Silent Witness

- Mr Bates vs The Post Office

Krupa discusses her work in audiobooks, the process of recording a novel and how she lifts characters, situations and the world of fiction off the page. 

Not to mention her work in As She Likes It, written by previous guest Chloe Wade about the deep rabbit hole of abuse in Hollywood dating back to the 1920s. Furthermore, playing the real life story of Saman Kaur in what many call the biggest miscarriage of justice in British history in Mr Bates vs The Post Office. 

Thank you Krupa! 

Oliver Gower

Spotlight Link: https://www.spotlight.com/9097-9058-5261

Instagram: @ollietheuncensoredcritic

For enquiries and requests: [email protected]

Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ 

Track Name. Early Morning 

Rachel is currently Head of Movement at the Guildford School of Acting.

She trained at the London Contemporary Dance School, graduating in 2006, and in 2009 she was selected for a unique choreographic programme, Dance Beyond Borders, which took her work across Europe, including Germany, Belgium as well as across the UK. 

She holds an MA in Choreography from Trinity Laban, a fellowship from the Higher Education Academy, moreover she’s an associate of the Institute for Leadership and Management and a Consent Forward Artist certified by the IDC (Intimacy, Director’s and Co-ordinators). 

She has collaborated with the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the British Youth Music Theatre. 

Rachel talks me through her love of movement, how it means different things to different practitioners, her work with animal studies and how people who say “it’s not their thing” can grow to love and embrace it. Not to mention, how integral it is to the actor’s process, finding the body of the character, finding the big expressions and condensing it down into a natural character’s characteristics. Thus helping the actor to have a full body experience of the person they’re playing whether it’s for stage or screen. 

Check out Rachel’s website for more information on her work and how to get in touch: rachelbirchlawson.co.uk

Rachel’s Instagram: @rachelbirchlawson 

Thank you Rachel! 

Oliver Gower

Spotlight Link: https://www.spotlight.com/9097-9058-5261

Instagram: @ollietheuncensoredcritic

For enquiries and requests: [email protected]

Please Like, Download and Subscribe ✍️

Thank you all for your support!

Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ 

Track Name. Early Morning 

Tom trained at RADA and has been involved in a vast array of projects such as:

- Film: My Bloody Galentine

- Clusterf*ck - Web Series

Short Films - Number 11 and Digging

Animations - Kill Clause and Video Game - By Grit Alone

As well as on stage where he understudied a number of parts in "The Shark is Broken", a dramatisation of what happened behind the scenes on the set of Jaws at the Ambassador's Theatre. Including A Little Life, covering Jude St Francis (James Norton) and Willem (Luke Thompson) at the Harold Pinter and Savoy Theatre in London.

Tom talks his experience of preparing for multiple roles and being on alert for anyone falling ill so he could step in and cover. Talking about how understudies rehearse at the same time as the main case in different rooms, liaising with the main director and cast. Working together to make sure that if anyone can't perform one night, there is always someone there to cover.

Furthermore, we discuss how important understudies are, how you should prepare for these kind of jobs and how vital they are to a production.

Oliver Gower

Spotlight Link: https://www.spotlight.com/9097-9058-5261

Instagram: @ollietheuncensoredcritic

For enquiries and requests: [email protected]

Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ 

Track Name. Early Morning 

The return of Kate Godfrey!

Kate is an actress, voice coach and one of the leading Shakespeare experts of our time.

She returns to the show to unpick some Shakespeare monologues with me. Showing how she works with actors one on one to find the meaning in the text, helping them with how verse speeches are written and to play them as best you can.

Paying attention to the punctuation, how long or short a thought is, and asking what the sub-text/wider story is and why would they be saying the things they're saying now? All culminating in the actor knowing the best way to communicating the speech to their fellow actors or the audience alone whilst serving the text accurately.

The two pieces we look at are:

- Iago, from Othello: "Thus do I ever make my fool my purse" - Act 1 Scene 3.

- Gloucester, from Henry VI Part 3" "I can add colours to the chameleon" Act 3 Scene 2.

Kate takes me through both speeches and together we dissect the rhythm, identify the thought patterns, the motivations of the characters and uncover the best way to perform them.

I loved this episode and I hope you watching/listening who are actors who love your Shakespeare got as much from it as I did.

Keep a look out for our second Shakespeare analysis on the more comedic and light-hearted monologues coming soon, watch this space!

Thank you again Kate, always a pleasure.

Oliver Gower

Spotlight Link: https://www.spotlight.com/9097-9058-5261

Instagram: @ollietheuncensoredcritic

For enquiries and requests: [email protected]

Please Like, Download and Subscribe!

Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ 

Track Name. Early Morning 

Jane is a director, writer and filmmaker that has been a finalist in both the JMK Director's Award in 2019 and the Genesis Future Director Award with the Young Vic in 2018.

She trained at Mountview after achieving her undergraduate degree in English, Drama and Theatre studies at the University of Cork.

She has worked extensively as an associate director on productions such as:

- Taming of the Shrew at The Globe

- Christmas Tree and Queen Ann at the RSC

- The Birthday Party at the Harold Pinter Theatre, dir. Ian Rickson

- The Inheritance, dir. Stephen Daldry

- Prima Facie, dir. Justin Martin

As well as director on:

- Rough for Theatre I and II by Samuel Beckett at the National Theatre Studio, where she was resident director in 2016-17 and 2021.

- The Apologists - Sydney and VAULT Film Festival in 2019

- Burn It Down - Theatre Royal Stratford East

She is also a brilliant filmmaker with her debut short film "Kitchen Tales" premiered at the Newport Beach Film Festival with music by Oscar winning composer Stephen Warbeck. As well as her other short "I Called You" currently doing the film festival rounds.

To see "Kitchen Tales" and more information about her upcoming work can be found on her website: janemoriarty.com

Jane talks about her work as an associate director, what the job is and how she works with the director for shows in the theatre. She was also part of the Prima Facie creative team that brought Suzie Miller's play to life with Jodie Comer, directed by Justin Martin.

We discuss how the show developed in the rehearsal room and the impact the show had on it's audiences. How they felt comfortable talking about their stories and how it relieved them from their past experiences similar to what the character of "Tessa" went through.

We mention her film work, the process of making them and how they make it from words on a page to in-action on the screen.

Check out her film "Kitchen Tales", a beautiful film about an Indian family emigrating to the UK and how their relationship is told through the type of food that's made in the kitchen.

Oliver Gower

Spotlight Link: https://www.spotlight.com/9097-9058-5261

Instagram: @ollietheuncensoredcritic

For enquiries and requests: [email protected]

Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ 

Track Name. Early Morning 

Georgia is the general manager of Empire Street Productions, working closely with the CEO and producer James Bierman making world class theatre for the London and International Stage.

She originally trained as a Stage Manager at Rose Bruford College and has been in the wings for shows both in the UK and overseas, including:

- The Audience

- Photograph 51

- The Inheritance

- The End of Longing

- The Mirror and the Light

- Prima Facie, amongst many more.

Georgia was the company stage manager for Prima Facie both at the Pinter in London and the John Golden on Broadway. She talks about how the production took shape from a stage management perspective, the day to day life behind the scenes, and how it was a family backstage not just another team to be part of.

We also touch on how important stage manager's are and their team that work behind the curtain. Making sure the set is set up correctly for the night, the actors have everything they need and that the show runs smoothly every night with no hiccups.

Furthermore, Prima facie was a show that touched many people, especially those who had in some way or another suffered the same abuse or assault that "Tessa" went through. Georgia reveals just how many people the show affected and made them not afraid to share their stories with the world.

Thank you Georgia, really great talking to you.

Oliver Gower

Spotlight Link: https://www.spotlight.com/9097-9058-5261

Instagram: @ollietheuncensoredcritic

For enquiries and requests: [email protected]

Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ 

Track Name. Early Morning 

Chloe is an actor, writer and theatre maker who trained at the International School of Acting and Central School of Speech and Drama. 

With over 10 years of working in film, TV and theatre she is best known for playing Joanne Grantham in BBC’s Doctors and the lead role in independent film Honeycomb Lodge that won the Best Film at the Delhi International Film Festival. Over lockdown she starred alongside Helen Mirren in The Secret Life of Ophelia. 

She is also the alumna of the Actor-Writer course and is a supported writer of the Sheffield Theatre’s Bank Cohort. Chloe is currently reigning champion of the Birmingham Rep’s Monologue Slam competition with her piece “May I Take Your Order Please”, based on her time working in hospitality. 

In this episode we discuss Chloe’s brand new play that’s currently on tour across the UK, As SHE Likes It, a play bringing to light the sexual harassment that has/is going on in Hollywood and how it dates back back to the 1920s, not just to Harvey Weinstein. 

The play is based on the story of actress Patricia Douglas who was abused at an MGM party in 1937. Despite her efforts to bring her perpetrators to justice the case was thrown out and nothing came of it. I had the privilege to see and review the show with @uppercircle_theatre (review group that Chloe and I are part of) you can find it on my profile. It’s a fantastic piece packed with harsh truths that everyone needs to hear and see to stop this harassment from continuing. 

Check out Chloe’s website and Instagram for more information on her, the tour and how to get in touch. 

Website: chloe-wade.com

Instagram: @chloewadprod @yorkshirewade

Oliver Gower

Spotlight Link: https://www.spotlight.com/9097-9058-5261

Instagram: @ollietheuncensoredcritic

For enquiries and requests: [email protected]

Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ 

Track Name. Early Morning