The Uncensored Critic Podcast

Chris is an inspirational voice teacher as well as person, and it was great to hear about her journey working with the voice. 

She is currently the Head of Voice at the Guildford School of Acting, with BA and MA's in Advanced Voice Studies.  She works with actors, singers, and even politicians about how they can use their voices to their best effect. 

Her practice is all about learning from one another, what you can gain from each other from listening and observing from each others voices and traits in the rehearsal room, or indeed any circumstance in life!

She takes me through the biology of the voice, what do to and what not to do when performing, and how to take care of it. The throat chakra and it connects the voice to the body. Significantly, how the voice is not just a sound from your voice box, it's a power that comes from every inch of your body. In addition, how you can empower it or detail it to any specific character. 

We also touch on deconstructing the challenges and reaping the rewards of tacking Shakespeare and working with accents!

Great talk for anyone currently at, or trying to get to drama school, working actors, and even those who want to strengthen their voice. 

Links to sessions with her and more about her work are below: 

For specialised voice work: [email protected]
Chris' website: www.voicecoachchrispalmer.com

Oliver Gower

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Instagram: @ollietheuncensoredcritic

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Dan is a movement director with a wealth of experience in the industry as a filmmaker and especially as a movement director. He has worked with Sally Cookson on A Monster Calls (Bristol and London Old Vic) and Jane Eyre (Bristol Old Vic and National Theatre). As well as, Kneehigh, Punchdrunk, DV8, and Fabulous Beast companies. 

He also has his own theatre company Still House, links to his and the company's work is below. 

Dan takes me through his inspirations to be involved in movement, working together with others, and how to overcome bad days in rehearsal when ideas don't flow as much as they did before. 

We especially talk about his involvement in A Monster Calls, previously discussed on here with Stu Goodwin, and how he worked with the score, the company and his own instincts from the book and director to create simply a spellbinding piece of theatre.

Check out Dan's socials for links to theatre and film work:

Dan's Instagram: dan_canham

Dan's website: https://www.stillhouse.co.uk/dan-canham-

Oliver Gower

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Instagram: @ollietheuncensoredcritic

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Matthew (Matt) Coulton is an actor and movement director with a passion for physical theatre.

He trained at Central School of Speech and Drama in Collaborative and Devised Theatre graduating in 2014, and since has been a part of several movement influenced shows and theatre companies. Including Chester Storyhouse, Leicester Curve and BBC TV and Radio.

He's part of projects here in the UK as well as in Sweden with his own theatre company Artistic Rebellion where he acts as co-founder. Most recently the companies' work has been on display at the Varberg Festival in 2019.

It has been great to learn from Matt these past few months at GSA on the work on Jacques LeCoq. In this episode we discuss the use of Neutral and Anti-Mask, the power of the imagination in movement, and how you can apply his physical practice to character work and texts such as Shakespeare's plays. 

Oliver Gower

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

Instagram: @ollietheuncensoredcritic

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Juna N Joey have a unique country sound that makes their music have a lasting impression on you, and they are bound to do great things. 

Having found success at such a young age, Juna N Joey have performed on both sides of the Atlantic, alongside Twinnie, with Nickelodeon and America's Got Talent. 

They talk me through their inspirations to be a musician and what they want to achieve in the future.

Furthermore, they treat me to a track from their upcoming EP called Something Good To Miss at the end of the show. Great track. 

Oliver Gower

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

Instagram: @goweroliver

Twitter: @GowerCritic

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Adrian Schiller is an actor with many credits that stand across Film, TV and Theatre to his name. He's worked on video games to Shakespeare, and has a great knowledge of the actor's process and the industry itself.

It was great to talk to him about his role in the astonishing 2014 production of The Crucible, directed by Yael Farber where he played Reverend John Hale.

He discusses Hale's journey across the play, how his beliefs are challenged, and how he feels responsibility to the injustice that occurs in the text. The play written as an allegory to McCarthyism demonstrates the power of false accusation while preying on public panic and delusion. It can show us how humans have the ability to be unbelievably cruel to one another, and how we must recognise history before it has any chance of repeating itself. 

Oliver Gower

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

Instagram: @ollietheuncensoredcritic

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Rose is a movement teacher at GSA (Guildford School of Acting) whose passion for Rudolf Laban's work is unparalleled.   

Having trained at the Laban centre, as well as studied MA movement at the Central School of Speech and Drama, she has become fascinated by the vast potential our bodies have in the non-verbal realm, and how we can transform ourselves physically.    

She takes me through his "Efforts", the various movement exercises that he asked his actors to engage in to find their emotional and spiritual selves. His work pioneers movement and just how crucial it is to our lives, not solemnly to actors and performers.   

A great episode for anyone interested in Laban's work, anyone at drama school, or indeed just liked to know more about movement!  

Oliver Gower

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

Instagram: @ollietheuncensoredcritic

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Sabina "Sabs" Netherclift is a teaching fellow at GSA with over 20 years of movement experience. 

She has worked with many companies including the Young Vic, Central and the English National Opera.

Her primary teaching point at GSA is the work of movement director Jacque Lecoq, having trained with the man himself in Paris. 

She schools me on his foundations, the way he worked with his students, and how you can create anything with movement!

Lecoq was devoted to observing the natural world, its elements and movements. He also used masks to stimulate movement development and create characters. 

Oliver Gower

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

Instagram: @ollietheuncensoredcritic

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Stu was part of the simply astonishing cast and creative team that put together the spellbinding play A Monster Calls that premiered at the Bristol Old Vic and transferred to the London Old Vic in 2018.  

Stu shares with me the process of building a show essentially from scratch, working with Sally Cookson, and how devising needn't be something to be scared of for an actor!  

So much covered about the play, devising, and how saying YES to things goes a long way!  

Oliver Gower

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

Instagram: @ollietheuncensoredcritic

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Laura and I worked together on the National Theatre's "My Country; a work in progress" and I feel proud to call her a friend as well as a fellow actor.  Laura has vast experiences in theatre, TV, and film, since our time at the National, she has worked on BBC's Des, Line of Duty, and HBO's Chernobyl, and Game of Thrones.  

She's also worked at the Bridge Theatre, and another production at the National, Jane Eyre, in collaboration with the Bristol Old Vic. 

That's just a small handful of her incredible career to date!  

Laura talks about the experience of filming Chernobyl, her inspiration to become an actress, her experiences of making theatre from scratch, and how to keep going in such a tough industry. 

Oliver Gower

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

Instagram: @ollietheuncensoredcritic

For enquiries and requests: [email protected]

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Thank you all for your support!

Ben Furey is voice and dialect coach currently teaching at the Guildford School of Acting (GSA).

His credentials include working with actors of all ages in the USA and UK, coaching them on accents, vocal ability, and engagement with text. 

He has taught children in Matilda to speak Russian, and young American actors in Billy Elliot to speak with a Geordie accent! As well as coaching an actress to safely scream eight times a week!

It was so interesting to hear Ben talk about his experience on both sides of the Atlantic, the science of the voice, how it works, and how we can train it. Also how we must especially look after it. 

Ben's website: www.benfurey.com 

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!