Camden People’s Theatre 28^th November – 15^th December 2012

This show started its life as a ten minute scratch at BAC in October 2011 and I then directed a forty minute version at Camden People’s Theatre’s Sprint Festival in March. I was subsequently invited back by Artistic Director Brian Logan to expand the idea into a full length show with a complete design.

We initially explored possibilities for the show to have future life:

Click for REVIEWS of the show

Successful Wefund pitch video here

Images by Ben Broomfield

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Producer: Kelly Golding

Performer: Rhyannon Styles

Designer: Ele Slade

Lighting Designer: Christopher Nairne

Stage Manager: Ali Graham

Co-creator of original concept: Vivienne Rowdon

Southwark Playhouse, Marlborough Theatre (Brighton), PAC (Cheltenham), Latitude Festival April – July 2011

BAC and Tara Arts March 2012

This was my first full length professional production and was produced by Paul Jellis for Bad Physics.

A live radio play based on Under Milk Wood, the audience could choose whether to be blindfolded and experience the show in a unique sensory way through live sound effects, smell and touch or sighted and watch the process of the eight actors* playing forty-nine characters and creating all the effects.

*2011 Cast: Georgina Landau, Avita Jay, Danielle Nott, Mark Conway, James French, Christopher Hammond, Jade Willis, Panny Skrivanos. Stage Manager: Ali Graham

2012 Cast: Georgina Landau, Avita Jay, Danielle Nott, Mark Conway, James French, Christopher Hammond, David Rubin, Cameron Harris. Stage Manager: Katy Munroe Farlie

Click for REVIEWS of the show

In June I was appointed as the Community Director for 2013’s CASA festival. This is an annual ten day festival showcasing and celebrating Latin American theatre and culture. I’d been hoping to get involved for some time, given my more than strong interest in everything Argentine! Having just got back from my two month research trip to Buenos Aires, it seemed like the perfect moment.

I ran weekly evening workshops over three months, which culminated in the creation of a new play that was shown as part of the festival on Sunday 6th October at 5pm. We were exploring Latin American identity in London and what it means to be an “immigrant” in a big, global city. The show went very well and played to a very/overly full house!

If you are Latin American, aged 18+ and interested to know more or get involved next year then contact community@casafestival.org.uk

I directed Cherise Cross’ new play The Door at the Park Theatre. The production ran for three weeks from 12th November – 1st December and was produced by 8fold theatre.

Unusually for me this was not a project that I had been involved with from day 1 and thus presented new and interesting directing challenges.

The play was extremely interesting and tackled the fascinating subject of insomnia and what happens when reality becomes confused. We approached the text in a fairly non-literal way and explored the abstract and surreal in both the staging and the designs.

Cast: Robert Bradley, Adele Keating, Stephanie Lodge, James Naylor and Philip Nightingale.

Writer: Cherise Cross

Set Designer: Ele Slade

Lighting Designer: Oscar Wyatt

Sound Designer: Neil McKeown

Costumer Designer: Clare Amos

Producer: Sue Lloyd

Stage Manager: Anna Libbach

Production Coordinators: Johnny Englishby and Oliver Holmes

I was very proud of the resulting production, which I think did justice to the text and fulfilled 8fold’s mission to make audiences think for themselves. It was a fairly polarising play because it deliberately remained ambiguous.

Click HERE for reviews

Here are some production photos, all credited to Mark Shademan.

I directed the Southwark Playhouse Christmas family show, Usagi Yojimbo.

It ran until 4th January 2015.

17th Century Japan. A world of bandit racoons, feline ninjas and warring animal clans.

A young rabbit leaves home, family and friends behind him in pursuit of one ambition: to become a great samurai warrior. Trained by a maverick old lion sensei – a teacher of the warrior’s code known as Bushido – Usagi learns that the way of the samurai is one of peace and perfection – not just masterful swordsmanship. But as war engulfs the land, he must make a choice that will test his loyalty, honour and dearest friendship.

Reviews here

It also won the Off West Award for Costume Design and was nominated for the same awards for Best Choreography and Best Set Design.

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Production shots by Richard Davenport.

Here’s a behind the scenes video!

Creative Team

Writer / Adapter: Stewart Melton

Designer (Set, Costume and Wigs): Ele Slade

Lighting Designer: Josh Pharo

Sound Designer: Max Pappenheim

Video and Projection Designer: Nina Dunn

Fight Director: Ronin Traynor

Composer: Joji Hirota

Stage Manager: Rhian Kennedy

Deputy Stage Manager: Lizzy Gethings

Assistant Director: Stephanie de Whalley

Cast

Amy Ip, Dai Tabuchi, Siu-Hun Li, Jonathan Raggett, Haruka Kuroda and Joji Hirota

Rehearsal photos taken by Bronwen Sharp:

Publicity Material

I took part in a podcast for GOSH Comics http://www.holdfastnetwork.com/process/6/11/2014/episode-6-usagi-yojimbo-onstage

And an interview for The Public Reviews http://www.thepublicreviews.com/interview-10-minutes-with-usagi-yojimbo-director-amy-draper/

I adapted a really interesting book, Life on the Refrigerator Door by Alice Kuipers, for the stage. Specifically, the wonderful stage at the Yard Theatre in Hackney Wick. It ran from 1st-5th April 2014.

milk
apples
bananas
avocados
onions
potatoes
tomatoes
mushrooms
carrots and rabbit food for Peter
mince
bread
juice – you choose

If you can carry any more, get a chicken and two cans of beans. Don’t worry if you can’t, I can try and pick these up tomorrow.

Love,
Mum

Money on the counter. Don’t forget your key!

So begins the story of the relationship between a mother and her teenage daughter. Inspired by Alice Kuiper’s ‘novel in notes’, this first ever stage adaptation explores the themes of adolescence and family in a simple yet beautiful way. A coming of age story that is mundane, ridiculous and poignant. Welcome (back) to being fourteen.

The piece was shown as part of a double bill with another company, the punk band artists collective The Femmes Fatales, and formed part of the Yard’s NOW 14 Collection. We were Arts Council funded and also had a successful crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo.

Creative team:

Designer: Ele Slade

Lighting Designer: Oscar Wyatt

Cast: Cassandra Bond and Angela Clerkin

Stage Manger: Katy Munroe-Farlie

We wrote a blog during rehearsals: http://lifeontherefrigeratordoor.wordpress.com/

The show went really well and some of our great audience feedback can be seen here.

The aim now is to develop the piece a little further and find a venue for a full length run. Get in touch if you’re interested! amy@amydraper.co.uk

All production shots and the promo video credited to Bouken Boy Media:

http://vimeo.com/93883850

In January 2016 I directed a Shakespeare for Schools production of Macbeth at Southwark Playhouse . It was a 60 minute ensemble version for a cast of three, using all original text, which I edited.

More info on the Southwark Playhouse website here.

Production shots (all credited to Stacey Hatfield)

Creative Team

Set and Costume Designer – Max Dorey

Lighting Designer – Sarah Readman

Sound Designer – Jon McLeod

Stage Manager – Ali Graham

Assistant Director – Olive Supple-Still

Cast

Martin Donaghy, Anne-Marie Piazza and Stanton Plummer-Cambridge

Much Ado About Nothing, which I directed for Iris Theatre, took place as a promenade performance in the beautiful gardens of St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden. It ran until 22nd July 2016.

We were nominated for 5 Off West End Awards: Best Director, Best Show for Young People 8+, Best Set Designer, Best Lighting Designer and Best Female (Anne-Marie Piazza)

Photo credit: Hannah Barton

Cast

Darrel Bailey Don Pedro

Jennifer Clement Messenger/Don John/Margaret/Abbess

Graeme Dalling Claudio

Denis Delahunt Leonato/Sexton

Nick Howard-Brown Benedick/Borachio

Emma McDonald Hero/Dogberry

Anne-Marie Piazza Beatrice/Verges

Creative Team all biogs here

Set Designer – Amber Scarlett

Costume Designer – Kinnetia Isidore

Sound Designer – Filipe Gomes

Lighting Designer – Ben Polya

Composer – Candida Caldicot

Stage Manager – Valentini Kalpini

Producer – Tanja Pagnuco

For reviews click here

I directed The Tempest at Southwark Playhouse – all details here. It ran until 28th January 2017.

★★★★ The Stage Invigorating, rhythmic staging, setting a high standard for fringe Shakespeare productions

★★★★ Whatsonstage an enchanting and emotionally charged Tempest

★★★★ Time Out Sparky, streamlined take on Shakespeare’s final play

Creative Team

Set and Costume Designer – Ele Slade

Lighting Designer – Sarah Readman

Composers Candida Caldicot and Andy Meredith

Movement Director Chi-San Howard

Casting Director Georgia Fleury-Reynolds

Stage Manager Becky Brown

Producer David Workman for Southwark Playhouse

Cast

Pete Caulfield, Stanton Plummer-Cambridge, Sarah Malin, Gemma Lawrence, Ben Cawley and Andy Merdith (percussion)

I was really pleased to return to Iris Theatre to direct a new version of Hansel and Gretel. It was outdoor, promenade and an entertaining mix of silly and sinister. With songs.

It ran from 3 Aug – 3 Sept 2017. Info here.

It was also shortlisted for an Off-West End Award for Best Show for Young People 7+.

And a small reviews roundup here

Cast

Rosie Abraham, Deshaye Gayle, Jennifer Clement, Nick Howard-Brown, Josie Brightwell and Will Kelly

Creatives

Set Designer – Amber Scarlett

Costume Designer – Sophie Donaldson

Lighting Designer – Rachel Sampley

Sound Designer – Filipe Gomes

Composer – Candida Caldicot

Writer – Daniel Winder

Producer – Tanja Pagnuco

Stage Manager – Becky Brown