the act freesheet
TRANSCRIPT
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8/9/2019 The Act Freesheet
1/2
I n 2 0 1 3 , O v a l h o u s e c e l e b r a t e s i t s fi f t i e t h b i r t h d a y .
F o r s o m e o f t h a t fi f t y y e a r s , f r i n g e t h e a t r e s t o o d a s a d e fi a n t c o u n t e r p o i n t t o
t h e p r e v a l e n t c u l t u r e ; w o r k t h a t c r i t i q u e d t h e m a i n s t r e a m , e x p l o r e d q u e s t i o n s
i t w a s a f r a i d t o a s k , o ff e r e d a n a l t e r n a t i v e c u l t u r a l e x p e r i e n c e . I s t h a t s t i l l t r u e
t o d a y o r w a s t h e i d e a o f c o u n t e r c u l t u r e q u i e t l y d e c o m m i s s i o n e d w h e n n o
o n e w a s l o o k i n g ? A n d i f i t w a s , w h e n w i l l w e s t a r t t o m i s s i t ?
C o u n t e r c u l t u r e 5 0 i s p a r t r e t r o s p e c t a c l e , p a r t t h e a t r i c a l i n c u b a t o r o f a m o r e
p o l i t i c a l l y e n g a g e d p e r f o r m a n c e f u t u r e . I t a c k n o w l e d g e s t h e s h o u l d e r s o f
g i a n t s , h e r o e s a n d v i l l a i n s o n w h i c h O v a l h o u s e s t a n d s . I t a s k s h o w , w h y a n d
w h e n c o u n t e r c u l t u r e i s p o s s i b l e . I t i s u r g e n t l y h o p e f u l , s t e a l t h i l y m e a n i n g f u l
a n d t h e r e w i l l a l s o b e f u n n y b i t s .
J o i n u s t o c e l e b r a t e o u r b i r t h d a y .
R e b e c c a A t k i n s o n L o r d a n d R a c h e l B r i s c o e
D i r e c t o r s o f T h e a t r e , O v a l h o u s e
OVALHOUSE PRESENTS
THEACTCreated by THOMAS HESCOTTan d MATTHE W BALDWIN
PROGRAMME
I n 2 0 1 3 , O v a l h o u s e c e l e b r a t e s i t s fi f t i e t h b i r t h d a y .
F o r s o m e o f t h a t fi f t y y e a r s , f r i n g e t h e a t r e s t o o d a s a d e fi a n t c o u n t e r p o i n t t o
t h e p r e v a l e n t c u l t u r e ; w o r k t h a t c r i t i q u e d t h e m a i n s t r e a m , e x p l o r e d q u e s t i o n s
i t w a s a f r a i d t o a s k , o ff e r e d a n a l t e r n a t i v e c u l t u r a l e x p e r i e n c e . I s t h a t s t i l l t r u e
t o d a y o r w a s t h e i d e a o f c o u n t e r c u l t u r e q u i e t l y d e c o m m i s s i o n e d w h e n n o
o n e w a s l o o k i n g ? A n d i f i t w a s , w h e n w i l l w e s t a r t t o m i s s i t ?
C o u n t e r c u l t u r e 5 0 i s p a r t r e t r o s p e c t a c l e , p a r t t h e a t r i c a l i n c u b a t o r o f a m o r e
p o l i t i c a l l y e n g a g e d p e r f o r m a n c e f u t u r e . I t a c k n o w l e d g e s t h e s h o u l d e r s o f
g i a n t s , h e r o e s a n d v i l l a i n s o n w h i c h O v a l h o u s e s t a n d s . I t a s k s h o w , w h y a n d
w h e n c o u n t e r c u l t u r e i s p o s s i b l e . I t i s u r g e n t l y h o p e f u l , s t e a l t h i l y m e a n i n g f u l
a n d t h e r e w i l l a l s o b e f u n n y b i t s .
J o i n u s t o c e l e b r a t e o u r b i r t h d a y .
R e b e c c a A t k i n s o n L o r d a n d R a c h e l B r i s c o e
D i r e c t o r s o f T h e a t r e , O v a l h o u s e
OVALHOUSE PRESENTS
THEACTCreated by THOMAS HESCOTTan d MATTHE W BALDWIN
PROGRAMME
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8/9/2019 The Act Freesheet
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THOMASHESCOTT
Thomas trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama, with English
National Opera and on the National Theatre Studio Directors Programme.
Most recently Thomas was the Associate Director on Long Days Journey IntoNight in the West End, and has been working with Robert Wilson on The Life
and Death of Marina Abramovic for the Manchester International Festival and
on a European tour.
Credits as director include: WolvesAt The Window Arcola and OffBroadway,
The British Ambassador’s Belly Dancer Arcola and Arts Theatre, West End,
Anatol Arcola, Romeo and Juliet , Macbeth and Twelfth Night Southwark
Playhouse, Reunion Bridewell and Our Thing Gate.
Thomas was staff director on the original awardwinning run of The History
Boys NationalTheatre. He was also Resident Director for the 2005 and 2006
seasons at the Chichester Festival Theatre. He has worked extensively as an
assistant director across the country includingThe Royal Court, Shakespeare’s
Globe, West Yorkshire Playhouse, and Birmingham Rep.
He is an Associate Artist forthe National YouthTheatre, andwas previouslyan
Associate Director forY Touring Theatre.
MATTHEW BALDWIN
Matthew trained at Drama Studio London. Mostrecently he played Abanazer
in Get Aladdin ATS at the Landor and Barry in the short film Just Looking
Richard Johnson Productions. Other film work includes Dan in Love Bite
Hades Productions and theComperein Born Beautiful Hades Productions.
On TV he played a journalist in Material Girl BBC. Other theatrical work
includes Justiniano in Westward Ho The White Bear, Solinus in Comedy of
Errors Courtyard, Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood Queen of Thieves
ATS, Lady Gargoyle in SleepingBeauty, One Little Prick ATS.
As far as he knows he is the only actor in London to have appeared in two
plays byThomas Dekker within one year. That is a double Dekker.
GAVIN DOBSON
Gavin Dobson is a London based illustrator. Initially training in Fine Art atMiddlesex University, his artwork is inspiredby a hugelove of Graphic Novels
and American comic books, in particular of the 1980’s.
“My‘teachers’are wide andgreat, mastersof their craft likeLeonardo Da Vinci,
Michelangelo, Manet, Lautrec, Jenny Saville, GeorgePerez, FrankMiller, Olivier
Coipel and Bill Sienkiewicz. A mix of styles, eras and techniques but all
incredible storytellers. I am especially excited and grateful to exhibit within
the Ovalhouse for this particular season of work, as an actor also myself it’s a
wonderful surrounding for provoking theatre but also as a happy gay man
I appreciate theuphill fightmany gaymen andlesbianshavefacedand indeed
still do and I applaud those men and women who paved the way for me to
live and love theway I was meant to.”
Past clients include Gay Times, Boyz , Diva, Marian Heath, K inetic Theatre
Company and Next .
THE ACT IS AN OVALHOUSE COUNTERCULTURE 50 COMMISSION
OVALHOUSE PRESENTS
THE ACTDirected by THOMASHESCOTT
Performed by MATTHEW BALDWIN
Illustrations by GAVIN DOBSON
Musician TIM SAWARD
THOMASHESCOTT
Thomas trained at the Central School of S peech and Drama, with English
National Opera and on the NationalTheatre Studio Directors Programme.
Most recently Thomas was the Associate Director on Long Days Journey IntoNight in the West End, and has been working with Robert Wilson on The Life
and Death of Marina Abramovic for the Manchester International Festival and
on a European tour.
Credits as director include: WolvesAt The Window Arcolaand OffBroadway,
The British Ambassador’s Belly Dancer Arcola and Arts Theatre, West End,
Anatol Arcola, Romeo and Juliet , Macbeth and Twelfth Night Southwark
Playhouse, Reunion Bridewell and Our Thing Gate.
Thomas was staff director on the original awardwinning run of The History
Boys NationalTheatre. He was alsoResident Director for the 2005 and 2006
seasons at the Chichester Festival Theatre. He has worked extensively as an
assistant director across the country includingThe Royal Court, Shakespeare’s
Globe, West Yorkshire Playhouse, and Birmingham Rep.
He is an Associate Artist forthe National Youth Theatre, andwas previously an
Associate Director forY Touring Theatre.
MATTHEW BALDWIN
Matthew trained at DramaStudioLondon. Mostrecently he played Abanazer
in Get Aladdin ATS at the Landor and Barry in the short film Just Looking
Richard Johnson Productions. Other film work includes Dan in Love Bite
Hades Productions andthe Compere in Born Beautiful Hades Productions.
On TV he played a journalist in Material Girl BBC. Other theatrical work
includes Justiniano in Westward Ho The White Bear, Solinus in Comedy of
Errors Courtyard, Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood Queen of Thieves
ATS, Lady Gargoyle in SleepingBeauty, One Little Prick ATS.
As far as he knows he is the only actor in London to have appeared in two
plays byThomas Dekker within one year. That is a double Dekker.
GAVIN DOBSON
Gavin Dobson is a London based illustrator. Initially training in Fine Art atMiddlesex University, his artwork is inspiredby a hugelove of Graphic Novels
and American comic books, in particular of the 1980’s.
“My‘teachers’are wide andgreat, mastersof their craft likeLeonardo Da Vinci,
Michelangelo,Manet, Lautrec, JennySaville, GeorgePerez, FrankMiller, Olivier
Coipel and Bill Sienkiewicz. A mix of styles, eras and techniques but all
incredible storytellers. I am especially excited and grateful to exhibit within
the Ovalhouse for this particular season of work, as an actor also myself it’s a
wonderful surrounding for provoking theatre but also as a happy gay man
I appreciate theuphill fightmany gaymen andlesbianshavefacedand indeed
still do and I applaud those men and women who paved the way for me to
live and love the way I was meant to.”
Past clients include Gay Times, Boyz , Diva, Marian Heath, K inetic Theatre
Company and Next .
THE ACT IS AN OVALHOUSE COUNTERCULTURE 50 COMMISSION
OVALHOUSE PRESENTS
THE ACTDirected by THOMASHESCOTT
Performed by MATTHEW BALDWIN
Illustrations by GAVIN DOBSON
Musician TIM SAWARD