The Making Theatre Podcast

Mar 11 2024 35 ep. 62 mins 18

The Making Theatre Podcast artwork

Lighting Designers James Farncombe and Bruno Poet host conversations about the complex and sometimes messy business of making theatre. With guests from all aspects of production, from directors and designers to actors, stage managers, technicians, builders and producers, the aim is to create a broader awareness of all things involved in bringing a show to the stage.

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Victoria Brennan - Lighting Programmer

Mar 11 2024 43 mins

For this episode, we return to the world of stage lighting, and a discussion with one of the UK’s leading lighting programmers, Vic Brennan. The role of lighting programmer varies considerably depending on the style of the work being made, but there is no-one more crucial to the process of bringing the lighting designer’s vision to life, whether it be a fast-paced music theatre

Laura Cubitt - Puppetry Director

Oct 06 2023 49 mins

This time we are talking to Laura Cubitt about her experience as puppeteer and puppetry director. Laura was part of the team that brought the iconic Warhorse, Joey, to life and this is a fascinating insight into a world that is, by it's very nature, secretive if not entirely hidden away. We learn that puppetry has a parallel with lighting; often no-one notices you if you're doing y

Nick Hytner - Building the Bridge

Sep 22 2023 61 mins

This time we talk to Nick Hytner about forming the London Theatre Company and creating it's first home - the Bridge Theatre at One, Tower Bridge. If like us you ever paused to wonder how someone goes about starting a theatre, this episode provides a fascinating insight into the process. From the hunt for the venue, and the hair-raising rollercoaster of finding investors and se

Lucy Carter - Lighting for Dance

Aug 23 2023 56 mins

This time we talk to Lucy Carter about her extensive career designing lighting for contemporary dance, her analysis of her working practice and her extraordinary collaboration with choreographer Wayne McGregor, which spans three decades.

Paul Handley - Sustainable Theatre Making

Mar 05 2023 65 mins

The National Theatre is committed to achieving net zero carbon by 2030, the greatest creative challenge it has ever undertaken. This time we are talking to Paul Handley, Production and Technical Director at the NT about his search for a more sustainable model of theatre making. We hear about the many and varied ways that staff are trying to limit their environmental impact while st

Angie Bual - Theatre Without Walls.

Nov 26 2022 54 mins

This time, we leave behind the warm, dry confines of the conventional theatre space and head outside for an inspiring conversation with Angie Bual, creative director of Trigger, a company based in the south west of England, who create and produce bold live and digital events, often on a large-scale and often outdoors. With obsessions that range from dragons to upholstery via hortic

Sarah Nixon and Mark Chatterton - Making Pantomime

Oct 21 2022 46 mins

This time we talk to Sarah and Mark about their extensive experience writing and directing pantomime. Their own particular brand of raucous rock-n-roll panto has been seen for 19 consecutive years at the Liverpool Everyman, during which time, along side their multi-talented cast of actor-musicians, they have built a loyal and lively audience. We hear about their u

James Farncombe - Lighting for Opera

Sep 05 2022 73 mins

For this episode, Bruno adjusts pan and tilt to catch James squarely in the spotlight and focus on his career, and in particular his experience lighting opera. We discuss the idiosyncrasies of working in this medium, and how it differs from lighting theatre. We talk about how we respond to music with light, the rewards of getting to know a piece of music intimately, and

Michael Dennis - Company Stage Manager and Touring

Aug 22 2022 64 mins

This time we are talking to Michael Dennis about his career as company stage manager, and his extensive experience of touring theatre at all scales. We hear about the daily minutiae of managing an acting company, the challenges of making sure everyone feels listened to, and how the CSM is never really fully off duty. We discuss touring theatre in the UK, and the rich and invaluable

Kate Pakenham - Producer

Jul 29 2022 60 mins

This time we are talking to Kate Pakenham, an independent producer with a passion for theatre, and a drive to make work with a strong social purpose. We learn how each show can be compared to a mini start-up, and how producing, even when you can line some things up, is always a leap of faith. We discover that a trip to Pret can be surprisingly lucrative, but also that where and who