In 2018 I wrote a modern adaptation of Shakespeare's 'Othello'. I aimed to give the play a modern feel while retaining the flavour of the original verse. I designed layers to the set which were gradually peeled back, elements hidden and reveals and vice versa again, as the play progressed. Teamwork and inspiring creativity in a team are incredibly important elements of directing to me. With this production I had so much fun discovering the talents and passions of my cast and crew and they too enjoyed sharing. The production ended up incorporating a number of elements inspired by the cast too such as a poem that the production inspired actor Alfie Howard to write and elements by Annabel Marlow and Phoebe Langan too. It made it a unique journey and production.
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Production Team:
Melanie Noa Jehan (Writer-Director, Set Designer), Lydia Tissier (Producer), Roisin Culligan-Hughes (Assistant Director), Chloe Arrowsmith (Producer), Olivia Allen (Stage Combat Instructor), Steven Owens (Lighting Designer), Ben Nimmo (Sound Designer)
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Cast:
Tife Kusuro (Othello), Fen Greatley-Hirsch (Iago), Rachel Parkinson (Desdemona), Sophie Botham (Cassio), Chloe Lovatt (Emilia), Annabel Marlow (Clown), Izzy Evans (Brabantio), Phoebe Langan, Alfie Howard, Backy Barriball, Tom Gibson, Alice Kellar, Holly Boyd-Gill, Lottie Fowler, Ella Certer, Andrew Brown
In 2018-2019 I wrote an Avant-Garde History play that explores what happens when we bring era-defining characters back to life. A thought-provoking avant-garde history-play, exploring the self through the epic, Paradise Lost. The characters emerge from history into a timeless void. A director and artist break onto the stage emerging into Dickens’ London pub, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese. With its many nooks and crannies, you can’t help but wonder what stories it holds. The Characters: Homer (the ancient poet), Christopher Marlowe (the Elizabethan playwright), Katherine Parr (Tudor Queen), Constance Fletcher (a character of Gertrude Stein), Picasso, and Director (Pinter-esque).
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In August 2019 I took it and directed it at the Edinburgh Film Festival. I managed, fundraised and directed the production. All our fundraising efforts were creatively fuelled as well, such as the art fair we hosted. It was an incredibly enjoyable experience where creativity flowed free. For instance, one of my producers (Kitty Richardson) revealed that she has a love and talent for music and she ended up contributing to the sound design of our play.
As ambitious as the play was, we received great critic and audience feedback including a 4.5*/5* review from the Derek Awards.
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Production Team:
Melanie Noa Jehan (Writer-Director, Manager), Kitty Richardson (Producer), Georgina Bennett (Assistant Director and Physical Theatre Director), Luke Haywood (Assistant Director), Emrys-Luker Brown (Assistant Producer), Heidi Boyle (Assistant Producer), Jane Philpott (Set and Costume Designer), Alannah Marchewka (Lighting and Sound Designer)
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Cast:
Thomas Davy (Christopher Marlowe), Phoebe Langan (Katherine Parr), Ejiro Imiruaye (Homer), Anna Stirling (Constance Fletcher), Amelia Lloyd (Director), Emrys Luker Brown (Artist)