I am delighted to inform you that I was awarded a cup for the best direction at the Totton Drama Festival last week. This was for my production of "Father for Justice", a two handed one act play by talented Mr Mark Wakeman. I was privileged to work with two of the best actors on the local circuit in Damon Wakelin and Martin McBride. The latter actually won the Best Actor Award for the week as well, with Damon as one of the other nominees for the award. It sounds ungrateful but I did feel like those directors at the Oscars who say I won the Best Director Award and my star won the Best Actor Award so how come I didn't win the best film (or in this case, production) award? Suffice it to say we didn't but we were invited to perform in the next stage of the competition at the regional finals, with the chance thereby of getting through to the national finals later. I will settle for now for that chance. I thought the Bench team, which includes Jasper as stage manager, did very well and could do even better next time! I told the adjudicator that my direction method was based on the actors learning their lines and avoiding bumping into the furniture. This is the answer I always give when asked what is the secret of my success. There is a bit more to it than that of course. The first essential is to find a good script that intrigues and interests you and that you want to do. It may be a script you have picked up and have read off the page. It may be the subject matter that fires your interest or it may be the characters. If it is just one character that interests you it is probably best to see the play as an acting project and find someone else to direct it. It may be a production that you have seen on stage and that you want to try your hand at yourself. If it is a play that you saw a poor production of but that you feel the play itself is worthy of better treatment, there is a motive for wanting to direct it.
The second essential is to surround yourself with good people, a producer and a stage manager.The former will help with all the other aspects of putting a play outside of the rehearsal room and the latter will be invaluable in the rehearsal room. Using the same principle, you then cast the play. If you are fortunate you will choose a cast that will do the play despite you if necessary. Young directors often express their concern that they don't know what they should be doing as the director. My glib reply is keeping out of the way of the actors.