Directing
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I have worked as a theatre director across fringe theatre venues in London. Theatre directing credits include dirty butterfly (Bread & Roses Theatre), The Princess Monologues (Small London Tour), a new adaptation of Miss Julie (Bread & Roses Theatre), Darker The Night (Hen & Chickens Theatre / Etcetera Theatre), The Vagina Monologues (Bread & Roses Theatre / The Space / Rose Lipman Building / Standard Chartered Bank), as well as monologues for Beyond the Canon (Artistic Directors of the Future / Royal Academy of Dramatic Art / Cottesloe Room @ The National Theatre). Screen directing credits include short film The Big Day (Godiva Films).
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The Black Eye Club
by Phil Charles
November 2018 - The Bread & Roses Theatre
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When life throws you punches... drink, sing, survive!
When a gay man fleeing an abusive partner is turned away from a women-only refuge, one of the residents sneaks him into her room. The initially clashing characters, the shy Dave and the gabby Zoe, begin to bond over their shared traumatic experiences. But will they be able to keep him hidden from the eagle-eyed security guard? And will they be able to instill enough confidence in each other to be given the strength to leave their violent partners for good? "Funny, moving, powerful new play" ★★★★★ - Remotegoat |
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"offers a lot of hope and [leaves] its audience with a renewed sense of wonder at the human spirit" ★★★★★ - Breaking the Fourth Wall
"Full of mellow humour and tasty conflict of character" ★★★★ & Top Pick of the Month - LPT Magazine The Black Eye Club by Phil Charles was selected anonymously out of over 450 submissions as the winner of The Bread & Roses Playwriting Award following three reading rounds. The award was open for submissions in 2016 and called for full length plays with at least 50% material that are female, non-binary or gender neutral roles, from UK based playwrights. |
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dirty butterfly
by debbie tucker green
April/May 2017 - The Bread & Roses Theatre
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Listening through their thin walls, Amelia and Jason are drawn into the dark and compelling world of their mutual neighbour, Jo. Something very nasty is going on next door. Jason and Amelia know it, but do nothing.
Jason is increasingly addicted to eaves-dropping on Jo's abuse, meanwhile Amelia's frustration with Jo's predicament develops, as she tries to ignore the brutality on the other side of the wall. Painting a harrowing image of domestic violence in an intimate, yet so distant environment, dirty butterfly confronts the audience with themes of voyeurism, power and guilt through lives that interlock but never connect. |
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"a memorable and stunning theatre event" ★★★★★ - Remotegoat
"terrific performances" and "sharp direction" ★★★★½ - Arthur's Seat "The intimate Bread and Roses Theatre is perfect for such challenging in-yer-face theatre" - The Stage "a moving and unnerving piece" ★★★★ - ActDrop Top Pick of the Month: "political and deeply human" ★★★★ - London Pub Theatres Magazine "a strong production" - British Theatre Guide "doesn’t let the tension dissipate for a moment" ★★★★ - Breaking The Fourth Wall "I did enjoy Dirty Butterfly and will definitely think again" ★★★★ - LondonTheatre1 "fantastic production that is wonderfully entertaining and thought provoking" - Fairy Powered Production |
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THe Princess Monologues
by Claire Booker, Amy Bethan Evans, Tessa Hart, Simon Jay, Tina Jay, Tilly Lunken & Eliza Power - directed by Tessa Hart - performed by Eleanor Dillon-Reams
November 2015 to February 2016
The Space, The Hen & Chickens Theatre, Theatre N16, The Bread & Roses Theatre
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For centuries we've been obsessed with the concept of being a 'Princess' whilst teaching generations of young girls that they should aspire to become one. The Princess Monologues question what it actually means to be a 'Princess' in the 21st century and whether it is really that desirable...
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★★★★★ 'A must-see for everyone!' - 5 stars, RemoteGoat
'This show deserves to go far.' - Angela Clarke 'brave and relevant theatre' - London Pub Theatres ★★★★ 'a rewarding experience' - 4 stars, LondonTheatre1 ★★★★ 'a fantastic show' - 4 stars, Female Arts |
Beyond the Canon
Jerwood Vanbrugh Theatre @ Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, September 2016
Cottesloe Room @ The National Theatre, September 2016
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Monologues selected from the anthology 'Audition Speeches for Black, South Asian and Middle Eastern Actors' published by Simeilia Hodge-Dallaway. Produced by Artistic Directors of the Future, the UK's first initiative dedicated to increasing the number of BAME Artistic Directors in mainstream theatre. I directed extracts from:
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Life Sentence by Siân Rowland
at Alone Inside the Box at the Bread & Roses Theatre, July 2016
& State of Fear - Responsibility to...?, October 2015
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While thousands struggle to gain entry to Europe, some will sacrifice everything to leave the comfort of home behind. A mother is in ruin as the child she once knew leaves her with nothing but the stigma of his destination. Love, loss, guilt…and the will to forgive?
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'My favourite of the pieces though was Life Sentence by Siân Rowland, a considered monologue sensitively directed by Tessa Hart' - Ought to be Clowns ★★★★ 'State of Fear was for many the high point of the evening' - 4 stars, FemaleArts |
★★★★ 'the most poignant play of the night' - 4 stars, LondonTheatre ★★★★ '....the evening stealer was Life Sentence (...) took you by the guts and wrenched you from your seat.' - 4 stars, Carns Theatre Passion |
AUGUST STRINDBERG'S MISS JULIE ADAPTED & DIRECTED BY TESSA HART
April / May 2015 - The Bread & Roses Theatre
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A striking, sensual and timeless take on Strindberg's masterpiece. Originally written in 1888, the play caused a scandal when first produced and has been hugely popular ever since. This sensual adaptation emphasises Strindberg’s viscerally honest portrait of the class system and human sexuality. Amidst the midsummer frolics, the boundaries of status start to blur and the battle of the sexes intensifies. Who truly has the upper hand and how far will people go in the ultimate power struggle? Miss Julie was the first full-length production presented by The Bread & Roses Theatre Company (BRTC).
★★★★★ "this menage a trois is a feast for the eyes" - 5 stars, femalearts ★★★★★ "Personal atmosphere, a great performance" - 5 stars, Remotegoat |
THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES
BY EVE ENSLER, DIRECTED BY TESSA HART
March 2013 - Rose Lipman Building
March 2014 - The Space
February 2015 - The Bread & Roses Theatre
March 2016 - Standard Chartered Bank
February 2017 & 2018 - The Bread & Roses Theatre
February 2019 - Theater Verlängertes Wohnzimmer
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Since 2013 I've been directing yearly V-Day benefit productions of The Vagina Monologues. In the first year as part of the OBR Art Festival, in 2014 and 2015 with Goblin Baby Theatre Co. and in 2016 I directed the first time it was produced by a bank, Standard Chartered London. The performances have been selling out each year and profits donated to relevant charities. The award-winning play is based on V-Day Founder/playwright Eve Ensler's interviews with more than 200 women. With humor and grace the piece celebrates women's sexuality and strength.
"...“aren’t we a bit past that whole vagina talking thing?” Well, this production organised and directed by Tessa Hart proved that we well and truly are not." - Onomatopoeia |
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DARKER THE NIGHT BY ELIZA POWER, DIRECTED BY TESSA HART
August, October 2014 & January 2015
The Hen & Chickens Theatre / Etcetera Theatre
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Darker The Night is a searing new drama by actress and writer Eliza Power, produced by Sibling Productions for the Camden Fringe Festival 2014 at The Hen & Chickens Theatre before transferring to the London Horror Festival at the Etcetera Theatre in October 2014. In January 2015 it returned to The Hen & Chickens Theatre for an industry showcase.
★★★★ ” ...director Tessa Hart successfully invests a lot of time in the finer detail. (...) Power's script is constructed well, but Hart reinforces it with plenty of little but carefully considered touches.” - 4 stars, Views From the Gods |
Little Pieces of Gold
Associate Director since September 2013
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Little Pieces of Gold is a new writing company set out to discover, nurture and develop new writing from emerging playwrights and to engage new and diverse audiences from across the UK. It has produced the work of over one hundred playwrights at leading London venues. I am an associate director of the company and have directed short plays for them on several occasions.
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Short Cuts Festival
July 2013 & June 2015
Photographer: Ricardo Correia
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Short Cuts is a London based short play festival, produced by Sibling Productions, which focusses on producing thought provoking, short form theatre that is sharp, dark, comic and downright weird! I have directed short plays for them on two occasions, both as part of a one-week-run at the Hen & Chickens Theatre.
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The Platform
Regular director Since November 2012
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The Platform usually takes place two times per year at The Bread & Roses Theatre and features a selection of some of the best new short plays out there. It has quickly established itself as an opportunity to discover, develop and explore new scripts, whilst also providing actors, directors and writers with an opportunity to showcase their work. I am a co-founder and have directed various short plays at The Platform.
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★★★★ “One to watch and keep on watching" - Remotegoat “Consistent in both quantity and quality” - Onomatopeia |
UNHEARD Festival
June 2013 & February 2015
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UNHEARD is a unique new writing festival exploring themes around sexual abuse and violence through performance, which grew from two performances at The Space in 2013 to a four day event featuring 12 performances at The Bread & Roses Theatre in 2015. I am the founder and producer of UNHEARD and have also directed several short plays at the festivals.
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"Needless to say, we think this is an important project as it opens up honest discussions about sexual abuse and violence, lets people tell their stories, and brings attention to a subject that is still rife with taboo."- SheraMag |
"It feels as though those involved have worked closely together, and the overall effect is powerful. (...) Unheard undoubtedly succeeds in igniting discussions that should be had about stories that shouldn’t be silenced." - A Younger Theatre |
FURTHER DIRECTING WORK ACROSS FRINGE THEATRE VENUES IN LONDON
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I have directed many more short and one-act plays as well as some rehearsed readings across further fringe theatre venues in London including Theatre 503, Tristan Bates Theatre, Old Red Lion Theatre, Cockpit Theatre, Hen & Chickens Theatre, White Bear Theatre, Greenwich Theatre and The Horse & Stables as well as the Brighton & Camden Fringe Festivals. I am also an associate director of Little Pieces of Gold.
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