Off Book - a podcast by the Young Vic

This month, Dan de la Motte was joined in the old YV stationary cupboard by stage icon, Jenna Russell. We hear how Sylvia Young was integral to giving teenage Jenna a start in theatre and a way out of 'normal' schooling, as well as talking about her successes later in life in productions such as Grey Gardens, Into The Woods and of course, Sam Gold's production of Fun Home at the Young Vic.

Debbie Hannan, Genesis Future Director Award Winner and recent director of Naomi Wallace's Things of Dry Hours joined us for a chat this month. We discuss what initially got her interested in theatre whilst "being an incredibly bossy child with large imagination" and the early influences of the Fringe Festival, as well as her journey from the suburbs of Edinburgh to the Young Vic Stage via the Roy...

Guest host, comedian and podcaster Sofie Hagen is joined by Alison Bechdel, the cartoonist who wrote the graphic novel Fun Home for a special Off Book episode. Alison and Sofie discuss Alison's the graphic novel, the autobiographical coming of age and coming out story that delves into her childhood memories and her relationship with her father. They also talk about the musical's role for queer aud...

The Brothers Size writer and Oscar winner Tarell Alvin McCraney joined us in Feb 2018 during the revival of the Young Vic's production of his play, The Brothers Size, directed by Bijan Sheibani. Tarell discusses his Brother/Sister trilogy of plays and how he came to write these incredibly powerful shows after originally starting out as an actor and later collaborating with Peter Brook and David La...

Having worked back to back on The Jungle and The Inheritance at the Young Vic, Justin Martin, long-time collaborator with Stephen Daldry, spoke to us about his "14 year conversation" with the Oscar nominated director and his career to date making "theatre that's necessary" and getting his work "off the arts pages...and finding yourself part of the national conversation". An Australian native, Just...

Writer of The Inheritance, Matthew Lopez joins us to discuss his hilarious and profound heart-breaking play in two parts, directed by Stephen Daldry. Matthew discusses everything from his upbringing in the Florida panhandle and seeing Peter Pan on broadway to his aunt's Tony award and writing about a community and safe spaces in The Whipping Man. We also deep dive into the issues from The Inherita...

“We should be thinking about the totality of people’s experience” The Young Vic’s Artistic Director, David Lan spoke to us about well, everything. And in a beautiful twist of fate we happened to chat on the 18th anniversary of him starting the role. We cover his politicised upbringing growing up in Cape Town as a second generation Eastern European migrant, his first forays into theatre and the art...

Olivier Award-winner Juliet Stevenson joins us this week following her recent production of Wings at the Young Vic. Juliet discusses her recent performances in Wings, Happy Days and Hamlet, the limitations still faced by women in theatre, and her activism and response to the refugee crisis.

Nancy Medina, Genesis Future Director Award winner and director of Yellowman joins us this week. Nancy discusses directing Dael Orlandersmith's Pulitzer nominated play and their conversations ahead of it coming to the Young Vic, how growing up in Brooklyn influenced Nancy's work and what being a director of colour is like in 2017. We'd also recommend you stick around 'til the very end to catch a l...

Natalie Abrahami got her theatre break as the Royal Court Graduate Trainee, before winning the JMK Award at Battersea Arts Centre in 2005. A spell at the Gate theatre followed, and then associate director at the Young Vic. Natalie spoke to us about these experiences, the difference between directing for stage and screen, embedding sustainability into theatre making, as well as her friendship with...

"The goal is to get to the age of 80 and not be bruised by the experience" JMK Award Winner 2017, former Fat Git and My Name is Rachel Corrie director Josh Roche chatted to us about his first forays into theatre from Tunbridge Wells and Warwick and beyond. Josh also discussed his optimism about millennials, why it's so important to be persistent as a director as well as the importance of political...

Theatre maker and Dramaturg Zoë Svendsen joined us earlier in 2017 to discuss the important role dramaturgy plays in theatre and how she discovered dramaturgy was part of what she wanted to do. Zoë discusses the Berlin theatre scene and recent productions at the YV with Joe Hill-Gibbins; Measure for Measure and A Midsummer Night's Dream. We also hear about the development of Shakespearonomics with...

Performer and Artistic Director of Riksteatern in Sweden, Josette Bushell-Mingo OBE joins us to discuss her journey from London's East End to Stockholm. We talk about how whether the arts is in a better and more diverse place than when Josette launched PUSH festival in 2000 which promoted black theatre, how Nina Simone became her "GPS" and how important the education and delivery of her production...

Taio Lawson's relationship with the Young Vic started when he visited as a school kid and watched someone fry an egg on stage in The Three Musketeers. Nearly 17 years later he's worked on Matthew Xia's production of Sizwe Banzi is Dead and is currently the Jerwood Assistant Director to Joe Wright on his production of Bertolt Brecht's Life of Galileo. From his first theatre company, Metal Mouth to...

British film and theatre director Joe Wright came in this month to discuss his return to the Young Vic with Brecht's Life of Galileo following his 2013 production of Season in the Congo. We discuss Joe's early life spent working at the family's Little Angel Theatre and how that's shaped both his film and theatre work to date, as well as how he accidentally fell into directing period dramas after p...

Journalist Paul Mason pops in to the Young Vic to talk about his play about revolution and the networked generation, Why It's All Kicking Off Everywhere, based on his acclaimed book. We discuss how his upbringing in Greater Manchester, Northern Soul and a degree in music and politics influenced has his career. We also chat about his multidisciplinary work life, previously a journalist at the BBC a...

Genesis Future Directors Award winner, Lucy J Skilbeck talks to us about their journey from the first cabaret show they enjoyed as a child in Yorkshire, up to 2017's production of The Bear The Proposal at the Young Vic. Lucy also discusses the work of their Derbyshire based theatre company Milk Presents, its celebrated production of JOAN and how the gender fierce company of "mischievous collaborat...

Peter Brook's Battlefield visited the Young Vic in February 2016 before continuing its world tour. We spoke to Belgian actress, choreographer, director and saxophonist Carole Karemera. We discussed how the arts are being used in Rwanda as a healing tool within communities, her role in creating Kigali's cultural hub Ishyo Arts Centre in 2007 and how different audiences in different countries have r...

Artistic Director of Corn Exchange and A Girl is a Half-formed Thing director, Annie Ryan joined us in March 2016 to discuss the incredibly powerful production of Eimear McBride's unflinching book. Annie also discusses how she ended up directing via acting courses at NYU and Trinity College, Dublin as well as how working in commedia has influenced the work she continues to produce.

We caught up with Genesis Future Directors Award winner 2016, Bryony Shanahan whilst she was at the YV with debbie tucker green's trade. Bryony talks about what it means to be an 'emerging director', training at National Theatre Studio Directors Course and East 15 as well as her love of Stoke City(FC) and her role as co-artistic director of award-winning theatre company, Snuffbox.

Ramin Gray, Artistic Director of ATC (Actors Touring Company) and director of upcoming YV production Living With the Lights On joins us in the booth to discuss his career as a director. Ramin chats about how his multi-city upbringing may have influenced the work he creates, working in Liverpool as an emerging director as well as discussing how good UK theatre is at being inclusive, for both audien...

Director of the upcoming A Midsummer Night's Dream and 2015's Measure for Measure at the Young Vic, Joe Hill-Gibbins came in for a chat at the YV about his career to date. From interviewing Rufus Norris for his dissertation, to running shows on day 3 of rehearsals and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith apparently roaming the streets with a broad sword as part of an improvisation gone awry. We also discuss Meas...

Isango Ensemble's Musical Directors, Pauline Malefane and Mandisi Dyantyis joined us in the studio to talk about A Man of Good Hope and how the 'extraordinary magic piece of theatre' came to be. Pauline and Mandisi also discuss how they first became interested in music, when they joined Isango and how Asad's story is not unique to Asad, but is every refugee's story.

JMK 2016 Award winner and The Mountaintop director Roy Alexander Weise joined us to talk about how he went from wanting to be a celebrity chef to becoming a celebrated director of Katori Hall's Olivier award-winner. Roy also discusses how he cut his teeth at Oval House, Rose Bruford and the Royal Court as well as the timeliness of sharing The Mountaintop with audiences in 2016.

Walter Meierjohann, Artistic Director of HOME in Manchester and director of The Emperor, joined us for this episode of Off Book. We discussed Walter's formative years as "Eurotrash", born in Amsterdam and growing up in Holland, America and Germany, as well as some of his biggest artistic influences. Walter also talks us through his career, training as an actor and later as a director followed by h...