I took part in a workshop with Tim Hoare, the Assistant/ Staff Director of the National Theatre’s 2014 production of ‘King Lear’ starring Simon Russell Beale, directed by legendary Sam Mendes.

In the workshop we explored how Sam, Tim and the principle cast began approaching the text, picking out questions about plot or the character’s pasts that are not answered by Shakespeare, and investigating how creative decisions were made. We also gained an insight into how Sam Mendes works as a Director, his approaches to theatre practise and how he began rehearsals for King Lear, utilising directorial clues that Shakespeare leaves in the text to show how the lines should be spoken.

After Tim revealed to us how Sam Mendes works as a director, this inspired me to adopt many of his methods into my own direction. The phrase Mendes swears by is that:

'There is no right and no wrong. Only interesting, and less interesting.'

I therefore use this phrase as the crux of many of my directorial, devising and production methods.

The workshop gave me valuable skills in interpreting classical texts and approaching directing in new, interesting and innovative ways, as well as in- depth knowledge of the way 'King Lear' was produced. A friend of mine also acted in the show as one of the Guards, and so I was shown around backstage and was able to look at the set of 'King Lear,' giving me a huge understanding of the workings of the Olivier Stage at the National Theatre.