Private School News

Legendary theatre director works with Stonyhurst pupils

STONYHURST pupils currently taking AS and A2 theatre studies, have received some expert coaching from a top theatre director, Max Stafford-Clark.

Following a very enjoyable visit to the Library Theatre in Manchester to see his touring production of ‘The Convict’s Opera’, Stafford-Clark led an afternoon workshop for the pupils at the College.

Max Stafford-Clark is a major contributor to British theatre. His artistic direction of the Traverse and Royal Court Theatres (he was the longest serving artistic director of the Royal Court), and of the Joint Stock and Out of Joint theatre companies has enabled him to make a major contribution to modern British theatre, particularly in the area of new writing. He has also directed plays for the Royal Shakespeare Company and at the National Theatre.

He has been called ‘the most distinguished director of new work that the British theatre still has.’

Pupils enjoyed the workshop where they learnt a wide range of performance techniques, held in the college’s own theatre, the Academy Room.

Johanna Egar, Head of Theatre Studies at Stonyhurst, said: ‘We are enormously grateful to Max Stafford-Clark and his assistant, Stella Feehily, for spending time with us. It was a tremendous opportunity for the students to work with such a distinguished theatre director, who gave very generously of both his time and advice.’

Max Stafford-Clark’s Out of Joint theatre company performs The Convict’s Opera at Library Theatre until February 7th before continuing on tour to Oxford, Southampton, Leeds, Coventry, Liverpool and Kingston.

CAPTION: Max Stafford-Clark (with walking stick) teaching Stonyhurst pupils.