As Director
director Poppy Franziska
lighting Natalia Ponomarova
translation John Farndon
produced by ProEnglish Theatre of Ukraine
cast Kateryna Hordiienko
photography by Daniil Prymachov & Dario Grasso
Herz was conceived as a part of the Ukraine War Text IV stage readings in 2023 at ProEnglish Theatre of Ukraine in Kyiv. This played to an audience of 30 in an underground bunker and was live streamed to an international audience. The text is taken from a blog post written by Ukranian soldier Yurii Hudymenko, and introduces us to the concept of Herz, an ancient Ukrainian war dance created to undermine and distract the enemy. The performance is dedicated to celebrating Ukranian culture and strives for solidarity while challenging the binary between pacifism and indifference.
It was selected for Teatri Riflessi’s Short Play Award at Teatri Riflessi festival in August 2023.
It has since performed at Codex Festival and revived by ProEnglish Theatre of Ukraine.
Donizetti
conductor Ricardo Frizza
director Stephen Langridge
set and costume Katie Davenport
lighting Peter Mumford
puppetry director Poppy Franziska
puppet design Katie Davenport
puppet maker Mikayla R. Teodoro
puppeteers Noemi Giannico, Matteo Moglianesi
cast Jessica Pratt, John Osborn, Raffaella Lupinacci, Simone Piazzola, David Astorga
photography by Peter Mumford & Gianfranco Rota
★★★★“Wearing that same gown is the figure of death- a skeleton, operated by two puppeteers- who haunts and taunts Elizabetta, dancing with a younger double of Roberto, even riding him on a giant red bed as the death warrant is signed. Has Tudor history ever been so gloriously gothic” - Mark Pullinger, BACHTRACK
“Death reigned there, and so it arrived in the production in the shape of a skeleton copy of the Queen, masterly operated by two puppeteers. She dances, she mours, she even rides the young Roberto. And we are all enchanted by her, unable to stop watching.” - Polina Lyapustina, OPERAWIRE
As Associate Director
Carl Grose
director Melly Still
associate director Poppy Franziska
composer Jenny Moore
musical director Joley Cragg
movement director Mike Ashcroft
set Chiara Stephenson
costume Samuel Wyer
lighting Zoe Spurr
cast Charlie Beaumont, Nandi Bhebhe, Amena El-Kindy, Stephanie Fayerman, Dave Fishley, Samuel Gosrani, TJ Holmes, Paul Hunter, Katherine Manners, Shaun Yusuf McKee, Taya Ming, Marta Miranda, Alex Mugnaioni, Simon Oskarsson, Ellen Robertson, Dumile Sibanda, Ira Mandela Siobhan, Elexi Walker
photography by Pamela Raith
★★★★
“The entire thing froths over with a great sense of fun and heaps of imagination. This is how to rewrite a legend: a must see this summer.” - GUARDIAN
★★★★
“Rumbustious, ambitious and enjoyable entertainment.” - The i
As Assistant Director
director Alice Wordsworth
assistant director Poppy Franziska
composer Jack Baxter
producer Emma Hall
produced in partnership with the National Theatre
cast Esh Alladi, Isla Blair, Priyanga Burford, Pearl Chanda, Omari Douglas, Mel Giedroyc, Julian Glover, Richard Pepper, Tom Victor
photography by Pamela Raith
To commemorate VE Day 80 and reflect on eighty years since the end of the Second World War in Europe, we created a multimedia performance in IWM North’s unique Main Exhibition Space. To explore our understanding of the war today, we selected personal letters from those who lived through the war and devised a promenade performance through various rooms in the exhibition space.
As the audience moved through the space, actors shared first-hand accounts from letters sent during the war. These extraordinary stories of courage, loss, and survival offered a rare and intimate glimpse into the past. The renowned poet Tony Walsh performed his poem Mightier Than War, which explored the dignity of the human spirit in conflict.
Mozart
conductor Finnegan Downie Dear
director & designer Melly Still
assistant director Poppy Franziska
lighting Azusa Ono
sound designer Jon Nicholls
wig designer Craig Forrest-Thomas
associate designer Liv Walters
assistant conductor Alec Frank-Gemmill
costume supervisor Stephanie Greenslade
language Coach Gerhard Gall
répétiteur André Bertoncini
choreography Archie White, Thea Kallhe, Saskia Faye, Poppy Franziska, Melly Still
produced by Smart Entertainment for Nevill Holt Festival
cast Martins Smaukstelis, Isabelle Peters, Aina Miyagi Magnell, Angharad Lyddon, Jonathan Eyers, Nazan Fikret, Simon Sumal, Olivia Warburton, Malachy Frame, Allen Michael Jones, Magnus Walker, Jasmine Flicker, Archie White, Saskia Faye Larcombe, Thea Kallhed Möller, Zeenat Anifowoshe, Edith Bhamra, Freddie Lusted, Natalia Markowska, Archie Ross, Sofia Picker
photography by Manuel Harlan
★★★★
“A Magic Flute with energy and a fizzing score, wacky, colourful costumes, characterful and quirky dancers” The Times
★★★★
“Melly Still’s staging of Mozart’s masterpiece at beautiful Nevill Holt is bristling with ideas… staged with flair” Daily Telegraph
★★★★
“Nevill Holt’s remarkably innovative Magic Flute was a triumph, setting a high standard for this year’s quite remarkable Festival… a highlight of the season” Seen and Heard International Magazine
Max Barton & Melly Still
director Melly Still
assistant director Poppy Franziska
designer E.M. Parry
lighting Malcolm Rippeth
live music by Second Body
sound design Jethro Cooke
costume Supervisor Chantal Short
W H A M Lauren Judd
production manager Vivienne Clavering
company stage manager Ella Corcoran
assistant stage manager Alastair Day
lead image Manuel Vason
AV & sound supervisor Ross Light
filmmaker Hugo Glendinning
presented in collaboration with Fuel
co-commissioned by Fuel, The Albany and We Are Lewisham.
cast Maisie Yohanna Ephrem, Ryan Gerald, Tamaira Hesson, Katherine Manners, Lauren Moakes, Alex Mugnaioni, Al Nedjari, Christopher Saul
photography by Helen Murray
★★★★
“Exquistely staged, ambitious and inquisitive” The Guardian