Robert Coke-Woods
"The audience should not be allowed to hang up their brains with their coats in the cloakroom."
Bertold Brecht
This particular quotation is one that has for a long time been very close to my heart, throughout my theatrical education it has been something that I have constantly striven to maintain and to hold within all of my work. It is my belief that at no point should an actor or audience be allowed to remain passive whilst in the theatre, what would the point be. In my mind we all seek something original, we all seek to be entertained. If this is the case then surely theatre should be something other than that which we've all seen before a thousand times and will see again a further thousand. Instead, perhaps we could choose to see something gripping, something that has us on the edge of our seats, not only because of the new special effect or the fast slick action, although these are always factors but also because we truly and honestly don't know what's going to happen next. This is not to say however that there is no longer space for the classics, that we need to relegate Orton and Wilde to the past and never dare dredge them up again. Their importance is something that I have the utmost respect for, and something that I feel is vital to keep alive. Add to these a plethora of other and previous masters of the theatrical and presented before us is a repertoire to fulfill every and any whim. This aside, my focus, and indeed the focus of Strange Twig is and always will be on encouraging new talent within the performance industry, whether this be in the field of acting, writing, or directing The medium through which this is achieved is of equal importance, but more important is that we provide the opportunity as a company for this talent to showcase itself where it may not have the opportunity elsewhere. In addition to this we as a company constantly strive to provide a form of theatre that is intellectually stimulating for all parties, using modern ideas and writing to do this. At the same time we will attempt to revisit the works of older, wiser practitioners and add our own imprint to their writing, hopefully uncovering something that perhaps throws a new light on something that has become all too familiar. Strange-Twigs aim is to excite. But not just to excite an audience or a performer but also to excite the industry. I have been involved in performance of one sort or another for most of my memorable life. We all remember taking part in school assemblies and the love of that feeling, standing in front of a hall of my peers is something that has remained with me to this very day.
The performance industry is central to my personal ethic. The work that goes on behind the scenes as well as in front of the audience is to me of equal importance. As with many my love has always been to be in front of the curtain, for my part taking lead roles in plays such as John Webster's 'Duchess of Malfi,' or Samuel Becket's 'Waiting for Godot,' two particular roles for which I am especially grateful. No more fun could be had than by playing a madman or a metaphor. However, it is not only drama within the theatre that has captured my interest, having been schooled at Bretton Hall, a college of acting that not only produced 'The League of Gentlemen,' but even more notoriously 'The Rocky Horror Show' I have a great love of the bizzar and the slightly off-kilter. To a certain extent this is reflected in my personal work, alongside an inherent love of things musical, and indeed it is my love of musicals that has brought me to a number of turning points in my career, most notably my nomination for a NODA award in 2002. In addition to this I have developed a deep understanding and respect for the many other disciplines that go on in and around the world of theatre. This goes all the way from design to directing to my current role with Strange-Twig as producer. These are all factors that have become inherent to the ethos of Strange-Twig and factors that are also very important to me as a person. William Shakespeare taught us over four hundred years ago through Hamlet that all the world is a stage, but I beg to add to this phrase, that not only is this true, but that the stage can be the world. If you are an aspiring actor, writer, director or designer then please contact us through the contact page on the menu bar to the right. We are always searching for new or undiscovered talent and are constantly holding auditions. If you have a play or idea for a production that you would like to be considered then please send a brief synopsis for us to consider. If your heart is in directing or designing, no matter what your experience level then send an e-mail and let us know why you feel this would be a good opportunity for you. I look forward to hearing from you all and wish you all the best in all your endeavors.