About Us
OUR MISSION
To create opportunities for theatre-makers in Portsmouth to smash some glass ceilings.
Our upcoming production: AMY'S VIEW and the DEAD THEATRE SOCIETY PROJECT
We have a mission: create theatre that is focused on artistry, accessible, and celebrates the tradition of live theatre. David Hare's play, Amy's View, directly addresses the question: is theatre dead in our society and culture? It is our intention to use our production of Amy's View to prompt a dialogue about the nature of the live theatre experience and inspire others to not only value its place in modern times but participate in the creation of theatre with our Dead Theatre Society project. The project invites established creatives and emerging artists ages 14+ to work together to skill share and discover pathways into artistic careers. The project is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and Portsmouth Creates. Mary Rose Productions had been incredibly fortunate to have the support it has received from the Portsmouth Guildhall Trust who have offered space for us to rehearse our play and a venue for our public performances coming September of 2024 at the Portsmouth Guildhall LENS Studio theatre.
It is encouraging that both our playwright, Sir David Hare, and Dame Judi Dench (who premiered the role of Esme in Amy's View) have given us their expressed blessings.
Workshops and Education
We understand that the needs of every school, organisation, or drama club might be different and they might change year to year. Our bespoke workshops are designed to meet your needs. Below are some things we can offer workshops on. How long you book us for (it might be for a lesson or a day) and what we deliver are up to you! Below are some examples of topics we can run a workshop on.
-Shakespeare’s Globe: the great wooden O and how the stage suited the plays, how Shakespeare’s actors rehearsed and performed, what was Elizabethan theatre like?
- Life in the Theatre: We can come in and talk about life as an actor finding training, getting an agent, navigating the industry, and address the day-to-day of an actor and theatre-maker. This workshop, held largely as a Q and A, is designed to offer clarity into the life of an artist and provide insights for those who are either actors-in-training or contemplating a life in the arts.
- A Specific Shakespeare play: We can help students better understand Shakespeare and prepare for a GCSE or LAMDA exam. If you'd like our actors to bring Shakespeare into the classroom, after playing some educational theatre games, our actors might perform a scene and/or monologue from a Shakespeare play and break it down with the students so that the text is digestible and clear.
- Play writing: we have a partnership with The Crowbait Club UK, a Portsmouth-based organisation for actors and playwrights to develop their craft and share their passions.
Our Founders
Alex Taylor, Artistic Director
April Singley, Executive Director
Janet Rawson, Associate Director
Alex Taylor has worked extensively in the UK, USA and South East Asia as a director, an actor and as a voice specialist. From 1984-1990 he was the Director of the School of Theatre, Manchester Metropolitan University. He created one of the first honours degree courses for intending actors in Britain. Subsequently, he became one of the Mas
Alex Taylor has worked extensively in the UK, USA and South East Asia as a director, an actor and as a voice specialist. From 1984-1990 he was the Director of the School of Theatre, Manchester Metropolitan University. He created one of the first honours degree courses for intending actors in Britain. Subsequently, he became one of the Master Teachers at the Juilliard School, New York. In 1993 he joined the School of Drama at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. While in Hong Kong, Alex starred as Sweeney Todd in Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and as Albin in Jerry Herman’s La Cage Aux Folles at City Hall. He also directed productions for the Academy, the National Theatre uof Korea and led masterclasses in Acting and Voice at the Shanghai Theatre Academy and the University of Korea. He has worked for the Royal Shakespeare Company as a voice coach on a range of productions and directed productions of Once On This Island and Martin Sherman’s Bent, which won a Best Production award (Hong Kong Drama Federation). Alex was also Nominated in 2020, by the Hong Kong Drama Federation, as Best Director by the Hong Kong Drama Federation for his production of The Normal Heart.
Janet Rawson, Associate Director
April Singley, Executive Director
Janet Rawson, Associate Director
Jan Rawson has been a professional actor since 1975. TV highlights include playing Louise Clayton in Coronation Street for three months, Polly in Brookside for two years, Tracy in Daughters of Albion (Willy Russell’s first TV play) Fran in Whale Music (Anthony Minghella’s first TV play), Hilary Nutt in Residents written by Tony Basgallop.
Jan Rawson has been a professional actor since 1975. TV highlights include playing Louise Clayton in Coronation Street for three months, Polly in Brookside for two years, Tracy in Daughters of Albion (Willy Russell’s first TV play) Fran in Whale Music (Anthony Minghella’s first TV play), Hilary Nutt in Residents written by Tony Basgallop. She was also a Children’s Presenter on Let’s Pretend, for six years.
Her most enjoyable theatre performances have been playing Juliet in Romeo and Juliet for the Cheung Ying Theatre Company in Hong Kong, Janet in the Rocky Horror Show. Bernadette in Stags and Hens - Willy Russell, Jane in Absurd Person Singular - Alan Ayckbourn. She also loves all the cookie Good Fairies she has been allowed to play in pantomimes.
Jan is a published playwright: Gesang der Spinnen (English title: Mopsy, Flopsy and Death). And co-writer with Andrew Baguley, of a short story anthology, Angels with Bruises…..selling well on Amazon!!
In 1992, alongside Robbie Swales and Richard Wilkes, she was one of the three founders of Steps Drama Learning and Development. The company is now seen as the leader in experiential drama-based training across the globe with offices in the US, UK and India. Her present business, Twisted Events Presents, set up in 2009, uses drama to bring large corporate events to life.
April Singley, Executive Director
April Singley, Executive Director
April Singley, Executive Director
A New England native, April Singley trained at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, obtaining her MFA in Acting after more than a decade of film and theatre work, and many many Shakespeare productions. Previous theatrical roles range from the titular role of Hamlet, Juliet, Charlotte Bronte, Beatrice, Prospero, Miss Julie, Romeo, Honey in
A New England native, April Singley trained at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, obtaining her MFA in Acting after more than a decade of film and theatre work, and many many Shakespeare productions. Previous theatrical roles range from the titular role of Hamlet, Juliet, Charlotte Bronte, Beatrice, Prospero, Miss Julie, Romeo, Honey in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and Tess in Tess of the D’Urbervilles to name a few. April’s film credits include award-winning BBC short The Body With No Face, Lady Macbeth in Armes Movie Factory’s Macbeth, The Water in the Bay, Anima Sola, and Valholl and Here. After. with Dark Tower Films directed by Christian Masters. April is also a founding member of the Crowbait Club US and Crowbait Club UK, an organisation for playwrights and actors to develop their craft with a sense of play.