Joe Harmston
Theatre Director. Writer. Consultant.
Theatre
Images from productions in the UK and abroad
Podcasts
Talks on theatre, directing, and the arts.
Further files can be found on soundcloud LINK HERE
Introduction
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After thirty years of directing plays around the world, I am putting some thoughts about the craft of directing plays into a series of Podcasts. This is number one.....
1. Read the play
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What's the first thing a director should do when preparing a production?
2. Know where you are going
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Why do you need to have read the play?
3. Cooking, love, theatre and Harold Pinter
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Why are you doing this at all? The Big Why?
5. Why research matters
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What is the purpose of research? What are you looking for and the dangers of cat videos.
'Pussycat' - the delicate art of giving notes.
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How to talk the language of your actors.
Writing
Feature article for Man London Magazine
'Lines in the sand' Politics/Saudi Arabia
The British establishment has long enjoyed a special relationship with Saudi Arabia's ruling Al Saud family, but what do the Windsors offer Riyadh and should the UK conduct business with a country of notorious brutality?
Bollocks to the pause
working with Harold Pinter
My first experience of directing Pinter's work was at university twenty-five years ago, when I was given The Lover to direct as an exercise. I was daunted by the prospect because of the vast mythology surrounding his work. How long is a pause? What does dot, dot, dot mean? How do I make it menacing and ambiguous and like snatches of conversation overheard on the bus? Should it be funny?
Charity Consultant and Event fundraising
“The positioning of Kalisher in the foreground of informed debate on justice, societal values, and how important it is that the Rule of Law should prevail is an achievement of which Joe Harmston should be proud. His long-sighted vision has elevated the annual staged reading at Middle Temple to an exercise in critical thinking when the world most needs it. We owe him a great deal.”
The Rt Hon Lady Justice Rafferty, High Court of Appeal, Chancellor of Sheffield University, Founding Kalisher Trustee.
Since the late 1990s, I have been organising large-scale events as fund and consciousness-raising for major charities. These have mostly been one-off West End theatrical events including large, celebrity casts but in more recent years I have become more intimately involved in the strategic vision of one charity, The Kalisher Trust.
For Gala events I am able to provide a complete service from envisioning, creating material and assembling high-profile casts, through to staffing, marketing, scheduling and detailed management and delivery on the day. The most complex event I created involved a cast of over 100 (from Hugh Grant to Madness and the Bishop of London) in front of HRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall. It meant liaising with Royal security, the Metropolitan Police, TFL and Air Traffic Control and leading a team off stage of over 150 security, stage management, catering and hospitality staff. The event raised over £120,000 in one evening.
For The Kalisher Trust I have worked not only to develop the impact of their yearly theatre events but also to position their identity as a significant player in the debates about Criminal Justice by evolving their brand communication and media profile.
Events I have organised:
The Kalisher Trust. 2012-2019
Hollywood Legend Cate Blanchett leads in world premiere of Land of the Free by Diane Samuels
The Kalisher Trust, world-premiere play reading events in Middle Temple Hall with casts led by Cate Blanchett, Stanley Tucci, Hugh Dennis, Martin Shaw, Edward Fox, Simon Callow, Jessica Raine, Felicity Kendall, Maxine Peake, Ray Fearon and Jason Watkins.
ST WILFRID’S BIRTHDAY GALA. 2007
Chichester Festival Theatre
with a cast including Patricia Routledge, Christopher Timothy, James Bolam, Geraldine James, Teatro, Jonathan Ansell, Dean Gaffney and Paul McGann.
THE JOHN BETJEMAN VARIETY SHOW. 2006
Royal gala performance in presence of TRHs Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.
Hosted by Barry Humphries and including Jools Holland, Joanna Lumley, Hugh Grant, Griff Rhys Jones and cast of other stars numbering 85.
BY CHRISTOPHER! 2005
Chichester Festival Theatre
Gala to recall the life and work of Christopher Fry. Cast including Dame Judi Dench and Sir Donald Sinden.
ONE KNIGHT ONLY, TSUNAMI GALA 2005
HAYMARKET THEATRE
Charity gala. Cast including: Dames Judi Dench, Eileen Atkins, Joan Plowright, Helen Mirren, Diana Rigg and Sir Anthony Sher, Kevin Spacey and Joan Collins among others.
JUDI DENCH & FRIENDS. 2004
THE ROSE THEATRE KINGSTON
A gala evening to launch Sir Peter Hall’s new theatre. Cast including; Judi Dench, Charles Dance, Harold Pinter, Tim Pigott Smith, Martin Jarvis
THE WORD BITES LIKE A FISH . 2004
Royal Festival Hall
An evening of Stephen Spender poetry with Harold Pinter, Seamus Heaney, Tony Harrison and Vanessa Redgrave.
SIR JOHN GIELGUD CENTENARY GALA . 2004
Gielgud Theatre for RSC
With Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Alan Bennett, Peter Hall, Paul Scofield, Ian Richardson, Martin Jarvis, David Hare, Ned Sherrin
A GRAND KNIGHT OUT. 1997
Theatre Royal Bath to open the Studio
An evening with Sir Peter Ustinov, Alan Bates, and fifty others.
