Joanna Reid, Executive Director of Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre, tells us who has inspired her most.
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Ensembles
I have to start with ensembles because it’s due to some particularly powerful ensemble work that I decided I had to work in theatre. I had the good fortune of growing up in London in a family with a great interest in culture, and the financial means to experience a lot of it. I went to the theatre frequently and benefited from seeing the great RSC ensembles in the 70s and 80s. It was during Nicholas Nickleby that I had my damascene moment and then the National Theatre’s Mysteries Cycle by Tony Harrison cemented the intention: I became passionate about being part of the theatrical world. More recently, as luck and opportunity would have it, I worked with Hamish Glen to create Scotland’s permanent ensemble Company at Dundee Rep Theatre so I experienced first-hand the intensity of making theatre this way. We also housed Scotland’s principal contemporary dance company, Scottish Dance Theatre – also an ensemble. At times it felt like being in a space ship, everyone in the building working together on these projects making excellent theatre and dance, with little distraction from outside. Perhaps a bit of geographical isolation is needed to help create the necessary crucible. Perhaps this sense of team work and clear focus on the same goal is always felt by the actors and creative team behind a production, but the joy for us behind the scenes was to feel part of that very same team.
This year marks Joanna Reid’s tenth year as Executive Director of Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre.
