Sarah Calver

I am a British theatre-maker; director, writer and dramaturg and actor.

The majority of my work has been in the collaborative and devised realm and working across disciplines to create original work that is visually, physically and emotionally stimulating. I am interested in making and developing contemporary performance that is personal, political and experimental - pushing the boundaries and possibilities of theatre and film. I want to explore the unseen, the unwritten bits, the lesser explored perspectives, challenging expectations and the status quo.

I am interested in merging text with physical and visual theatricality and working with the poetic, the mundane and the epic and in reworking the performance space and theatrical form to explore engaging with the audiences in a new ways.

Having lived abroad until recently I am interested in continuing to collaborate with artists from different cultures and backgrounds and to develop work that is relevant and engaging for international audiences.

Credits

DIRECTOR, Finding Melania, Denise Stephenson (current, in development, premiere Spring 2020)
DRAMATURG/ OUTSIDE EYE, Endurance, Jenni Jackson (current, in development (supported by The Lowry, Dare Fest))
DIRECTOR/ WRITER, #Tamed, Flight (current, in development, premiere late 2020)
Co-DIRECTOR/ DRAMATURG, No Way Out, Flight, CPT & Balhaus Ost, 1 month, 2017 & 2018
DIRECTOR, Circus WTF, Flight, The Garage, RoundHouse, Jacksons Lane, 1 month (2016 & 2017)
WRITER/ PERFORMER, I Gave Him An Orchid, Flight, Summerhall, Kana Arts, Sophiensaele, international tour), 2014 - 2016
DIRECTOR/ WRITER, Piswer, Flight, reading, Pulse Festival, 2015
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, Out of Focus, Matt Wilde, National Theatre 2013

From 2008 - present I have work as a ACTOR, predominantly in devised and collaborative processes. Currently I am working with L’Ouvrier du Drame, on Une Histoire Populaire de la Etas Unis - stage adaptation based on book by Howard Zinn (Phénix Valenciennes/ Dieppe Scène Nationale/ La Comédie de Béthune). Previous credits include: Queens - co-production between La Volada, Flight and directed by Gozde Atalay Kokkoris, Tangled Feet, productions include: Need a Little Help (UK tour), The Crossing (Watford) All that is Solid melts into Air (GIDF & National Theatre), The Band Ajax Project (Theatre Delicatessen), Curious Directive Your last Breath (Cel Stage Seoul/ Southwark Playhouse), Nigel & Louise What Men Do (New Wolsey), When We Were Islands ABCDEF (Ballhaus Ost Berlin), Fevered Sleep Little Universe (UK tour), Offstage Theatre Drawing Play (The Yard,) Amphibians (Bridewell Theatre), FanShen Moshing Lying Down and Elvita Project (Shunt, UK tour, current), Blind Summit The Table (Devised and performed in Fringe 1st Winner, UK & international tour), Moving Dust Sometimes there’s Light (UK tour), The National Theatre War Horse (West End), Made in China Get Stuff Break Free (The National Theatre), Old Vic New Voices (24 hour plays, selected for artist exchange with Public Theatre NYC), Action Transport Theatre Twelve Miles from Nowhere, Gameshow A Mid Summers Night Dream (Catford Theatre), Tall Stories The Snow Dragon (UK tour), Southwark Playhouse Orestes Revisited.
Radio and voice over: Voice over artist since 2008. Represented by Brilliant Voice. Recent clients include: Celine Berger Ballade, Transfers (Art films, English V/O), Henrike Roth & Emes Research Network European Third Sector Impact, ScreenSpeak Triplandia, BBC Carleton Hobbs Award, NowPressPlay (educational) and Dafna Maimon Human Comma Being (feature film).
Film and television: Holy Flying Circus Talkback Thames White Satin Clean Lines OVNV Susan LFS Human Comma Being Dafna Maimon (Lead character: Voice).

Residencies and development: Odin Theatre, Dartington, L’Estruch, Scene Nationale de Dieppe, Scene Nationale de Bethune, Phenix Theatre Valencienne, Nomadways, 101, The Roundhouse London, Cambridge Junction, Jacksons Lane, The Cut and The National Theatre Studio.

I have also taught and led workshops at various companies, drama schools and youth theatres including; Central, Italia Conti, Tatwerk, The Cut, DanceEast and The Garage.

Training

Jacques Lecoq 2004 - 2005
BA Acting - specialising in Collaborative and Devised Theatre 2005 - 2008

Further training and development with; Gaulier, Gecko, Clod Ensemble, Complicite, Fabulous Beast, The Wooster Group, Yuko Kasaki, Fran Barbe, Shared Experience, Blind Summit, Need Company.