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The
Royal Exchange Theatre is delighted to announce the appointment
of Roy Alexander Weise and Bryony Shanahan as their new
joint Artistic Directors. Bryony and Roy will join Executive
Director Stephen Freeman to complete the leadership team for
this award-winning theatre. Together they will assume the role of Chief
Executive.
Roy
Alexander Weise has made waves in the theatre industry across the UK,
from winning the prestigious James Menzies-Kitchin Award to directing
smash-hits for the National Theatre, the Young Vic and in the West End.
He is currently Associate Artist at the Donmar Warehouse. Bryony moves
into the Artistic Directorship from her current role as the Exchange’s
Associate Artistic Director which has seen her direct work across all
of their stages and become a dynamic artistic leader within the
organisation. She also has a vibrant freelance career, including
winning the 2016 Genesis Future Directors Award at The Young Vic and
directing work nationally and internationally. They take up their joint
Artistic Directorship in November 2019.
Executive
Director Steve Freeman said;
Both
Bryony and Roy are extraordinary talents who together presented an
original and exciting vision for the future of our theatre. They are
innovative creative thinkers and inspiring theatre makers with a drive
to deliver theatre with the broadest possible reach. As joint Artistic
Directors they bring a fresh and invigorating approach to shaping the
future of regional theatre, together with the wider team at the Royal
Exchange they will reimagine what it means for a producing building to
place artists and audiences firmly at the heart of everything we
do. I cannot wait to start working with them.
Bryony
is an award-winning director and theatre maker and her work for the
Exchange includes QUEENS OF THE COAL AGE, a brand-new version of
WUTHERING HEIGHTS for 2020 and NOTHING, winner of a Manchester Theatre
Award. As a freelance director, hit productions have included trade
(Young Vic), CHICKEN SOUP (Sheffield Crucible), BITCH BOXER
(UK/International) and OPERATION CRUCIBLE (Sheffield Crucible &
59e59 NYC). She has worked at venues such as The National Theatre, New
Vic, Bristol Old Vic, Theatre Royal Plymouth, SoHo Theatre and in the
West End. Her latest show ENOUGH will premiere at The Traverse Theatre
in August. Roy joins the Royal Exchange following his hugely successful
productions NINE NIGHT (National Theatre & West End), THE
MOUNTAINTOP (Young Vic & UK Tour) and BR'ER COTTON (Theatre 503).
As a freelance director he has worked at venues including The Royal
Court, the Bush, Fuel Theatre, Nuffield Southampton, Bristol Tobacco
Factory, Birmingham REP and the Arcola. Alongside the Donmar he is also
Associate Artist at Harts Theatre company and Young & Talented
School of Stage & Screen. His forthcoming productions include
MASTER HAROLD AND THE BOYS at the National Theatre, SUCKER PUNCH at
Theatre Royal Stratford East and SOPHOCLES' ANTIGONE: THE BURIAL AT
THEBES at the Lyric Hammersmith.
Roy
and Bryony said of their joint appointment…
We
are excited, in so many ways – to be working with each other and with
Steve, to become part of the Exchange’s evolution, and to make work
with and for the people of Manchester. The Exchange is an extraordinary
theatre, and under Sarah Frankcom’s leadership it’s been transformed.
She has reimagined the relationship that artists and audiences have
with this theatre, championed their voices and celebrated the democracy
that the Exchange’s unique space allows. We are really looking forward
to building on that dynamic, using it to shape the new work we make and
to inform our relationships with communities across Greater Manchester
going forwards.
Bryony
continued;
Having
direct and long-lasting relationships with audiences and artists, for
me, is at the core of what we want to do as Artistic Directors. Every
project we programme and every artist we commission has to be about
having a wider aim, creating a bigger story and building an inspiring
legacy. Sharing our stories is so important, especially today, it’s a
way for us to challenge, provoke and discuss and an important opportunity
to bring communities together. These ideas feel fundamental to me and
Roy and will help to shape our work in the future.
Roy
added…
It’s
so important to ask if our work reflects and represents the audiences
we want to encourage into the building. Leading this extraordinary
theatre with Bryony is hugely significant, changing the way leadership
looks and behaves means that our theatres really can be for anyone.
What our country needs so badly is a reignited and reinvigorated sense
of community; we want our audiences to be the start of that. They are
my ultimate boss. As Artistic Directors we want to give back the
opportunities we had so that everyone has access to amazing stories and
extraordinary life-defining theatre experiences.
Roy
and Bryony will take over the leadership of the Royal Exchange Theatre
from Sarah Frankcom from the 1 November 2019.
Sarah
Frankcom said of the new appointment;
My
tenure has been about championing next generation artists so I’m
absolutely thrilled that Roy and Bryony will now shape and lead the
Royal Exchange. They are exceptional artists who make visceral and
transformative theatre. I know them both to be the most passionate of
collaborators and truly authentic and inspiring leaders. This is a
brilliant appointment not only for the future of the Royal Exchange but
for the future of theatre in Manchester and beyond.
Neil
Darlison, Director, Theatre at Arts Council England comments…
This
is an exciting new joint-appointment at the Royal Exchange; both Roy
and Bryony are hugely talented artists and, with Stephen Freeman, will
make a formidable leadership team to take the Royal Exchange into the
next decade. I am very much looking forward to the next chapter at the
Theatre.
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