04 Apr A Sense of Direction – Rachel Kavanaugh

Rachel Kavanaugh has spent three decades staging shows. She started her career as an assistant director in the early 1990s after studying at Manchester University, then went on to work extensively as a director at the Royal Shakespeare Company, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, and Chichester Festival Theatre. From 2006 to 2011, she was artistic director of Birmingham Rep, the venue’s first female leader. Recently, she has staged acclaimed productions of Half A Sixpence in Chichester and A Christmas Carol in Stratford.

How did you become a director?

My mum was an actor. I loved the theatre as a child and I thought I wanted to be an actor, too. When I left school, I was very lucky to go and work as a runner for David Parfitt and Kenneth Branagh’s Renaissance Theatre Company on a season of plays at Birmingham Rep. I was making sandwiches and learning a lot.

When I left university, I sent hundreds of letters to artistic directors around the country. Ten responded. I met with five. Two offered me jobs. One was at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and the other was at the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond. I had to cobble together funding for them but eventually went on to direct shows at both venues. The first thing I directed was a lunchtime play at the Orange Tree called Who Was Hilary Maconochie? by James Saunders.

Who or what was the biggest help along the way?

Ian Talbot at Regent’s Park. He liked me and helped me apply for funding to work there. Then he employed me again to direct children’s shows. Then, a little bit later in my career, he was the first person to offer me a large-scale show, which was A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 1997. He took a real leap of faith in me and it paid off. Everything changed for me after that.

What work are you most proud of?

There are lots for different reasons. All the Shakespeares and musicals I’ve done at Regent’s Park have been incredibly happy experiences. There is something amazing about that space. When you’ve got the right work and the company and the right weather then you can achieve perfection, a kind of magical alchemy that is very exciting. More recently, I was incredibly proud of the third iteration of A Christmas Carol at the RSC in 2022. That was because of the company. It was the most truly diverse and wonderful group of people I’ve ever worked with.

What work are you least proud of?

There are shows I’ve learned a lot from, definitely. I’m lucky enough to be able to choose what I do these days, and I’ve learned to trust my instinctive reaction to an idea. Having a connection to an idea is a better reason to do a job than thinking it might make you a lot of money.

Who or what is your biggest theatrical influence?

When I was very young, it was the RSC’s Nicholas Nickleby and a production of The Winter’s Tale I saw at the Lyric Hammersmith directed by Annabel Arden of Complicite. I could not believe Shakespeare could be done like that. More recently, I’ve found some big musicals inspiring. I really loved Standing At The Sky’s Edge, An American In Paris, and The King and I.

Is there a show that you really want to stage?

I always say that the thing I’m most excited about is the thing I’ve just been asked to do. There’s nothing I’m particularly burning to do.

What is your financial situation?

It’s varied. Sometimes it feels okay, when I’ve got lots of shows coming and it looks like the year is going to be good. Things never work out how you expect them to, though. Some jobs go better than you think they will and some are disasters. The pandemic was catastrophic, too. I didn’t do anything for over a year. I’m an optimistic person. I always think it will somehow be alright.

What do you enjoy most about directing?

I like working with people I like. I like telling stories that make people laugh and cry.

What are your frustrations with directing?

Sometimes the circumstances in which you make work are not ideal but that is outside your control and you just have to adapt to them. If a piece of casting doesn’t work out, or a producer wants you to do something differently, you have to accept that and do the best you can anyway.

What fills you with dread about the future of theatre?

I do worry about the theatre industry. My biggest fear is simply that people won’t come because they can’t afford to. If audiences stop coming, then what are we doing?

What gives you hope for the future of theatre?

The incredible talent that I see in people much, much younger than me, both on stage and off.

What are you working on at the moment?

My production of Anthony Shaffer’s Sleuth with Todd Boyce and Neil McDermott is touring until May. It’s a terrific thriller. I used to watch the 1972 film with Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine with my parents. Bill Kenwright asked me to do it before he died, so I wanted to do it for him.

And I’m also working on a musical called Here And Now, which is heartwarming story written by Shaun Kitchener and features the songs of Steps. That will be on in Birmingham in the Autumn.

ENDS

Fergus Morgan is SDUKs resident blogger.