Biography
Sarah Frankcom is a joint Artistic Director of the Royal Exchange Theatre. She co-directed the winner of the first Bruntwood Playwriting Competition PRETEND YOU HAVE BIG BUILDINGS (2007) at the Royal Exchange and has directed WINTERLONG, one of the winners of the second Playwriting Competition, opening in The Studio in February 2011 and transferring to Soho Theatre.
Her productions for the theatre include THE LADY FROM THE SEA (2010), BLITHE SPIRIT (2009), PUNK ROCK (2009/10, co-production with Lyric Hammersmith and National Tour), SEE HOW THEY RUN (2008), THREE SISTERS (2008), THE CHILDREN’S HOUR (2008), STRAWGIRL & THE ADOPTION PAPERS (2007), WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF (2007) and ON THE SHORE OF THE WIDE WORLD (2005, co-production with the National Theatre), KES (2004), THE RISE AND FALL OF LITTLE VOICE (2004). She has also directed THE FIVE WIVES OF MAURICE PINDER (2007, National Theatre) and CHRISTMAS IS MILES AWAY (2007, Bush Theatre).
Interview
What attracts you to directing new plays?
I’ve always liked new plays because they were the first things I started to work on as a director. One of the things that makes them different to other plays or other pieces of theatre, is the work you do with a writer before the other people who collaborate on the production become involved. It’s like moving into someone else’s head for a bit and experiencing the world from their point of view. I have a great admiration for anyone who has the imagination, stamina and tenacity to write and finish a play; I think it’s one of the hardest things to do. When you’re working on a new play it will be the first time that anybody has ever seen it and I’ve always liked that. It’s terrifying and quite a responsibility, but you are at the beginning of something.
