After making her debut as a leading lady last year as Tracy in Hairspray, Lizzie Alderton is now making her debut as a director.
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00:00Good afternoon, my name is Phil Hewitt, Group Arts Editor at Sussex Newspapers. Lovely to
00:06speak again to Lizzie Alderton from Hay Odds. Now, last time we spoke, you were doing your
00:11first leading lady role, Tracy in Hairspray, which was fabulous. Now, you are doing your
00:17first directing, which is a fantastic new step to take. And you're doing Blackadder
00:23in Horsham from August the 1st to the 3rd. Why directing?
00:30It's always been something that I've been interested in. And after coming out of the
00:35massive high that was Hairspray, I knew that I wanted to continue doing something within
00:42the theatre world to keep that creativity going. And it's something that I've always
00:47had an interest in since I was younger. Performing more so than directing, but recently, I've
00:56really been interested in directing and putting together productions.
01:00And it's interesting, certainly actors will tell you that the best directors are directors
01:05who have been actors themselves, because they understand it from the actor's perspective.
01:10How much of you as an actor do you carry into the directing role?
01:15A lot, a lot, because I think it's so important as actors as well to have an input into what
01:22is being produced. Because having had that performance experience as well, you think
01:32about things very differently. And you kind of look at it as if, if I was playing this
01:39role, what would I do? What would I put into this? And you can really work in collaboration
01:48with the actors as well. Like for me personally, as a director, I feel like the collaboration is
01:54key, because you get so much more out of that experience, rather than just saying to somebody,
02:01I want you to do this and go here and do that. It's interesting you say that, because you're
02:05saying that partly this is about discovering what kind of director you are. But it's like,
02:09you know what kind of director you are, you are collaborative, naturally.
02:13Yeah, and it has very much come to fruition through this as well. Like I've,
02:20back in college, when we would do lots of devising work, it was all collaborative.
02:25So that's the way that I'm used to doing things. And that's the kind of, yeah.
02:30Collaboration is key as a director?
02:33100%. It's something that I've always done. Well, from being in college and working on
02:40devising work, it's a very, I think, it's a great way to work as a director for me personally.
02:48And I think involving your cast as much as possible and making them feel comfortable
02:54and safe in your hands. It's something that I really appreciate as a performer.
03:01So it's something that I sort of aspire to be as a director as well,
03:05is making sure that they do have a voice.
03:08That makes sense. And why is Blackadder a good place to start? And it's your choice, isn't it?
03:13Yeah, it is my choice. I chose it because I went to see it at the Archway in Hawley last year,
03:18and I'd not really watched much Blackadder before. I obviously knew of it, and I knew how
03:26famous it is. But I left there with my ribs hurting with how much I laughed. But in the
03:30back of my head the whole time, it was, I really want to do this. I know I need to put something
03:36small on to start my directing journey with Hey Odds. And I just thought it was the perfect
03:42production to put on. And I just knew that I wanted to do it. It's so funny. It's a classic,
03:49some really classic characters in there. And I just watched it and I thought,
03:54we need to do this. This is going to be great fun.
03:57So you are really having a fabulous year on and off the stage. First leading lady,
04:01first directing. You will continue to do both?
04:05Both. Yeah, absolutely. I've seen some amazing productions, amateur productions recently,
04:10which have really got me itching, chomping at the bit to get back on the stage myself. But I think
04:17a couple of bits of directing first, and then I will be back on the stage to quench that thirst
04:23as well. But I'll continue doing both. Absolutely.
04:26Fantastic. So it's Blackadder, August the 1st to the 3rd, and the venue is?
04:31Queen Elizabeth QE2 School in Horsham.
04:36Brilliant. And tickets are available where?
04:39So heyodds.co.uk forward slash Blackadder.
04:44Fantastic. Well, good luck with this directorial debut and with everything else to come.
04:49Lovely to speak to you again, Lizzie. Thank you.
04:51And you. Thank you.