Our Artistic Associates

• John Lightbody

  Senior Artistic Associate

  John is an actor, voiceover artist and freelance director. Among his many classical roles he has played Richard III, Benvolio and the Ghost of Christmas Present. He has delivered SSF’s workshops for over ten years, and most recently in the role of Senior Artistic Associate has overseen the devising of Teacher Workshops.

• Brian Mullin

  Artistic Associate

  Brian works as a writer, deviser and dramaturg. He studied Theatre at Yale and went on to research Elizabethan theatre at Oxford. He loves SSF's approach to Shakespeare, letting young people jump into the imagination of the world's greatest dramatist.

• Guy Hargreaves

  Artistic Associate

  Guy's experience of watching Shakespeare on stage varies greatly. He has seen both some of the most thrilling, vital & exciting nights in the theatre, along with some of the most dull & boring. Guy is very skilled at remaining optimistic and making an idiot of himself. He works for SSF because young people's take on the stories and language can be at the 'thrilling, vital and exciting' end of things.

• Iain Jones

  Artistic Associate

  Iain is an actor, director and practitioner. As a director he has worked at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley, Greenwich Theatre, Battersea Arts Centre and Edinburgh Festival. He was introduced to Shakespeare at school and loved it. “He's a great storyteller and takes us on adventures that are full of extraordinary characters.” His favourite character is Puck, because he has so much fun.

• Kate Hughes

  Artistic Associate

  Kate (stage name Kate Middleton) is an actor based in London and originally from the West Midlands. She performs in theatre and on screen, and has a penchant for anything period. 

• Rachel Ellis

  Artistic Associate

  Rachel is an actor, director and theatre tutor. As well as working in the mainstream as an actor Rachel has developed her interest in more experimental work involving physical theatre. She is currently Head of Drama at Cambridge School of Visual and Performing Arts and has her own theatre company - Faculty of Wonder.

• Richard Weinman

  Artistic Associate

  Richard is an Associate Director at the Lyric, Hammersmith, where he recently directed Passin’ Thru as part of the Evolution Festival of work by young people. He has been an Associate for the National Youth theatre and the National Theatre Connections project. He is interested in theatre as a way to social inclusion and works frequently with hard-to-reach groups such as NEET young people and young offenders.

• Timothy Allsop

  Artistic Associate

  Timothy is an actor, writer and Creative Director of Turn of Phrase, an educational firm focusing on gender and LGBTQ work. He studied History at Oxford before training as an actor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where he teaches on the summer programme. As an actor he has performed at both the National and Shakespeare's Globe and has played roles such as Richard III, Horatio and Oberon. His publications include: Open, The Smog and his short stories appear in Grist and Bedford Square. He loves working with SSF, helping to deliver the teacher workshops and as a staff director for the Festival.

• Jordana Golbourn

  Artistic Associate

  Jordana is a theatre maker and facilitator working with community artists. She has a decade of experience working with companies such as Almeida Theatre, Donmar Warehouse, and Old Vic Theatre. She is the director of Almeida Academy, a programme that gives 5 to 14-year-olds the opportunity to work with theatre professionals to devise and stage brand new plays.

  Jordana has also trained with Oily Cart on making theatre for young people with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD).