Sometimes, while working on a project, we forget to ask ourselves the question: Why am I doing this? This simple yet thought-provoking question was central to one of our Playful Spaces Masterclasses, led by theatre director, Tinuke Craig.

Tinuke is a passionate advocate for making the arts accessible to all young people, regardless of postcode or background. She trained at LAMDA and the National Theatre Studio. In November last year, she was appointed Associate Artistic Director at Regent’s Park Theatre and is also an Artistic Associate at the Lyric Hammersmith. Previously, she served as the Baylis Director at the Old Vic (2021–2023) and as Associate Director at The Gate Theatre (2015–2016). Needless to say, she knows her stuff!

During the masterclass, Tinuke gave us an insight into her directorial process, using her National Theatre production of Hamlet—reimagined for young audiences—as a case study.

She begins planning all her productions by asking herself two key questions: Why am I doing this? and Why am I directing this play with this group of people now? She explained that the answer doesn’t need to be a critical essay—it can be as simple as wanting the company to have a good time or ensuring the audience has a positive first impression of Shakespeare. These simple answers become your “North Star.” Throughout the production process, this North Star becomes your anchor, helping you guide the company with clarity and intention.

Reflecting on our programmes, I realised I hadn’t considered them through the lens of a North Star before. Now, my personal CSSF North Star is: to ensure every teacher and student we engage with leaves our programmes feeling accomplished.

Once we had our clear intention, Tinuke encouraged us to consider the barriers of the play—whether that’s age appropriateness, time constraints, or, in the case of Shakespeare, the language! Identifying these barriers gives you the space to assess how to tackle them. More importantly, Tinuke emphasised that any solutions should always link back to your North Star. This alignment gives you a coherent understanding of your capacity and purpose. Within CSSF practices, this is essential, as we operate within the education sector. Understanding the barriers affecting schools, teachers, and students is key to ensuring we can deliver on our North Star: to transform young people’s lives through the unique power of Shakespeare.

Overall, Tinuke’s masterclass reminded us not to forget the basics. Answering the simple questions—Why am I doing this? What are the barriers? What five things do I want to include? —provides a solid foundation to begin any project with clarity and purpose. Tinuke’s approach is especially valuable for our CSSF practices, as these questions help ensure all our programmes align with our overarching North Star.

Jess Manu - Schools Outreach Coordinator