The reason for developing my website at this point is principally about trying to make connections – with potential employers, other creatives and collaborators, and people who might be interested in helping to take some of my developing projects forward. Plus, I want it to give people an idea of what I do. As a director, it’s quite difficult to explain to people what you do, how you do it and the impact that it has, so this is an attempt to help that process.
For me, ‘connecting’ is a hugely important part of the work I do. I like to find a personal connection with the material I’m working on. I thrive on making creative connections with actors, writers, designers and everyone involved in putting a theatre production together. But, most importantly, I want my work to directly connect with audiences. For me, there’s no point me doing it unless there’s a meaningful connection being made between what’s going on onstage and the members of the audience. I want people to have experienced something worthwhile when they leave a production. Sometimes that might be a play that challenges perceptions and makes you reflect or act, or sometimes it’s a drama or comedy that makes you feel uplifted and better about the world, sometimes it’s a musical that thrills, excites and gives you a life affirming glow or moves you to the core. It could be a pantomime that makes you cry with laughter or thrills and excites you with magic and adventure. I love to entertain people but it becomes all the more meaningful when we connect – perhaps you recognise yourself or see your own experiences reflected in the story – where the experiences of the characters have you howling with laughter or moved to tears. If we succeed in doing any of these things with a production, we have connected, and that can only be a good thing.
I hope you enjoy this attempt at online connection and if you do, please get in touch and let me know what you think or, even better, let’s explore how we might work together to make some theatre magic in the future.
Ken Alexander