Interval Drinks Podcast Returns to the RSC

RSC ‘Interval Drinks’ Podcast Returns to the RSC.

'Interval Drinks’ podcast returns for a third series featuring Maggie O’Farrell, Dr Liz Bentley, Philip J Morris, Chris Sonnex and Adam Bamborough. The first episode is available to download from Thursday 22 June and features multi-award-winning author of Hamnet, Maggie O’Farrell, interviewed by director of the RSC’s sell-out stage adaptation, Erica Whyman, ahead of the production’s transfer to the Garrick Theatre in London this autumn.

New episodes from the series will become available to download every Thursday at 11am and will feature conversations between director and environmental activist Elizabeth Freestone, Chief Executive of The Royal Meteorological Society Dr Liz Bentley, actor Ibraheem Toure, Artistic Director of Trybe House Theatre, Philip J Morris, writer and director Charlie Josephine, Artistic Director and joint CEO, of Cardboard Citizens, Chris Sonnex, RSC Associate Artist Alexandra Gilbreath and Wellbeing in the Arts founder, Adam Bamborough.

Maggie O Farrell. Photo credit Sophie Davidson (c) RSC

Interval Drinks is an opportunity to learn more about the life of the RSC from those at the heart of the Company. The Podcast offers audiences a rare insight into the professional journeys of these RSC artists, as well as a chance to explore the craft of modern theatre and discuss some of the biggest issues facing the theatre industry today.

In episode one, Winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction, Maggie O’Farrell talks with director and former acting artistic director of the RSC, Erica Whyman. They discuss Hamnet, the novel and the process of putting it on stage, as well as Hamlet and autobiography in fiction, including the part Shakespeare’s son, Hamnet, plays in his work.

Erica Whyman. Photo credit Joseph Bailey. (c) RSC

In episode two, director Elizabeth Freestone, who recently directed the RSC’s critically acclaimed and climate crisis inspired production of The Tempest, speaks to Dr Liz Bentley, Chief Executive of The Royal Meteorological Society, about the climate crisis and the place of theatre and the arts within that, as well as the mini ice age that happened in Shakespeare’s lifetime. Episode two will be available to download on Thursday 29 June.

Episode three features actor and learning practitioner Ibraheem Toure interviewing Artistic Director of Trybe House Theatre, Philip J Morris about their own first encounters with Shakespeare and how they make those first encounters for young people. Episode three will be available to download on Thursday 6 July.

Philip J Morris. Photo (c) RSC

In the fourth episode, writer and director of the RSC’s upcoming production Cowbois, Charlie Josephine, meets Artistic Director and joint CEO, of Cardboard Citizens, Chris Sonnex to talk about “theatre and about class and about identity and about passion”, including making theatre for and about people that have lived experience of homelessness, poverty and inequity. Episode four will be available to download on Thursday 13 July.

In the final episode of the series, actor and RSC Associate Artist Alexandra Gilbreath speaks with Wellbeing in the Arts founder Adam Bamborough. Alex is currently marking her 30th year with the RSC and was recently seen in Gregory Doran’s production of Cymbeline before starting rehearsals for The Empress. They talk about mental health in the theatre industry, stage fright itself as well as their own experiences and getting help. Episode five will be available to download on Thursday 20 July.

Each episode of the series is available to download for free via the RSC website, as well as multiple podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes). There are also vodcast episodes with Charlotte Arrsith and Sophie Woolley available via the RSC YouTube channel.

The music is ‘Oberon’s Theme – King of Shadow’, originally composed by Sam Kenyon for A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2016).

More details from: www.rsc.org.uk