Whether it be boat sheds, castles, towers or cattle markets, Northern Broadsides has always performed in "non-velvet spaces". But why?

With some of the company's original cast and crew, tune in to learn about the company's reputation as "the company that laughs", the fight for Scouse vowels, and playing Iago to Lenny Henry's Othello. As well as this, enjoy an exclusive interview with Laurie Sansom, current Artistic Director, about what Northern Broadsides has in store.

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A new podcast by Northern Broadsides

Hosted by Shabina Aslam & Millie Gaston

Sound Editing by Alex Colley

Produced by Hallam Breen & Jess Rooney 

This series of eights podcasts, recorded in lockdown, embraces the Northern Voice in all its glory, whether we're exploring disability, migration, class, ethnicity, accent, gender or sexuality, The Northern Voice confounds expectations of what it means to be Northern in the world of arts and culture today.

Each episode has a panel discussion hosted by Shabina Aslam, our Creative Engagement Producer, and a one-to-one interview with a Northern artist, led by local actor Millie Gaston.

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Guest Biographies

Sue Andrews

After training and working as an actor in the early 70’s, Sue joined a newly formed microfilm service company as office manager, using the secretarial skills she'd acquired before drama school. The business developed into one of the most successful of its kind in this new industry and she left the company after the birth of her first child which coincided with a move to the North of England.

Sue first met Barrie Rutter in 1993 when he was with the National Theatre production of Trackers of Oxyrhynchus which toured to Bradford and where the idea of Northern Broadsides was born. The company was initially supported by Bradford Theatres for the first production – a six week tour of Richard III. After the tour, Sue volunteered to assist Barrie in organising the next production and before very long found herself raising funds in order to support a full-time admin post.

She was extremely fortunate in being able to combine her experience and love of theatre with that of growing a small business, and retired as Broadsides’s Executive Director in the summer of 2018.

Ishia Bennison

Ishia has recently finished a play at The Orange Tree, Richmond in their lockdown series Inside.

At the beginning of last year, she was chased by the virus through Japan via the National theatre and Kani, whilst doing a new play with a Japanese cast called Missing People. In 2018/19 she was at the RSC playing the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet which is still available on BBC i player.

Her Broadsides work includes:

Antony and Cleopatra (BAM New York), A Midsummer Night Dream, (Brazil tour) Merry Wives (India tour), Richard III ( Riverside Studios & The Tower of London) Poetry Or Bust , Samson Agonistes, Romeo and Juliet.

Her TV work includes:

Happy Valley; New Tricks; Last Tango in Halifax;True Dare Kiss; At Home With The Braithwaites and Eastenders

Conrad Nelson

Conrad is a critically acclaimed director, actor and composer with a vast body of work in theatre, television, film and radio. As an actor his work has included roles such as Richard III, Henry V, and Iago with Lenny Henry as Othello.

Conrad’s directing work includes productions for Hull Truck Theatre, Three Stones Media, Bolton Octagon, New Vic Theatre. Conrad has recently stepped down as Artistic Director of Northern Broadsides Theatre Company, to concentrate on Claybody and other projects.

Claybody: https://claybodytheatre.com/

Laurie Sansom

Laurie is Artistic Director / CEO of Northern Broadsides. He was previously the Artistic Director of the National Theatre of Scotland, directing The James Plays trilogy in an unprecedented collaboration with the Edinburgh International Festival and the National Theatre of Great Britain and touring round the world. Previously he was Artistic Director at Royal & Derngate, Northampton, winning the inaugural Stage Regional Theatre of the Year in 2010, TMA Best Director, and producing a trilogy of new adaptations of classic plays as part of London 2012’s Cultural Olympiad.

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