Eva Sampson
Eva Sampson trained on the National Theatre Studio Directors’ Course and at the University of Birmingham. She is the Co-Artistic Director of How It Ended theatre company and is an Associate of National Youth Theatre. Eva was the Sky Arts Artistic Associate for Theatre Royal Stratford East during 2022 – 2023.
Her credits as a Director includes: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Sherman Theatre, Cardiff); Cinderella (Theatre Royal Stratford East); The Ultimate Pickle (Roundabout / Paines Plough); Wild (How It Ended / Unicorn Theatre); More Than We Can Bear (Almeida Theatre / Clean Break); Heart of Hammersmith (Lyric Hammersmith); Maryland; Meet Mo; Ribena; Jack and the Beanstalk (Theatre Royal Stratford East); At the Statue of Venus (Royal Opera House); The Little Gardener (Kew Gardens); Last Nine Months (Vaults); Sticky (Southwark Playhouse); The Tide (Young Vic); The Scarecrows’ Wedding (Watford Palace Theatre); A Peter Rabbit Tale (Singapore Repertory); Rudolf (Leeds Playhouse); Decades (Brixton House).
As Associate / Assistant Director: Wolf Witch Giant Fairy (Royal Opera House), Four Quartets (West End); Noye’s Fludde (Theatre Royal Stratford East / ENO); Twelfth Night (Young Vic); Father Christmas (Lyric Hammersmith); Unprecedented (Headlong / Century Films / BBC Four).
As Resident Assistant Director: This is My Family; 8 Hotels (Chichester Festival Theatre).
As Staff Director at The National Theatre: The Visit; Downstate (co-production with Steppenwolf Theatre).
For Film/TV/Radio: Four Quartets (Ralph Fiennes / Lone Star Productions Ltd / BBC); Keep the Home Fires Burning (The Culture Trust Luton); That’s How It Feels: REED TVC Campaign (MYNT / Kingdom Creative).
Session: Acting in Contemporary Theatre
This practical acting course will explore a breadth of plays in a vast range of styles and sensibilities. Inspired by a range of contemporary play texts from some of the best playwrights of the 21st Century.
During the week you will:
- Develop a deeper understanding of how to meet the demands of performing in contemporary work
- Explore a wide range of genres including comedy, political drama, naturalism and more abstract texts
- Work collaboratively to develop our sense of rigour when exploring text, to perform with truth and to foster our imaginations
- Develop a toolbox of ideas and skills for bringing text to life on stage
The course is perfect for actors who want a hands-on exploration of this fascinating period and for directors who would like an opportunity to develop their knowledge of how to stage contemporary writing.
Students will need to buy and read two play texts prior to Summer School.