Devising
With a devising career spanning over 15 years, Sarah has been a part of re-imagining classical works, creating cross-overs between new technology and modern theatre and developing scripts and productions with some of the most promising new creatives in the UK and abroad.
Previous productions include Geraldine Pilgrim’s Handbag, Natalia Skobeva’s Ghosts and work with The National Arts Service, Clay & Diamonds, SharkLegs and Loitering With Intent.
Image: Jemima Yong, The Winning Crowd, 2011
“The actors were superb. Like watching racing cars revving; just revving, revealing their power but never giving full vent until it can’t be held anymore. Then it all comes crashing down, but never so simply as a denouement, still more revelations, twists, terrible truths. There was no crashing end. More like a beast falling down a gorge, hitting the sides, spinning, tumbling, ever deeper until finally, out of sight, he hits the rocks and splinters. Out of sight, but you can hear it and it makes you feel slightly sick… and slightly lucky to be up on the precipice. Safe for now but far more attuned to the danger.”
— Dr Daniel Sommerville on The Winning Crowd
Assistant Directing
Following a critically popular run as Nettie Stevens in Clay & Diamonds’ Orlando: The Queer Element (created for BFI Flare in 2017), Sarah helped to adapt the small scale interactive experience into a site responsive piece for National Trust properties Knole and Handbury Hall. 20 young actors from the Fourth Monkey 2 Year Actor Training program, lead by director Simone Coxall, took over the historic homes to guide audience members and school groups through a tour of 2,500 years of the science of gender. Sarah lead performers in devising work around in audience interaction, clown and character development.
Image: Gemma Hall 2017
Directing
Originally written for stage by Rhys Lawton and developed for the Barnstaple Fringe by A Hammier Basis in 2016, 9ft² is a black comedy about isolation, fear and how we create and maintain intimate space. In response to the COVID crisis, Griffin and Lawton adapted 9ft² as a limited web series. Filming with an expanded script and a completely socially distanced cast, the piece played with the constraints of digital theatre and what space means when we can’t physically share it.
“I love how they are both funny and sad, and a mixture of totally surreal, and fairly true to life.”
— Audience Feedback, 9ft²
Photo Credits:
Banner Image- Benjamin Rose-Hall