Matthew Hahn

5 Ollgar Close London W12 0NF +44 (0) 7816 334 897

EDUCATION

Goldsmiths College – London, England Indiana University – Bloomington, Indiana

MA in Theatre Directing BA in Journalism & Political Science

London Metropolitan University – London, England

Certificate in Education

SELECTED DIRECTING EXPERIENCE

A Day in the Life (Forum Theatre) Houses of Parliament London, UK

Pimlico Hoxton Hall London, UK

Gender Equality in the UK (Forum Theatre)Committed Artists Durban, South Africa

Living with HIV in the UK Under a tree at a School Lilongwe, Malawi

SubUrbia Southwark Theatre London, UK

Laramie Project Tabard Theatre London, UK

subVERSE Theatre 503 (in residency from 01/05 to 11/07) London, UK

subVERSE LOST Theatre Company Edinburgh, Scotland

(evening of new political writing)

Who Wants to be the Disco King? LOST Theatre Company Edinburgh, Scotland

Brixton Road Portraits Hackney Empire, Bullion Room London, UK

Invisible Cities BoldFish Theatre Company Rapallo, Italy

Man Made Rock (staged reading) Royal Academy of Dramatic Art London, UK

Token to the Moon Chicago Shakespeare Theater Chicago, IL

Day of Absence Bailiwick Theater Company Chicago, IL

Us, Assistant Director City Garage Theater Los Angeles, CA

ON-GOING PROJECTS:

The Robben Island Bible – Since 2008, I have been researching, writing & directing staged readings of my play based on a copy of the ‘Complete Works of William Shakespeare’ that was smuggled around Robben Island, South Africa. The book’s ‘fame’ resides in the fact that the book’s owner, Sonny Venkatratham, passed the book to a number of his fellow political prisoners in the single cells asking them to mark his favourite passage with a signature and date. Signatures included Walter Sisulu, Nelson Mandela, Govan Mbeki, Ahmed Kathrada and Mac Maharaj and 28 others. This verbatim play is based on interviews that I conducted in 2008 & 2010 with eight former political prisoners who signed this book intertwined with their chosen Shakespearian texts.

There have been numerous staged readings of the play including the Barbican Theatre in London[November 2014] as part of the opening of the ‘Global Shakespeare’ Programme at Queen Mary’s University, the Cape Town Shakespeare Society[August 2014], Mitchell Library, Glasgow, Scotland [July 2014] as part of the Connect ZA Season / Commonwealth Games, Montana Shakespeare Festival [April 2014], South Africa House, London [April & June 2014], Oxford University [April 2014], Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC [June 2013], the British Museum in London, UK [October 2012], the Purcell Room, Southbank Centre in London, UK [June 2012], the Market Theatre in Johannesburg, SA [February 2010], the Richmond Theatre in Richmond, UK [March 2009] and the Robben Island Museum in Cape Town, SA [February 2009]. The Bodleian Library at Oxford University stores the archive video, play script, transcripts, audio & blog.

‘Ethical Leadership Workshop’ – Workshops based on The Robben Island Bible were piloted at the South West Gauteng College in Soweto, South Africa in August 2014. It ran over two weeks and delivered a performance of Shakespeare, monologues from the former political prisoners’ interviews as well as new pieces of writing created by the college students. The students examined the current leadership situation on a personal, local & national level. They also examined and reflected on their responsibility as young leaders as well as future leaders within South Africa. As a pilot, it is hoped that this workshop can be scaled up and delivered in the United Kingdom, United States and South Africa.

‘Viewpoints’ Training Workshops – Having trained with Anne Bogart [2005] and the SITI Company [2001], I lead ‘Viewpoints’ training masterclasses in the UK for a variety of universities, colleges and actor training programmes to develop a collaborative toolbox for composition in the theatre. I have also utilized the Viewpoints in my work as a theatre director.


SELECTED COMMUNITY & APPLIED THEATRE EXPERIENCE

United Kingdom:

Recent Freelance Interactive Theatre Workshops Current

Lead Facilitator – As a free-lance drama facilitator, I have utilized interactive theatre to develop and

advocate for the following organisations: Amnesty International – facilitated an interactive drama workshop for

their Teacher Training Programme, KRAN [Kent Refugee Action Network] – facilitated a drama workshop

for refugees in Kent, Disabled People Against Cuts [DPAC] – directed & facilitated forum theatre in the

Houses of Parliament as part of a presentation advocating for the rights of the disabled in the United Kingdom;

LLC Social Enterprise – facilitated a number of interactive theatre workshops for volunteer counselors working

in drug & alcohol rehabilitation; University of West London – facilitated a number of workshops for students in the

Substance Use and Misuse Studies, School of Psychology.

Royal National Theatre INSET (London, UK) 2008 & 2014

Facilitator Co- led an INSET programme in Dance Theatre for UK primary, secondary & FE college acting

& dance tutors. Facilitator Led an INSET programme in Forum Theatre for UK secondary school drama teachers.

Participatory Approaches to Behaviour Change and Advocacy Workshop 2013

Assistant Facilitator– A series of Professional Development Workshops at the School of Oriental and

African Studies (SOAS) that equips participants with the skills to facilitate behaviour change and

advocacy. In association with Theatre for a Change, UK.

Youth Drama Workshops at the Arbour Youth Centre (Stepney Green, UK) 2004 - 2008

Workshop Leader Led a variety of drama workshops for local youths including half-term forum theatre

projects & weekly drama clubs.

Streets Alive Theatre Company (London, UK) 2004 - 2005

Internal Moderator Oversaw and facilitated the running of the OCN Forum Theatre Module at this theatre

company for homeless youth.

International:

Theatre for a Change (London, UK) Current

Educational Assessment Developer / Facilitation Trainer / Internal Moderator – Developing TfaC’s Learning &

Impact and Monitoring & Evaluating Strategies. In charge of the development of facilitation skills in the

healthcare / NGO sectors. Moderates the team at TfaC, Malawi in their delivery of Open College Network

(a UK-based assessment body) Qualification modules. Set up and run the OCN Accreditation Qualification system.

Also trained the core team in Ghana the OCN internal moderation process in order for the training to be sustainable

& transferable.

St. Mary’s University / Headroom Productions (London, UK – Durban, South Africa) 2012 - 2014

Theatre for Development Coordinator Coordinated partnership between the drama programme at

St. Mary’s University & Headroom Productions. For more information about the placements, please visit http://whatcanidodifferently.blogspot.co.uk.

Ethical Leadership Workshop (South West Gauteng College, South Africa) 2014

Workshop Facilitator Lead facilitator for workshops based on my play, The Robben Island Bible. See

‘Ongoing Research Project’ below for more details.

Muhawu High School (Engonyameni, South Africa) 2014

Workshop Supervisor Facilitated UK students in Theatre workshops & performances for Muhawu

High school students.

Umzimkhulu Amahushe Secondary School (Harding, South Africa) 2012 - 2014

Workshop Supervisor Facilitated UK students in Forum Theatre workshops & performances for

Umzimkhulu Amahushe secondary students.

University of KwaZulu-Natal(Durban, South Africa) 2012

Workshop Facilitator Ran a workshop with UKZN students on Verbatim Theatre.

Esayidi F.E.T College (Port Shepstone, South Africa) 2012

Workshop Facilitator Ran a workshop with Esayidi College students on Story Devising & Performance.

St. Mary’s University / Theatre for a Change (London, UK – Lilongwe, Malawi) 2010

Theatre for Development Coordinator Coordinates partnership between the drama programme at

St. Mary’s University & Theatre for a Change in Malawi.

Theatre for a Change (Accra, Ghana) 2007

Forum Theatre Workshop Facilitator Ran a two-week forum theatre workshop that resulted 18 trainee

teachers acquiring a qualification from OCN in the theory & practice of Forum Theatre.


Matthew Hahn page 2

SELECTED COMMUNITY & APPLIED THEATRE EXPERIENCE (Cont.)

Forum Theatre Workshop (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) 2004

Workshop Leader Ran a two-day forum theatre workshop that resulted in short forum plays based around

the theme of acceptance. Worked with young adults whom had formerly been living on the streets of

Addis Ababa.

Theatre Workshop (Soweto, South Africa) 2003

Workshop Leader Ran a two-day drama workshop for pre-school children and teen-agers at an HIV/Aids

clinic in the township. With the pre-schoolers, the focus was on role-playing in difficult situations

and with the teen-agers, the focus was on safe sex practices.

SELECTED THEATRE ADMINISTRATION EXPERIENCE

Common Air Project (London, UK) 2004 - Current

Artistic Director New Writing theatre company that produces socially aware productions along with

working within the community to promote social change through the medium of the theatre.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (Chicago, IL) 1998 - 2001

Office Manager Responsibilities included the day-to-day management of the theatre’s administration

office. Was also responsible for assisting the Executive Director, the Marketing, the Education, & the

Development departments.

Bailiwick Theatre Directors’ Festival (Chicago, IL) 2000

Festival Director Responsibilities included selection of the plays for the festival, the coordination of the

directors and actors, and the organization of the production meetings and the first annual Directors’

Forum sponsored by the theatre.

Chicago Theatre Company (Chicago, IL) 1998 - 2000

Development Assistant Responsibilities included grant-writing and research of not-yet-tapped funding

opportunities through the Internet or through other various resources. Also assisted the managing director

in establishing long-term funding goals for the theatre.

SELECTED UNITED KINGDOM & INTERNATIONAL TEACHING EXPERIENCE

St Mary’s University - College (London, UK) 2008 - Current

Drama & Applied Theatre Senior Lecturer

Wits University 2014

Masterclass – Verbatim Theatre

York St. John University 2013 - 2016

External Examiner – External examiner for YSJU’s MA in Applied Theatre.

Central School of Speech & Drama (London, UK) 2012

Visiting Director Mentor to MA students in their Acting: Performance Practices & Research Module.

Florida State University, London, UK 2013

Visiting Lecturer – ‘Ethical Leadership’

Maryland University, London, UK 2013

Visiting Lecturer – Forum Theatre

Rhodes University 2011

Masterclass – Theatre for Change

Goldsmiths College, University of London (London, UK) 2008

Visiting Lecturer Instructed MA Playwrights in the development of their final project scripts.

Goldsmiths College, University of London (London, UK) 2007

Visiting Lecturer Instructed Third year students in their Drama Production (Devising) course.

PACE Programme at Goldsmiths College (London, UK) 2005 - 2007

External Examiner Examiner for Goldsmiths College’s Foundation Courses in Acting & Performance.

Youth Drama Workshops at the Arbour Youth Centre (Stepney Green, UK) 2004 - 2008

Workshop Leader Led a variety of acting workshops for local youths including half-term forum theatre

projects & weekly drama clubs.

Kensington and Chelsea College (London, UK) 2003 - 2006

Head of Drama Department Instructed in an Adult Education / Further Education college (OFSTED

Inspected April 2007 – Good Grade 2).

Leigh City Technology College (Dartford, UK) 2002

Drama Teacher Instructed Year 7 through A-level students (8 to 18 year olds) in Acting studies.

Physical Theatre Workshops (London, UK) 2001 - 2002

Workshop Leader Led various drama organizations (RADA, Oxford University New Writing Festival,

Goldsmiths College, PACE (Professional and Community Education), Goldsmiths College Theatre Collective,

amongst others) in physical training exercises for actors.

SELECTED TRAINING EXPERIENCE

Abbey Theatre Viewpoints Masterclass Dublin, Ireland

Anne Bogart

London International School Lecoq Training London, UK

of Performing Arts

Thomas Prattki

Method of Physical Action System Training London, UK

Andrew Tidmarsh

Saratoga International Theatre Institute Viewpoints / Suzuki Training New York City, NY

Kelly Maurer, Ellen Lauren, Will Bonds

Laban Workshop Laban Training Chicago, IL

Janet Louer, Peter Forster

Theatre de Complicite Theatre Devising London, UK

Clive Mendus

Forum Theatre Week Cardboard Citizens Theatre Company London, UK

Adrian Jackson

Joker Training, Forum Theatre Cardboard Citizens Theatre Company London, UK

Adrian Jackson

Full Frontal Comedy Improvisational Ensemble Bloomington, IN

For more information about my work, please visit: uk.linkedin.com/in/hahnmatthew1