Hugh Allison

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Hugh Allison is an English playwright and theatre director, working on the London Fringe. In 2003, Allison set up The Yellowchair Performance Experience (a non-profit organization) to give new talent (actors, writers and designers) their first experiences working on a play in a London Fringe Theatre^[1].

Contents 1 Written works 2 Directing credits 3 Assistant Director work 4 Other interests 5 Critical feedback 5.1 Directing 5.2 Acting 5.3 Writing 6 References

[edit] Written works

• Appropriate Attire (based on Memorandum by N.T. Morley, as published in The Mammoth Book of Best New Erotica)^[2].
• It Falls Foul Of The Law (about the introduction of women into theatre under Charles II)^[3].
• Nelson's Lions (in which a young lady discovers the history of her grandfather, after finding his diary in an attic)^[4].
• Pink (an exploration of the differences between the genders)^[5].
• The Source of All The Evil (based on Chicken: Self-Portrait of a Young Man for Rent,^[6] the autobiography of former sex worker David Henry Sterry)^[7].
• Staying In (a dark comedy)^[8].
• TaJ (a play written to question the vanities of theatre)^[9].
• The Things We Do For Love (A seven minute female monologue about the makings of a sexual deal)^[10].
• Waiting For German (A male monologue, first performed by Comotose Productions)^[11].
• Worship (A modern day Jet de sang, first performed as the concluding scene of Gospel)^[12].

[edit] Directing credits

• Alma Pater at the London Pleasance Theatre^[13] as part of City Shorts New Writing Festival.^[14].
• Approprite Attire, performed at The Cockpit Theatre (as part of Theatre in The Pound) in 2006^[15].
• Eclipsed, performed at Hen and Chickens Theatre, The Bedford and the Inn On The Green in 2006^[16].
• Gospel, performed at The Etcetera Theatre in 2007^[17].
• KissCumKiss, performed at Barons Court Theatre (as part of The Write Side of The Brain festival) in 2006^[18].
• Life Support, performed at the King's Head, Barons Court Theatre and The Inn On The Green in 2007^[19].
• Pretty Boy, performed at The White Bear in 2004^[20].
• Rosalind and The Bear, performed as a double bill at Rosemary Branch Theatre in 2005^[21].
• The Source of All The Evil, performed at The Cockpit Theatre (as part of Theatre in The Pound) in 2006^[22].
• TaJ, performed Upstairs At The Gatehouse in 2003^[23].
• What Andrew Heard, performed at The Tabard Theatre in 2007^[24].

Hugh is also to direct Numbers & Embassyland by Kieron Barry at the Baron's Court in 2008^[25].

[edit] Assistant Director work

• A touring production of Gradgrind (based on Hard Times by Charles Dickens) for Icon Theatre^[26].
• I Just Broke Up, performed at The White Bear in 2003^[27].
• Kiss Me Kate, performed at The Beacon^[28].
• MYPN, Through My Eyes, performed at The Space in 2007^[29].
• This Is A Chair, performed at The White Bear in 2007^[30].

[edit] Other interests

• Hugh has worked as a lighting designer for The Collector by John Fowles^[31], The Crucible by Arthur Miller,^[32] and the world Premiere of Blue Moon True by Steve Marion^[33].
• Hugh has worked as a Stage Manager, including on Icarus Theatre Collective's production of The Lesson^[34] and on You Are My Mother at the Rosemary Branch Theatre^[35].
• Hugh has acted on occasion; he played William Pitt's caddy in Amazing Grace^[36] and appeared in Let Each Take His Part at Questor's Theatre^[37]. He claims however that he only performs to gain empathy with actors; writing is his main priority, followed by directing^[38].

[edit] Critical feedback

[edit] Directing

• Hugh's "Rosalind" and "The Bear" received Five Stars in the (now defunct) What's On magazine^[39].
• Pretty Boy received an extended run at the White Bear due to its original success^[40].

[edit] Acting

• Reviews have been modest; for Let Each Take His Part he was called him "A fine Actor", but negative comments were made about him breaking the fourth wall^[41].
• As Jacques in As You Like It the Observer stated that Hugh "could convey more emotion with one roll of the eyes, than most Shakespearean actors ever could, having studied reams of text"^[42].

[edit] Writing

• Worship was described as "bizarre, but somehow relevant"^[43].
• TaJ was described by Gyles Brandreth as "Funny, Real, Compelling, Touching"^[44] and by Julia Hickman as having "provided some interesting and unusual insights into the lives of drama students"^[45].

[edit] References