Mark Babych's guest appearances

Mark Babych

British Theatre Guide podcast

Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Jon Culshaw

Blake Morrison

Jackie Kay

Barrie Rutter

Monica Dolan

John Lloyd

John Harvey

Anna Jordan

Laurence Olivier

Carole King

Richard III

Maxine Peake

Anya Reiss

Henry VIII

OwlTail

John Blackmore

On 20 February 2018, regional theatre director, artistic director and chief executive John Blackmore died at the age of 77. He was chief executive at Bolton's Octagon Theatre for 12 years, but he also put together a plan to save Liverpool’s Everyman and Playhouse theatres, was Artistic Director of Manchester’s Library Theatre in the 1960s, founded the company that became Northern Stage in Newcastle, was one of the founders of Out of Joint, was director or artistic director of Midlands Arts Centre (now mac) in Birmingham, The Dukes in Lancaster, Warwick Arts Centre and the English Shakespeare Company and chief executive of Leicester Haymarket. In tribute, this episode is an interview by BTG editor David Chadderton with John from 2011 looking back on his impressive and varied career in theatre, followed by some reflections in 2018 from Mark Babych, now Artistic Director at Hull Truck but previously Artistic Director at the Octagon for ten years, on his time working with John.

On 20 February 2018, regional theatre director, artistic director and chief executive John Blackmore died at the age of 77. He was chief executive at Bolton's Octagon Theatre for 12 years, but he also put together a plan to save Liverpool’s Everyman and Playhouse theatres, was Artistic Director of Manchester’s Library Theatre in the 1960s, founded the company that became Northern Stage in Newcastle, was one of the founders of Out of Joint, was director or artistic director of Midlands Arts Centre (now mac) in Birmingham, The Dukes in Lancaster, Warwick Arts Centre and the English Shakespeare Company and chief executive of Leicester Haymarket. In tribute, this episode is an interview by BTG editor David Chadderton with John from 2011 looking back on his impressive and varied career in theatre, followed by some reflections in 2018 from Mark Babych, now Artistic Director at Hull Truck but previously Artistic Director at the Octagon for ten years, on his time working with John.

Tribute to John Blackmore, featuring Mark Babych

Hull Truck

Mark Babych, who was artistic director of the Octagon Theatre in Bolton for ten years up to 2009, was appointed artistic director of Hull Truck Theatre in 2013. His debut production as director is a revival of Shelagh Delaney’s A Taste of Honey, which will run at Hull Truck from 27 March 2014 starring Shameless and Waterloo Road actress Rebecca Ryan as Jo before embarking on a national tour. In this episode, Mark speaks about why he chose this play, bringing one of Salford's best-known plays back to Salford's Lowry, his involvement with the successful bid for Hull to become the UK's City of Culture for 2017 and how he went from the Octagon to freelance to taking on another building-based theatre company. He also pays tribute to Chris Honer, who stepped down as artistic director of Manchester's Library Theatre Company recently and whom Mark considers to be a big influence on his own work.

Mark Babych, who was artistic director of the <a href="http://www.octagonbolton.co.uk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Octagon Theatre</a> in Bolton for ten years up to 2009, was appointed artistic director of <a href="http://www.hulltruck.co.uk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Hull Truck Theatre</a> in 2013. His debut production as director is a revival of Shelagh Delaney’s A Taste of Honey, which will run at Hull Truck from 27 March 2014 starring Shameless and Waterloo Road actress Rebecca Ryan as Jo before embarking on a national tour. In this episode, Mark speaks about why he chose this play, bringing one of Salford's best-known plays back to Salford's <a href="http://www.thelowry.com" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Lowry</a>, his involvement with the successful bid for Hull to become the UK's City of Culture for 2017 and how he went from the Octagon to freelance to taking on another building-based theatre company. He also pays tribute to Chris Honer, who stepped down as artistic director of Manchester's <a href="http://www.librarytheatre.com" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Library Theatre Company</a> recently and whom Mark considers to be a big influence on his own work.

Mark Babych on A Taste of Honey at Hull Truck Theatre

Sarah Brigham

Jack Lord

Sarah Brigham talks to BTG Midlands Editor Steve Orme about taking the reigns of Derby Theatre as its first artistic director since University of Derby took over the lease of the troubled former Derby Playhouse and succeeded in obtaining Arts Council funding for it in 2012. The first homegrown production from the new Derby Theatre is Lee Hall's  Cooking With Elvis, and Steve talks to director Mark Babych and actor Jack Lord about the production. Babych, who was artistic director of the Octagon Theatre in Bolton for ten years, also talks about his recently-announced appointment as artistic director of Hull Truck Theatre, a post he takes up immediately after finishing work on this production.

Sarah Brigham talks to BTG Midlands Editor Steve Orme about taking the reigns of Derby Theatre as its first artistic director since University of Derby took over the lease of the troubled former Derby Playhouse and succeeded in obtaining Arts Council funding for it in 2012. The first homegrown production from the new <a href="http://www.derbytheatre.co.uk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Derby Theatre</a> is Lee Hall's <a href="http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/cooking-with-el-derby-theatre-8791" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Cooking With Elvis</a>, and Steve talks to director Mark Babych and actor Jack Lord about the production. Babych, who was artistic director of the <a href="http://www.octagonbolton.co.uk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Octagon Theatre</a> in Bolton for ten years, also talks about his recently-announced appointment as artistic director of <a href="http://www.hulltruck.co.uk" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Hull Truck Theatre</a>, a post he takes up immediately after finishing work on this production.

Sarah Brigham on taking over at Derby Theatre and director Mark Babych and actor Jack Lord on its first production