Playwright and director Isobel McArthur takes a break from rehearsals for The Fair Maid of the West to meet up with fellow Scottish playwright Gary McNair for a chat about breaking into the industry and dealing with unexpected success. Each week we bring together current Royal Shakespeare Company actors with RSC artists who have inspired them. This…

Just as rehearsals were getting underway for our 2024 production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, its director Eleanor Rhode and illusion director John Bulleid caught up to whisper about all the magic going on both on and offstage. Each week we bring together current Royal Shakespeare Company actors with artists who have inspired them. This episode ma…

Fresh from her role as a witch in Macbeth, actor Amber Sylvia Edwards chats to RSC Associate Artist Greg Hicks about his 50-year career in theatre. Greg shares memories of his mentor Peter Hall, divulges which global superstar is one of the biggest backstage pranksters and admits the embarrassing story that led to him missing his debut with the RSC…

Actor Anyebe Godwin meets film, stage and television actor Cleo Sylvestre. Cleo talks about breaking down boundaries by becoming the first black actress with a permanent role on a British television soap in the original series of Crossroads, collaborating with The Rolling Stones in the ‘60s and the time that Laurence Olivier knocked on her dressing…

Actor and RSC Associate Artist Alexandra Gilbraith talks to Adam Bambrough, founder of Wellbeing in the Arts, an organisation dedicated to providing mental health and wellbeing support for creatives and artists in the entertainment industry. They talk about mental health in the theatre industry, stage fright itself as well as their own experiences …

Actor and writer Charlie Josephine talks to Chris Sonnex, Artistic Director of Cardboard Citizens. They talk about “theatre and about class and about identity and about passion”, including making theatre for and about people that have lived experience of homelessness, poverty and inequity. Cardboard Citizens creates theatre and art with and for peo…

Actor and learning facilitator Ibrahim Toure talks to Philip J Morris – theatre director and Artistic Director of Trybe House Theatre about their own first encounters with Shakespeare and how they make those first encounters for young people. Philip explains how, “I had a bit of a complex of not feeling like I saw enough people that looked like me …

Director, environmental consultant and activist Elizabeth Freestone who directed The Tempest for the RSC in early 2023 talks to Liz Bentley, Chief Executive of the Royal Meteorological Society. They talk about the climate crisis and the place of theatre and the arts within that, as well as the mini ice age that happened in Shakespeare’s lifetime. E…

Director Erica Whyman talks to novelist Maggie O’Farrell, author of Hamnet which was recently adapted for the Stratford and London stages and directed by Erica. They talk about Hamnet – the novel and the process of putting it on stage, as well as Hamlet and about autobiography in fiction, including the part Shakespeare’s son, Hamnet, plays in his w…

Director Atri Banerjee chats to Actor Lucy Ellinson about noisy snacks, theatre activism and playing Puck. Lucy talks about beginning her career: "I was out there is the world and quite lost, if I'm honest. So I'm not a trained actor and I didn't have very much confidence and to be honest not much of a clue about how to begin a career at all." Each…

Playwright and TV writer Nina Segal meets writer, director and performer Tim Crouch and they talk about intervals, honey and mango margaritas, going rogue, and having an "accidental" career as a writer. Tim says: "I keep carving into a block of stone and find new things in it. It's still the same block of stone. The plays, when they come, they're v…

Actor Minnie Gale meets fellow actor Pippa Nixon and they talk about how the theatre industry is beginning to change so that women and men can continue working when they've become parents. Pippa talks about her experiences of performing in The Importance of Being Earnest and breastfeeding a newborn, and Minnie reflects of her journey playing Margar…

It’s the final episode of the series and Sachin is very much going out with a bang given he’s joined by brilliant author, scriptwriter and podcaster John O’Farrell for a chat about Fulham. John is at his engaging best as he reflects on following a club that boasts many well-known supporters. In part that is down to Fulham’s rather nice location but…

Actor Thom Petty talks to actor, writer and director Prasanna Puwanarajah. Both Thom and Prasanna came to acting after a career in the NHS (National Health Service) as doctors. They talk about playing doctors onstage and portraying the reality of life in the medical world, about going from medical school to drama school and beyond, and about using …

Theatre director Tinuke Craig meets RSC director Aaron Parsons to explain what is similar about directing a Sarah Kane play about trauma and a pantomime. Tinuke talks about what drives her as a director, how she decides which are the stories she wants to tell and some of the barriers she faced on her way to becoming a director. Each week we bring t…

Hallo alle. Yes, that's right, it's time for Sachin to type a greeting into Google Translate and copy and paste the German version into these episode notes as a way of introducing his chat with the award-winning author and journalist Uli Hesse about being a Borussia Dortmund fan. Uli is a hugely respected and revered voice on German football and fr…

Sound designer Claire Windsor chats to to MOBO Award nominated musician and composer Femi Temowo about his musical journey, from first picking up a guitar at age 19. Femi composed the music for the RSC's 2022 production of Much Ado About Nothing. He explains why theatre is like Power Rangers and shares his guilty pleasure in music. Each week we bri…

Mark Quartley, who is currently playing Henry VI in the RSC’s productions of Henry VI: Rebellion and Wars of the Roses, speaks to stage and screen star David Tennant about auditioning for drama school as a 16-year-old from Paisley, how it feels when you forget the lines on stage and imposter syndrome. They cover why David likes playing characters b…

Reading Football Club. Discuss. It’s not the easiest of tasks given their lack of notable history and success. But do not fear because the brilliant comedian Anthony Richardson is here to give the lowdown on life as a Royal. Anthony is best know for being one half of The Exploding Heads, the internet-based comedy act he and the equally brilliant Ma…

After a bit of a mid-season break FANS is back, and what a return it is as Sachin is joined by brilliant Talksport journalist Natasha Everitt for a chat about Charlton Athletic and the excellent Her Game Too campaign. Quite simply, Natasha was born to support Charlton, which she explains via possibly the greatest origin story in FANS history. It’s …

The Asian fan experience: it’s not something much is known about or which is often spoke about but, for obvious reasons, is close to Sachin’s heart, and this episode is a chance for him to give it some much-needed attention with the help of the brilliant Sanjay Bhandari. Sanjay is chair of English football’s anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out …

It was inevitable Sachin would do another episode on Liverpool and here it is, and yet again he is joined by an excellent Red to talk about the Reds. First it was Kevin Sampson; now James Pearce. James has been a much trusted and respected voice on Liverpool for more than a decade now, first in his role as the Echo's LFC reporter and, since 2019, a…

And it’s LIVE! Yes, that’s right, it’s a rare face-to-face episode of FANS as Sachin is joined by comedian Elliot Steel at the Westow House Pub & Hotel in south London for a chat about Crystal Palace. Westow House makes for an excellent setting for what proves to be an excellent chat about the Eagles - a club located not far from where Sachin and E…

It’s back! Yes, that’s right, the start of a new series of FANS is here, and what a start it is as Sachin is joined by the brilliant BBC commentator Steve Wilson for a chat about Tranmere Rovers. Steve is in typically articulate and engaging form as he discusses the club he was born to support having grown up in the shadow of Prenton Park – Tranmer…

Listen to Renu Arora, who plays Madame LeVaughn in The Magician’s Elephant, in conversation with Deaf writer and performer Sophie Woolley. Both Renu and Sophie are artists who have needed to adapt their practices following acquiring disabilities. They touch on Sophie’s past work, their experiences of the theatre industry, how their work has changed…

“I just like pretending at dressing up.” RSC Associate Artist David Threlfall speaks to Zoe Lambert, who can also currently be seen in The Comedy of Errors at the Barbican. They talk about David’s theatre career, from starting out at the RSC, to playing Tommy Cooper and Frank Gallagher in Shameless. Zoe asks David where the character of Frank came …

“I always feel like a book is never done until it is in the hands of a reader that I do not know. And then and then we make a community of two.” Children’s author Kate DiCamillo talks to playwright Nancy Harris about her inspiration – the “divine spark” that grew into The Magician’s Elephant and how gifting a notebook to a friend led her to create …

“We are artists, we are mischief makers, we are magic makers.” Actor Alfred Clay, currently performing in The Comedy of Errors at the Barbican, talks to stage and screen actor Lucian Msamati. Lucian describes how it felt to see live theatre for the first time, growing up in Zimbabwe and founding the first professional multi-racial theatre company i…

It’s the final episode of the series and Sachin is well and truly going out with a bang given he’s joined for a chat about Brentford by the brilliant broadcaster and podcaster, Natalie Sawyer. Natalie is as engaging as she is eloquent and those traits are fully on show as she talks about the club she’s adored ever since a childhood trip to Brentfor…

Trophies, what are they good for? Absolutely nothing. Well, not quite, but they’re certainly not the be-all and end-all of being a Tottenham fan as far as Leon Mann is concerned. Leon is a broadcaster, film maker, campaigner and, as Sachin knows from personal experience, a truly lovely person, and he speaks with typical intelligence and warmth abou…

Reply. Retweet. Like. Mute. Block. Yes, that’s right, it’s time to talk Twitter. It’s the social media platform most people cannot stand but are also addicted to, with Sachin very much in that camp. He loves/hates Twitter and is joined by two cracking guests to discuss this most twisted of online relationships - podcaster Laura Kirk and deputy edit…

Middlesbrough may not feel like a club that has a rich and interesting history but it absolutely does, and few people have a better grasp of that than the Football Association’s former director of communications, Adrian Bevington. After a quick chat about Sven-Göran Eriksson (naturally), Adrian speaks with clarity and passion about what it’s been l…

This episode is brought to you by Sergio Georgini. Yes, that’s right, it’s time to talk about the Swindon (Town) lot. Sachin is joined by sports writer and funny man on Twitter, Declan Taylor, for a discussion about a club that is in perpetual crisis. Or at least that’s been the case for the 25 years or so Declan has supported Swindon and he does a…

Stick on your best pair of jeans, have a bevvie and get your rocks off to this banger of an episode as Sachin is joined by Reverend and the Makers frontman, Jon McClure, for a chat about Sheffield Wednesday. What a band Reverend and the Makers are and what a musician Jon is – a high-energy performer who has written some of the best British tunes of…

It's a case of friends reunited as Sachin is joined by his pal – and brilliant podcaster – Ash Rose for a chat about Queens Park Rangers. Ash is host of the 'original' 90s football podcast, Alive and Kicking, and, as such, it's no surprise this episode opens with a discussion about the decade when football was at its best. Well, that's certainly wh…

It’s back! Yes, that’s right, the start of a new series of FANS is here, and what a start it is as Sachin is joined by BBC journalist Neil Henderson to talk all things Manchester City. Neil is best known for being part of a team of BBC journalists who tweet the front and back pages of the national newspapers every evening and, perhaps not surprisin…

It's the final episode of the series and Sachin is well and truly going out with a bang given he is joined by two brilliant podcasters to talk US football fandom; host of the Arsenal Vision podcast, Elliot Smith, and contributor - and host - of the Blue Room podcast, Rob Vera. Elliot and Rob are in typically fascinating, forthright and funny form a…

In the last episode of the series, Avita Jay talks to fellow actor Adjoa Andoh. They talk about Shakespeare, casting, fairness and why theatre and creativity matter. Adjoa is currently best known for her role as Lady Danbury in Netflix’s original series Bridgerton, but has appeared in multiple TV series, including Silent Witness, Death in Paradise,…

It’s a very different and very important episode of FANS as Sachin is joined by Football Supporters’ Association caseworker Amanda Jacks for a discussion about the treatment of match-going fans by police and stewards. This is a subject Sachin has wanted to cover for a while and he does so with the absolutely ideal person given this has been Amanda’…

Actor Kemi-Bo Jacobs meets Juliet Gilkes Romero, who won the prestigious Alfred Fagon Best Play Award for The Whip in 2020. Over a glass of her favourite red wine, Juliet talks about slavery, storytelling and knowing her characters. Each week we bring together current Royal Shakespeare Company actors with RSC artists who have inspired them. Interva…

Hal Chambers (Assistant Director for the RSC's The Comedy of Errors) interviews Unicorn Theatre Artistic Director Justin Audibert. They talk about theatre for young people, how they would change UK theatre for the better and which of Shakespeare's characters Justin would like to meet for an interval drink. Justin has directed plays for the RSC and …

What’s it like to support a club that has experienced the highs of league titles and European glory as well as the lows of relegation and 9-0 tonkings by Manchester United? To find out you’d need to ask an Ipswich Town fan, and there are few more engaging and entertaining than comedian and writer, Tony Cowards. Tony’s love for Ipswich was sparked i…

Actor Bea Webster interviews actor Charlotte Arrowsmith in the RSC's first vodcast. Charlotte became the first Deaf actor to understudy for a principal hearing actor in 2019, stepping in as ‘Vincentia’ in The Taming of the Shrew. She is also an RSC Associate Artist. In the RSC's first vodcast, Bea interviews Charlotte in British Sign Language, with…

Actor Greg Haiste meets Olivier-nominated British Iranian actor Paul Chahidi. On screen, Paul has a recurring role as a vicar in BBC comedy series This Country. He also played defence minister Nikolai Bulganin in Armando Ianucci’s historical comedy The Death of Stalin. Paul has played numerous roles at the RSC and is a Royal Shakespeare Company Ass…

It's the episode Sachin has been dreading but knew he'd eventually have to do - yes, that's right, it's time for a full-on chat about Manchester United. Fortunately for this podcast's Liverpool-supporting host, he is joined by a wonderful guest to do just that - TalkSport presenter Andy Goldstein. Andy is at his warm and funny best as he reflects o…

Actor and comedian Miles Jupp talks to composer/lyricist, musician, comedian, actor, writer, producer and director Tim Minchin, who wrote the music and lyrics for Matilda The Musical. They share an interval drink and talk about music, ideas, writing Matilda, performing comedy all over the world and keeping your emotions close to the surface. Each w…

Actor Mogali Masuku meets actor, playwright, and political activist Dr John Kani, who wrote and performed in Kunene and the King in 2019, and co-wrote Tony Award-winning plays Sizwe Banzi is Dead and The Island. John talks about growing up in South Africa, translating Shakespeare into Xhosa language and the moment he knew that acting is what he was…

It's a special episode of FANS as Sachin is joined by TWO guests to talk about Sunderland, and really they're a lot more than that - father and daughter and key figures in one of the greatest periods in the club's history. Well, one of them is ... Malcolm Crosby's story is a brilliant one - the lifelong Sunderland supporter who suddenly found himse…

Join us for a G&T or your interval tipple of choice as our first in-house podcast series brings together our current actors with RSC artists who have inspired them. Interval Drinks is sponsored by Darwin Escapes. The music is ‘Oberon’s Theme – King of Shadows’, originally composed by Sam Kenyon for A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2016).…

Given the drama and success that has come to define Chelsea in recent decades it was inevitable Sachin would dedicate an episode to the club, and here it is - a chat about the Blues with that most brilliant of guests, David Baddiel. David, of course, is the man who alongside Frank Skinner played a big part in the 90s being such an amazing decade, f…