Kate Saxon

Kate Saxon is a British freelance theatre director who lives in London. She is Associate Director of Shared Experience Theatre [ [http://www.sharedexperience.org.uk/comp2.asp?levone=5&levtwo=44 Shared Experience Theatre ] ] and of English Touring Theatre [http://www.ett.org.uk/] .

Theatre

Kate Saxon's productions include the premiere of The French Lieutenant's Woman (UK tour 2006); Hysteria and Humble Boy [ [http://northcott-theatre.co.uk/shows/humbleboy.html Exeter Northcott ] ] (The Northcott); Clearing the Colours and Caution Trousers (Stephen Joseph Theatre) and Still/Life (Theatre Royal, Plymouth).

For the Orange Tree Theatre's Susan Glaspell season she staged the first revival of Glaspell's 1922 comedy "Chains of Dew" in March 2008 [http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/chainsdew-rev.htm] .

Kate is currently directing Mark Healy's adaptation of Hardy's Far From the Madding Crowd, for English Touring Theatre [http://www.ett.org.uk/] . It is touring this Autumn.

International Theatre

International productions include "Nine Parts of Desire", at The Public, New York and later at The Wilma, Philadelphia. At The Wilma, the production was the winner of 2 Barrymore Awards. Also the world premiere production of "The French Lieutenant’s Woman" (Fulton Opera House, USA).

Kate was Associate Director of the West End run and the international tour of Polly Teale's "After Mrs. Rochester", which received the following awards: Time Out Live Award 2004 for Best Production in the West End [ [http://www.sharedexperience.org.uk/comp2.asp?levtwo=24 Shared Experience Theatre ] ] and Best Direction 2003 Evening Standard Theatre Awards [ [http://www.sharedexperience.org.uk/comp2.asp?levtwo=24 Shared Experience Theatre ] ] .

Kate has developed new writing & directed rehearsed readings for various theatres. Notably, Kate was responsible for script development and dramaturgy on "Nine Parts of Desire" for Heather Raffo, which became a huge US success, touring nationally and winning several awards.

Theatre Reviews

Far from the Madding Crowd"(4 stars out of 5) Far from the Madding Crowd brought Thomas Hardy major success as a writer, and gave us capricious, ballsy Bathsheba Everdene, his first great heroine. But for theatrical treatment, the novel poses several challenges. No matter how strikingly modern Everdene remains, this is a lengthy novel with a warm-hearted depiction of rural life that makes The Archers look downright edgy. It also features scenes (raging fires; farm-ruining storms; sheep potentially fatally bloated on clover) that are tricky to realise on stage. Cut through these and focus on Hardy's storytelling, as English Touring Theatre does here under Kate Saxon's direction, and you have a dynamic drama on universal themes." [http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2008/sep/18/theatre4] * Elisabeth Mahoney,The Guardian,Thursday September 18 2008

Far from the Madding Crowd"… four hundred pages of drama, desire and despair were woven together in a fabulous new production by English Touring Theatre. Successfully adapted by Mark Healy and directed by Kate Saxon … Eerily atmospheric, played out on a striking, skeletal set and beautifully lit, the performance was confident and daring, with highly enjoyable dramatic confrontations…." [http://www.peoplesrepublicofsouthdevon.co.uk/2008/09/12/far-from-the-madding-crowd-theatre-review/] Natasha Kuler-von-der-Luhe, The People's Republic of South Devon, 12th September 2008

Far from the Madding Crowd"Under Kate Saxon’s careful direction, the production has been astutely cast." [http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/21789/far-from-the-madding-crowd] The Stage, Wed. 17th September 2008

Chains of Dew"Kate Saxon directs the play with tremendous panache". Billington, The Guardian, March 17, 2008 [ [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/theatre/drama/reviews/story/0,,2265972,00.html Chains of Dew | Theatre story | guardian.co.uk Arts ] ]

Chains of Dew" Kate Saxon's captivating revival of this unpublished play reveals Glaspell's gift for trenchant and delightful comedy."Paul Taylor, The Independent, Friday, 21 March 2008 [ [http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre/reviews/chains-of-dew-orange-tree-theatre-london-798916.html Chains of Dew, Orange Tree Theatre, London - Reviews, Theatre - The Independent ] ]

Chains of Dew"Under Kate Saxon’s direction the ensemble cast play the conversational comedy sharply, and there are some great visual details, from Nora’s ‘excess family exhibit’ to the sight of Seymore’s desk besieged by boxes of diaphragms." Bella Todd, 17 March 2008, Time Out [ [http://www.timeout.com/london/theatre/events/688279/chains_of_dew.html Chains of Dew at Orange Tree Theatre - Off-West End - Theatre - Time Out London ] ]

La Boheme"Phyllida Lloyd's production … now revived by Kate Saxon, forcefully desentimentalises the work, setting it in a faceless metropolis … Lloyd and Saxon explore the emotional and sexual freedom that counters this grimness with great tenderness, though the results are not for purists." The Guardian, January 28, 2002

Video Game Direction

Recent game productions include voice production for the popular MMO (FUNCOM) [ [http://www.ageofconan.com/wsp/conan/frontend.cgi?func=frontend.show&template=main ] ] . [ [http://www.sideuk.com/games/news/item/25 side uk ltd, voice casting, recording studios, localization, multimedia sound, london, uk ] ] For Heavenly Sword (Ninja Theory), Kate directed all the lead level and AI dialogue and was Lead voice director on FABLE 2 (Lionhead). Kate has provided both MoCap and voiceover direction for Killzone 2 (Sony). She has also directed (script review and directing) [ [http://imdb.com/name/nm2145555/ Kate Saxon (II) ] ] and for (LucasArts) Kate was tasked with sourcing actors for physical & vocal performance as well as facial likeness.

Game reviews

Fable II"The voice acting is peerless, the dialogue pithy and sarcastic, every character feels believe. Within minutes, Fable II had us in its grasp…" 2008 360 Magazine

Age of Conan:Hyborian Adventures"The voice acting in the first 20 levels is great, and the musical score is impressive." [http://pc.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r26352.htm]

"The voice acting is very good in Age of Conan. For the first 20 levels, every NPC is fully voiced which really brings the world to life." [http://www.brighthub.com/video-games/pc/reviews/5061.aspx]

"During your time in Tortage, the initial lower-level city, missions are bestowed with in-engine scenes and full voice acting, which draw you into the world and weave narrative threads that continue even after you've left the pirate port for the wild beyond...The voice acting, though limited mostly to the first 20 levels, is equally excellent. " [http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/ageofconanhyborianadventures/review.html]

Dragon Quest: Journey of the Cursed King"From the engaging script to bold choice of western voice actors........there's not a sound you hear from game start to game end that dips below brilliance." 2006 Edge Award - Best Audio Design [ [http://www.edge-online.co.uk/archives/2006/12/final_fantasy_x.php Final Fantasy XII is Edge's game of the year - Edge Online ] ]

References

*Theatre Record and its annual Indexes