Matt Wilde: 'Be brave, be bold'

How did you start off in theatre? 

I began acting in youth theatre groups in Liverpool before formally training as an actor at Bretton Hall College (University of Leeds) and then RADA. I then moved into directing, which was developed on an Arts Council assistant director bursary with Out of Joint Theatre Company and then further at the National Theatre.

What led to your move into teaching?

As a freelance director, I was always interested in spending some of my time directing and teaching in drama schools. Both my parents were teachers and so is my brother, so this desire to develop, inspire and educate is embedded in me. The joy of making original discoveries with engaged, early-career actors is so exciting. I consciously made it part of my practice to work in drama schools. When the opportunity arose to step into that environment more permanently (at Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts), the shift was natural and appealing.

What is the best piece of advice you have for drama students and graduates?

We find out what it is by knowing what it isn’t. That storytelling is an act of communion made with others for others. Always be generous and open-hearted in mind, body and soul. Be brave, be bold. 

Who are the arts practitioners you admire the most and why?

I love the work of immersive company Punchdrunk, which tells narratives in the most innovative and disruptive ways. I’m a fan of German director Thomas Ostermeier, who often cracks open classic plays and reinterprets them in an original, imaginative fashion. I admire the playwriting of Chris Bush, who shapes stories, characters and dialogue of immense authenticity, heart and depth that move and provoke me in so many ways.

What is the one skill every successful theatre professional should have?

The ability to decipher a director’s notes written in a dark theatre while watching a dress rehearsal.