Sadie Pearson: 'The more work you put on, the more opportunities come your way'

I am incredibly fortunate that while studying at the University of Bristol I met Hen Ryan, an exceptional young director. Together we co-founded Full Frontal Theatre in late 2023 to bring my writing and Hen’s directing to stages beyond our university’s walls, as we didn’t want to have to wait for opportunities. Bringing on Grace Shropshire as our producer, we had all we needed to get going and it has been non-stop ever since.

Our debut play was To Watch a Man Eat, a dark comedy and class satire exploring the appetites of our elite and the lengths we will go to for a stable future. Our first production was at the Alma Tavern, Bristol. We got ourselves a great review from Backstage Bristol, then Grace applied for and won us a slot at the Shakespeare North Playhouse’s Heading North Fringe Festival. For this performance we received a hat-trick of five-star reviews and were then ready to tackle the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Our Edinburgh run went really well, selling out shows, and off the back of that, we got ourselves a London transfer to the Old Red Lion, where we closed the curtains on To Watch a Man Eat.

For our next play, I received the runner-up Theatre Prize from the Alpine Fellowship and I’m incredibly excited to see the project coming into shape with Hen – we’re currently in rehearsals for a run at the Lion and Unicorn Theatre, London. The play is called Rodney Black: Who Cares? It’s Working, and it is a dark drama about a stand-up comedian – not a comedy, rather an interrogation of it.

If we were to do all this again, Hen and I both agree that the one thing we’d change is we’d do it sooner. The more work you put on, the more opportunities come your way and then you’re more able to find your audience. We’ve done all this in less than a year and have worked like dogs. So, start as soon as you can and, if you’re sick of waiting for other people to offer you opportunities, then make them yourself. Your network of peers, friends and fellow creatives is valuable – use it.

CV Sadie Pearson

Age 22
Training The University of Bristol, Theatre with Innovation
Theatre includes Writer/co-director, To Watch a Man Eat, various venues (2024); writer, Rodney Black: Who Cares? It’s Working, the Lion and Unicorn, London (2024

Rodney Black: Who Cares? It’s Working is at the Lion and Unicorn Theatre, London from December 17-21