Mary Swan, Artistic Director & Chief Executive of Proteus Theatre Company, explains her career so far.
Artistic Director and Chief Executive, Proteus Theatre Company and Proteus Creation Space (2004 – present)
I still feel like I’ve been in this job for 18 months, which is perhaps why this has been the longest I’ve stayed at an organisation. Proteus has been an incredible challenge – taking the company from regional to national to international touring and moving into our new space has seen us evolve from producers of theatre and participatory work to gallery curators, café owners and studio programmers. I think I’m most proud, though, of the way Ross Harvie, our Associate Director, and I have developed the company’s community work, firmly entrenching it in every aspect of Proteus – not just an ‘add-on’ when funding is available.
Associate Director, New Wolsey Theatre (2000 – 2004)
I was part of an incredibly small team (single figures) that came into the Wolsey after two years of closure to help re-start the heart of this great theatre. I worked closely with the Chief Executive Sarah Holmes who gave me the opportunity to programme new work and children’s theatre in the main house. I also was the first Director of the Pulse Festival and not only named it (yes, blame me!) but also developed the ethos of the festival – supporting new and emerging artists to show and develop their work in a mid-scale setting.
Associate Director, Solent People’s Theatre (1997 – 2000)
I was at Solent People’s Theatre under the Artistic Directorship of Mollie Guilfoyle and the company thrived on a unique mixture of edgy new writing and impossibly large and complex community projects. I’m sad that the role of Associate Director is disappearing from the industry – to sit at the feet of an Artistic Director in his or her prime and absorb all those techniques and subtleties of the rehearsal room is absolutely vital in a Director’s career.
Artistic Director, Fortnight Productions and Actor, various companies (1990 – 1996)
I started my own company whilst at University and took my final year degree show to Southside at the Edinburgh Fringe in 1991. This began a love affair with the brilliance and brutality of the Edinburgh experience. I spent 18 months starving in London, acting occasionally and supplementing the rent by working on cosmetic counters for Estée Lauder. I did, however, play Lady Macbeth in a touring production which was my dearest ambition as an actress.
Youth Theatre Director, Ashcroft Arts Centre, and Lecturer in Drama, Fareham College (1992 – 1995)
Although I’m from South London originally, my parents moved to Hampshire whilst I was at University and on graduating penniless, I moved there. I decided to call local arts centres and ‘Ashcroft’ was the first listed in the Yellow Pages. The Director, Steve Rowley, gave me a job running a youth theatre group, and within a year I was running five. Youth Theatre is the finest training there is – pilots need ‘flying time’, actors and directors need ‘stage time’, and while I was there I was able to train up a young ensemble to produce diverse texts, and I also devised shows.
Mary Swan is Artistic Director and Chief Executive at Proteus Theatre Company and Proteus Creation Space.
www.proteustheatre.com