Who is Feargus Woods Dunlop's hostess with the mostest – and who does he think oozes theatricality? The writer and producer shares his five career gurus.
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Feargus Woods Dunlop
If it wasn’t for Lee Lyford I would not be pursuing a career in theatre. I’m not entirely certain I’ve forgiven him for that. Lee was the director of Theatre Royal Bath’s Young People’s Theatre (now TRB Theatre School) which I joined at the age of 13 as part of my parents’ cunning plan to make me friends (I was not a popular child at school). That decision changed my life – I made friends I still have to this day, but arguably more importantly I saw Lee’s passion for theatre and dedication for putting joy and heart at the centre of the work. Lee has a sense of what an audience wants to see and does not shy away from serving that up to them.
He encouraged me not to move to London post-training, but to stay in the South West and continue creating my own shows. His beautiful work directing New Old Friends’ The Falcon’s Malteser by Anthony Horowitz in 2014 opened up so many doors for the company. His subsequent success (now Artistic Director at Theatr Iolo) is no surprise: he is truly inspirational.
