Liz Ranken

Last updated

Liz Ranken
Born
Elizabeth Ranken
NationalityBritish
Alma mater London University
Occupations
  • Choreographer
  • painter

Elizabeth Ranken is a British choreographer, performer, director, movement director and artist. She is an Associate Artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) [1] and was a lead performer with DV8 Physical Theatre. Her work encompasses opera, theatre, physical theatre, dance, television, film and art.

Contents

Early years

Ranken initially read biology and holds a BSc from London University. She later qualified as a speech therapist from Central School of Speech and Drama before moving to Laban Dance Centre to train in choreography and performance.

Career

On leaving Laban Dance Centre, Ranken was invited by Jacob Marley to set up Company of Cracks, which was a cross over between dance and performance art. In the early '80s, Ranken met Angus Farquhar and became a member of the industrial music group Test Dept. [2]

In 1986, Ranken was invited by Lloyd Newson to join DV8 Physical Theatre as a deviser and performer. [3] She became an Artist in Residence at the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA, Glasgow) creating her own work.

In 1992 Ranken began a collaboration with Shared Experience, working with Helen Edmundson and becoming an Associate Artist for the company. In 1993 Ranken won the Edinburgh Evening News Capital Award for directing, devising and performing 'Funk Off Green' at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Ranken was invited by Michael Attenborough to work as Movement Director at the RSC, ultimately becoming an Associate Artist with the company. [1] She has an ongoing association with Michael Boyd, who later became Artistic Director at the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Ranken began painting in 2011 with a painting of Michael Boyd, which is currently in the collection at the RSC. [4]

In 2015, she made her debut as a choreographer in opera with L'Orfeo for the Royal Opera House. [5]

Theatre

Credits as Movement Director:

YearTitleProductionNotes
1991Anna Karenina Shared Experience directed by Nancy Meckler, revived 1993 & 1998 [6]
1992The Changeling by Thomas Middleton Royal Shakespeare Company directed by Michael Attenborough [7]
1993Mill on the Floss Shared Experience directed by Nancy Meckler and Polly Teale, revived 1995 & 2001 [6]
1995Richard III by William Shakespeare Royal Shakespeare Company directed by Steven Pimlott [8]
1996War and Peace Shared Experience and Royal National Theatre directed by Nancy Meckler and Polly Teale, revived 2008 [6]
1996As You Like It by William Shakespeare Royal Shakespeare Company directed by Steven Pimlott [9]
1996Jane Eyre Shared Experience directed by Polly Teale, revived 2006 [6]
1997The Tempest Shared Experience directed by Nancy Meckler [6]
1998Troilus and Cressida by William Shakespeare Royal Shakespeare Company directed by Michael Boyd [10]
1998The House of Bernarda Alba Shared Experience directed by Polly Teale [6]
1998Arabian Nights Young Vic (1998)and Royal Shakespeare Company (2009)directed by Dominic Cooke [11]
1999A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare Royal Shakespeare Company directed by Michael Boyd, transferred to Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) [12]
1999Mother Courage and her Children Shared Experience directed by Nancy Meckler [6]
2000Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare Royal Shakespeare Company directed by Michael Boyd [13]
2000Henry VI by William Shakespeare Royal Shakespeare Company and The Roundhouse directed by Michael Boyd [14]
2000Henry VI: Part II by William Shakespeare Royal Shakespeare Company and The Roundhouse directed by Michael Boyd, revived 2006 [15]
2000Henry VI: The Battle for the Throne by William Shakespeare Royal Shakespeare Company and The Roundhouse directed by Michael Boyd, revived 2006 [16]
2001Richard III by William Shakespeare Royal Shakespeare Company and The Roundhouse directed by Michael Boyd, revived 2006 [17]
2002The Magic Toyshop Shared Experience directed by Polly Teale [6]
2002The Malcontent by John Marston Royal Shakespeare Company directed by Dominic Cooke [18]
2002The Tempest by William Shakespeare Royal Shakespeare Company directed by Michael Boyd [19]
2003A Passage to India Shared Experience directed by Nancy Meckler [6]
2003Cymbeline by William Shakespeare Royal Shakespeare Company directed by Dominic Cooke [20]
2003A Doll's House Shared Experience directed Polly Teale [6]
2004Gone to Earth Shared Experience directed Nancy Meckler [6]
2004Macbeth by William Shakespeare Royal Shakespeare Company directed by Dominic Cooke [21]
2004House of Desires Royal Shakespeare Company directed by Nancy Meckler [22]
2004Hamlet Royal Shakespeare Company directed by Michael Boyd [23]
2005Brontë Shared Experience directed Nancy Meckler, revived 2010 & 2011 [6]
2005Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare Royal Shakespeare Company directed by Michael Boyd [24]
2005The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare Royal Shakespeare Company directed by Nancy Meckler [25]
2005As You Like It by William Shakespeare Royal Shakespeare Company directed by Dominic Cooke [26]
2006Orestes Shared Experience directed Nancy Meckler [6]
2006The Crucible by Arthur Miller Royal Shakespeare Company directed by Dominic Cooke [27]
2006Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare Royal Shakespeare Company directed by Nancy Meckler [28]
2006Pericles by William Shakespeare Royal Shakespeare Company directed by Dominic Cooke [29]
2006The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare Royal Shakespeare Company directed by Dominic Cooke [30]
2007Kindertransport Shared Experience directed by Polly Teale [6]
2007Richard II Royal Shakespeare Company and The Roundhouse directed by Michael Boyd [31]
2007Henry IV Royal Shakespeare Company and The Roundhouse directed by Michael Boyd [32]
2007Henry IV: Part II Royal Shakespeare Company and The Roundhouse directed by Michael Boyd [33]
2007Noughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman Royal Shakespeare Company directed by Dominic Cooke [34]
2008Mine Shared Experience directed by Polly Teale [35]
2008The Dance of DeathShaftesbury Theatredirected by Sean Matthias
2009The Caucasian Chalk Circle Shared Experience directed by Nancy Meckler [36]
2010The Glass Menagerie Shared Experience directed by Polly Teale [37]
2011Speechless Shared Experience directed by Polly Teale [38]
2000Fireface Royal Court Theatre (2000) Young Vic (2012)directed by Dominic Cooke [39]
2012Mary Shelley Shared Experience directed by Polly Teale [40]
2013All's Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare Royal Shakespeare Company directed by Nancy Meckler [41]
2013Bracken Moor Shared Experience directed by Polly Teale [42]
2015Mermaid Shared Experience directed by Polly Teale [43]
2018 Tamburlaine by Christopher Marlowe Royal Shakespeare Companydirected by Michael Boyd[ citation needed ] [44]
2021 The Normal Heart by Larry Kramer The National Theatredirected by Dominic Cooke [45]

Physical Theatre and Dance

Credits:

YearTitleProductionNotes
1987Deep End DV8 Physical Theatre conceived and directed by Lloyd Newson starring Nigel Charnock, Lloyd Newson, Michelle Richecoeur, Liz Ranken [46]
1987My Body, Your Body DV8 Physical Theatre conceived and directed by Lloyd Newson [47]

Opera

Credits as Choreographer and Movement Director:

YearOperaProductionNotes
2015Orfeo by Monteverdi Royal Opera House & The Roundhouse directed by Michael Boyd [5]
2016Eugene Onegin by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Garsington Opera directed by Michael Boyd, starring Roderick Williams and Brindley Sherratt. [48] [49]
2017 Pelléas et Mélisande by Claude Debussy Garsington Opera directed by Michael Boyd [50] [51]
2017 The Cunning Little Vixen by Leoš Janáček Byre Operadirected by PJ Harris [52]
2021Eugene Onegin by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Garsington Opera directed by Michael Boyd [53]

Film work

Ranken has appeared in the following films:

Ranken was the choreographer for:

Awards

Paintings

2011: Ranken's portrait of Michael Boyd was taken into the Royal Shakespeare Company Portrait collection.

2013: Ranken's painting, entitled Held in Infinity, was taken into the Heinz Archive and Library at The National Portrait Gallery.

Other

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