Mike Alfreds

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Michael Alfreds (born 5 June 1934) is an English theatre director, adaptor, translator and teacher.

Contents

Biography

Michael Alfreds was born in London in 1934 and trained as a director at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

He lived in the United States for eight years (1954–1962), during which time he worked for MGM Studios in Hollywood, was artistic director of Theatre West, Tucson, and then of the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. For five years he worked in Israel (1970–1975), where he became the artistic director of the Jerusalem Khan Theatre and contributed immensely to its development.

In the UK, Alfreds founded Shared Experience in 1975 and ran it for thirteen years. He worked as a director at the Royal National Theatre between 1985 and 1988, and was an associate and artistic director of the Cambridge Theatre Company, later renamed Method and Madness, from 1991 to 1999. He has directed for Shakespeare's Globe, Royal Shakespeare Company, and for several regional repertory theatres.

As well as the USA and Israel, Alfreds has worked in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Norway, France, Italy, Mongolia and China. He has staged over two hundred productions, and won awards both internationally and in the UK. He has translated the texts of several of his productions and has also specialised in the adaptation of novels and stories for the stage and has developed techniques for storytelling in the theatre.

Alfreds has written three books on his working methods: Different Every Night, which deals with his rehearsal processes for plays; Then What Happens, concerning his methods of working on adaptations; and What Actors Do, which is a philosophy of his process. He has divided his career between directing and teaching acting and directing. Alfreds is known for his special method of working with actors, inspired amongst others by the principles of Constantin Stanislavski and Rudolf Laban, with emphasis on physical work, scrupulous analysis of text, spontaneity and interaction with others during the play in minimalistic productions.

Teaching

Alfreds began teaching acting and directing at the London Opera Centre and taught at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) in London from 1965 to 1970. He later served as a senior lecturer in drama at the University of Tel Aviv from 1971 to 1973.

Alfreds has conducted workshops and masterclasses globally, including locations such as St Andrews, Melbourne, Wellington, and Beijing, covering various techniques such as storytelling, melodrama, and the methods of Chekhov and Stanislavski.

He has collaborated with theatre companies like the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre, and worked with the Shakespeare Festival Theatre in Canada and the Actors Studio in New York.

Alfreds has also taught dance and choreography workshops, contributing to theatre education through training courses and workshops for organisations worldwide.

Productions

YearProductionCompany / Theatre
1955 Hello From Bertha , WilliamsBrentwood Playhouse, Los Angeles
1956The Death of Manolete, Conrad adaptationBrentwood Playhouse, Los Angeles
1956 The Human Voice, CocteauBrentwood Playhouse, Los Angeles
1956One, Two, Three, MolnarBrentwood Playhouse, Los Angeles
1957The Epidemic, MirbeauCarnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh
1957The Tenor, WedekindCarnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh
1957The Understanding, AlfredsCarnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh
1957 Blithe Spirit, CowardCarnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh
1957The Beaux Arts Revue, Alfreds/CohenCarnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh
1957Keep An Eye On Amelie, FeydeauCarnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh
1958Montserrat, Robles/HellmanSummer Stock, Kennebunkport, Maine
1958 Guys and Dolls, LoesserCarnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh
1958 Kiss Me, Kate, PorterCarnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh
1958 La Perichole, OffenbachCarnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh
1958 Lakme, DelibesCarnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh
1958 The Secret Marriage, CimarsoaCarnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh
1958 The Land of Smiles, LeharCarnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh
1958 Gallantry, MooreCarnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh
1958 The Merry Wives of Windsor, NicolaiCarnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh
1959 Annie Get Your Gun, BerlinCarnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh
1959 Die Fledermaus, StraussCarnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh
1959 The Most Happy Fella, LoesserCarnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh
1959 The Merry Widow, LeharCarnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh
1959 Madama Butterfly, PucciniCarnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh
1960 Thieves' Carnival, AnouilhWinter Stock, Theatre West, Tucson, Arizona
1960 Enrico IV, PirandelloWinter Stock, Theatre West, Tucson, Arizona
1961 Volpone, Romains/Zweig/JonsonCincinnati Playhouse-In-The Park
1961 A View From the Bridge, MillerCincinnati Playhouse-In-The Park
1961 Under Milk Wood, ThomasCincinnati Playhouse-In-The Park
1961 The Seagull, ChekhovCincinnati Playhouse-In-The Park
1961 La Ronde, SchnitzlerCincinnati Playhouse-In-The Park
1961The Bald Soprano/The Chairs, IonescoCincinnati Playhouse-In-The Park
1962 Hedda Gabler, IbsenCincinnati Playhouse-In-The Park
1962 The Servant of Two Masters, GoldoniCincinnati Playhouse-In-The Park
1962 Heartbreak House , ShawCincinnati Playhouse-In-The Park
1962 No Exit, SartreCincinnati Playhouse-In-The Park
1962 The Lark, Anouilh/HellmanCincinnati Playhouse-In-The Park
1962Here Today, Gone Tomorrow, new play - ShapiroCincinnati Playhouse-In-The Park
1962 Hamlet, ShakespeareCincinnati Playhouse-In-The Park
1963Photo Finish, UstinovChurchill, Bromley
1963 Les Liaisons Dangereuses, LaclosFrinton/Cambridge Arts
1964 La Traviata, VerdiWelsh National Opera Tour
1964 Die Fledermaus, StraussOpera Players
1964 La Boheme, PucciniBritish Opera Company
1964 La Traviata, VerdiBritish Opera Company
1967Busybody, PopplewellMarlowe Theatre, Canterbury
1967Lady, Be Good, GershwinMarlowe Theatre, Canterbury
1968 The Government Inspector, GogolTheatre Royal, Lincoln
1968 A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, SondheimTheatre Royal, Lincoln
1968 A Day In The Death of Joe Egg, NicholsMarlowe Theatre, Canterbury
1968 The Servant of Two Masters, GoldoniMarlowe Theatre, Canterbury
1968 The Misanthrope, MoliereMarlowe Theatre, Canterbury
1968Dear Departed Mother In Law, FeydeauMarlowe Theatre, Canterbury
1969MarriageCameri Theatre, Tel Aviv, Israel
1970 Mandragola Haifa Theatre, Israel
1971 The House of Bernarda Alba, LorcaKhan Theatre, Jerusalem
1971Asses, from PlatusHaifa Theatre, Israel
1972 1001 Nights Tel Aviv
1972The Persian Protocols, devised from The Book of EstherKhan Theatre, Jerusalem
1972 Woyzeck, BuchnerKhan Theatre, Jerusalem
1973One City, devised documentary about JerusalemKhan Theatre, Jerusalem
1973Fumed Oak, Coward / The Music Cure ShawKhan Theatre, Jerusalem
1973The Proposal/The Jubilee, ChekhovKhan Theatre, Jerusalem
1973The Book of JonahIsraeli Television
1973Two Hassidic Tales, BuberIsraeli Television
1974 Offending The Audience, HandkeKhan Theatre, Jerusalem
1974 The Servant of Two Masters, GoldoniKhan Theatre, Jerusalem
1975 The Cherry Orchard , ChekhovKhan Theatre, Jerusalem
1975 - 1977Arabian Nights Trilogy, stories from the 10001 NightsShared Experience, (Crucible, Sheffield)
1977 - 1978 Bleak House , 4-part production of novel by DickensShared Experience
1978 - 1979Science Fictions, improvised clown showShared Experience
1979 Cymbeline , ShakespeareShared Experience
1981 The Merchant of Venice , ShakespeareShared Experience
1981 The Seagull , ChekhovShared Experience
1982 La Ronde, SchnitzlerShared Experience
1982 The Cherry Orchard , ChekhovShared Experience
1982A Handful of Dust, novel by Evelyn WaughShared Experience
1983Suitcase Packers, an Israeli play by Hanoch LevineCameri Theatre, Tel Aviv, Israel
1983Le Theatre des Nations, NancyShared Experience - Performed at the Edinburgh Fringe in 1985
1983The Comedy Without a Title, 4 plays by RuzanteShared Experience
1983False Admissions, MarivauxShared Experience
1983Successful Strategies, MarivauxShared Experience
1984Marriage, GogolShared Experience
19841001 NightsTheater der Stadt Heidelberg, Germany
1984False Admissions, MarivauxTaragon Theatre, Toronto, Canada
1985 The Cherry Orchard , ChekhovRoyal National Theatre (Best Director-BTA/DRAMA & Plays and Players Awards)
1986 The Three Sisters, ChekhovShared Experience
1986 Too True To be Good, George Bernard Shaw Shared Experience
1986Arabian NightsNationale Scene, Bergen, Norway
1987 The Wandering Jew, novel by Eugene SueRoyal National Theatre
1987Countrymania, Goldoni trilogyRoyal National Theatre
1988 Blood Wedding , LorcaTarragon Theatre, Toronto & Banff Centre, Canada
1988 A Streetcar Named Desire , WilliamsTianjin People's Art Theatre, China
1989 Ghosts, IbsenBeersheba Municipal Theatre, Israel
1990 The Miser , MolièreOxford Stage Company
1990Trouble In Paradise, devised show.Talking Pictures
1991 The Seagull , ChekhovOxford Stage Company
1991Marriage, GogolTheatre der Stadt Heidelberg, Germany
1991 The Country Wife , WycherleyCambridge Theatre Company
1991 Lady Windermere's Fan , Oscar Wilde Cambridge Theatre Company
1992 The Revenger's Tragedy, TourneurCambridge Theatre Company
1992 The Game of Love and Chance , MarivauxCo-Director; Cambridge Theatre Company
1993 The Hypochondriac, MolièreCambridge Theatre Company
1993The Dearly Beloved, new play by Philip OsmentCambridge Theatre Company
1993 A Flea In Her Ear, FeydeauTheatre Clwyd/West Yorkshire Playhouse
1993 Les Enfants Du Paradis, film of Carné & Prévert.Co-Director; Cambridge Theatre Co.
1994 A Handful of Dust , Evelyn Waugh RevivalCambridge Theatre Company
1994 Uncle Silas, novel by Joseph Sheridan Le FanuCambridge Theatre Company
1994 Emma, novel by Jane AustenCambridge Theatre Company
1995What I Did In The Holidays, new play by Philip OsmentCambridge Theatre Company
1995 Jude The Obscure, novel by Thomas HardyMethod & Madness (Best Director TMA Awards)
1996 Private Lives , Noël Coward Method & Madness (Best Director TMA Awards)
1996Flesh and Blood, new play by Philip OsmentMethod & Madness (Best Director TMA Awards)
1996 Ghosts, IbsenMethod & Madness
1997 The Winter's Tale , ShakespeareMethod & Madness
1998 Cherry Orchard, ChekhovMethod & Madness
1998Demons & Dybbuks, stories by Isaac Bashevis SingerMethod & Madness
1998 The Black Dahlia, novel by James ElroyMethod & Madness
1999Buried Alive, new play by Philip OsmentMethod & Madness
2000Demons & Dybbuks, Bashevis SingerCameri Theatre, Tel Aviv
2001Buried Alive, Philip OsmentHampstead Theatre
2001 Cymbeline , ShakespeareShakespeare's Globe
2002 Cymbeline , ShakespeareBrooklyn Academy of Music
2002 A Midsummer Night's Dream , ShakespeareShakespeare's Globe
2002 The Comedy of Errors , ShakespeareDartmouth College, New Hampshire
2003Collateral Damage, on the Oklahoma City Bombing; devised with OsmentLAMDA
2003The Black Dahlia, novel by James EllroyYale Repertory Theater
2003Collateral DamageLAMDA
2004 Twelfth Night , ShakespeareRutgers University at Shakespeare's Globe
2004Pedro, The Great Pretender, CervantesRoyal Shakespeare Company; The Swan
2005 Troilus and Cressida , ShakespeareRutgers University at Shakespeare's Globe
2005Pedro, The Great Pretender, CervantesRoyal Shakespeare Company; The Swan
2006 Much Ado About Nothing , ShakespeareRutgers University at Shakespeare's Globe
2007 The Winter's Tale , ShakespeareRutgers University at Shakespeare's Globe
2008 Cymbeline , ShakespeareRutgers University at Shakespeare's Globe
2011The Tin Ring, Zdenka Fantlova Erlich/Jane ArnfieldNorthern Stage/Lowry Centre/The Houses of Parliament/World Tour
2014 Blood Wedding , LorcaEast 15 School of Acting
2014 The Comedy of Errors , ShakespeareGuildhall School of Music & Drama
2015 Twelfth Night , ShakespeareGuildhall School of Music & Drama
2016 Dealer's Choice, Patrick MarberGuildhall School of Music & Drama
2016 The Crucible , MillerGuildhall School of Music & Drama
2018 The Three Sisters, ChekhovCentral School of Speech & Drama
2018 Year of Wonders , Geraldine BrooksLowry Centre
2023Five Characters in Search of a Good Night's Sleep, devised with the companyVisible Theatre, Southwark Playhouse

Awards

Bibliography (selection)

Books:

Translation:

Adaptation:

Memberships