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Director of stage and film Nadia Latif chats to Off Book presenter Dan de la Motte about growing up between Sudan and London, her early experiences of London theatre, drama school, and why what’s on your bookshelf is so important. Nadia also discusses working with Jackie Sibblies Drury and her experiences of directing the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Fairview at the Young Vic. Nadia Latif was the 2018-2020 Young Vic Genesis Fellow and Associate Director, a position which supports someone to develop their craft as a theatre director whilst working closely with the Young Vic’s Artistic Director. Opportunities whilst in post include supporting the theatre’s programming and artistic planning, contributing to the work of the Young Vic’s Directors Program and mentoring Genesis Future Directors Award recipients. The Young Vic presents Off Book, a podcast where we shine a light on the creatives who inspire us, offering a candid insight into their life and careers.

Director Dadiow Lin chats to Off Book presenter Dan de la Motte about growing up in Taiwan, the influence of classic texts and how she combines a range of skills to collaborate on her plays. in a word written by Lauren Yee was the play Dadiow chose direct as part of the Genesis Future Directors Award, a Directors Program and Genesis Foundation initiative which offers emerging directors the opportunity to stage a production fully supported by our creative, administrative and production teams. The Young Vic presents Off Book, a podcast where we shine a light on the creatives who inspire us, offering a candid insight into their life and careers.

Playwright Luke Barnes chats to Off Book presenter Dan de la Motte about developing authentic stories shaped by real experiences. Luke opens up about his process, through which he has created work with prisoners and people affected by the criminal justice system (The Jumper Factory), asylum seekers (Fable), and NHS service users (Men in Blue), and how tackling politics, society and stories that make an impact are the responsibilities of the writers of today. The Young Vic presents Off Book, a podcast where we shine a light on the creatives who inspire us, offering a candid insight into their life and careers. Please note: this podcast episode contains swearing and the political views held are of the guest.

Theatre Director Josh Parr grew up in the mining town of Rugeley and never saw arts as a viable career. Fast forward a few years, he's directing The Jumper Factory at HOME Manchester. Speaking to Off Book about how he entered the arts, what he's faced along the way to get to this point and why his ambition is to inspire people with the same background as him. Off Book is a podcast from Young Vic where we shine a light on the creatives that are inspiring us and a candid discussion about their career so far.

Stage royalty, Sharon D. Clarke speaks to Off Book about her role as Linda Loman, her journey into Theatre and what it meant to her to win the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Sharon also shares an insight into what it's like rehearsing Blues In the Night and performing Death of a Salesman and the importance of having a family of good people around you. Off Book is a podcast from Young Vic where we shine a light on the creatives that are inspiring us and a candid discussion about their career so far.

Wendell Pierce first visited London over 40 years ago, what does it mean to make his London debut and join the select group who have played Willy Loman in 'the American Hamlet' Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. Wendell talks about his first steps into Theatre, navigating through the industry and how political activism is a part of his identity as an artist. Off Book is a podcast from Young Vic where we shine a light on the creatives that are inspiring us and a candid discussion about their career so far.

Writer, director, actor, musician and YV’s artistic director - Kwame Kwame Kwei-Armah joins Dan in the studio to talk about his return to London after 7 years in the US, and his most recent musical foray into Shakespeare with Twelfth Night. They chat about upcoming production of The Convert written by Danai Gurira and starring her Black Panther co-star Letitia Wright, alongside Kwame’s ongoing digital projects including My England, a response to his perceived changes in living in England since his childhood in Southall. We also talk about the upcoming 2019 Season, with shows including creatives Idris Elba, Marianne Elliot, and Yael Faber, and the incredible acting talents of Sharon D. Clarke, Arinzé Kene and Wendell Pierce.

This month, Dan de la Motte was joined in the old YV stationary cupboard by stage icon, Jenna Russell. We hear how Sylvia Young was integral to giving teenage Jenna a start in theatre and a way out of 'normal' schooling, as well as talking about her successes later in life in productions such as Grey Gardens, Into The Woods and of course, Sam Gold's production of Fun Home at the Young Vic.

Debbie Hannan, Genesis Future Director Award Winner and recent director of Naomi Wallace's Things of Dry Hours joined us for a chat this month. We discuss what initially got her interested in theatre whilst "being an incredibly bossy child with large imagination" and the early influences of the Fringe Festival, as well as her journey from the suburbs of Edinburgh to the Young Vic Stage via the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the Royal Court. Debbie also discusses what self identifying as a working class director means in today's industry, as well as her approach to Things of Dry Hours; acknowledging and interrogating "who has the right to tell what story and how" and being a white director directing a story set in 1930s Alabama in which race is so integral.

Guest host, comedian and podcaster Sofie Hagen is joined by Alison Bechdel, the cartoonist who wrote the graphic novel Fun Home for a special Off Book episode. Alison and Sofie discuss Alison's the graphic novel, the autobiographical coming of age and coming out story that delves into her childhood memories and her relationship with her father. They also talk about the musical's role for queer audiences to be seen and represented on stage as well as why Alison chose drawing cartoons as a means of artistic expression as well as storing and processing memories.

Olivier Award-winner Juliet Stevenson joins us this week following her recent production of Wings at the Young Vic. Juliet discusses her recent performances in Wings, Happy Days and Hamlet, the limitations still faced by women in theatre, and her activism and response to the refugee crisis.

"The goal is to get to the age of 80 and not be bruised by the experience" JMK Award Winner 2017, former Fat Git and My Name is Rachel Corrie director Josh Roche chatted to us about his first forays into theatre from Tunbridge Wells and Warwick and beyond. Josh also discussed his optimism about millennials, why it's so important to be persistent as a director as well as the importance of political theatre. Enjoy the podcast? Let us know on Twitter, @youngvictheatre and leave us a review on Souncloud, iTunes or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Theatre maker and Dramaturg Zoë Svendsen joined us earlier in 2017 to discuss the important role dramaturgy plays in theatre and how she discovered dramaturgy was part of what she wanted to do. Zoë discusses the Berlin theatre scene and recent productions at the YV with Joe Hill-Gibbins; Measure for Measure and A Midsummer Night's Dream. We also hear about the development of Shakespearonomics with journalist an economist Paul Mason. Let us know what you think of Off Book by sending us a tweet (twitter.com/youngvictheatre) and leave a review on iTunes or some love on Soundcloud.

Performer and Artistic Director of Riksteatern in Sweden, Josette Bushell-Mingo OBE joins us to discuss her journey from London's East End to Stockholm. We talk about how whether the arts is in a better and more diverse place than when Josette launched PUSH festival in 2000 which promoted black theatre, how Nina Simone became her "GPS" and how important the education and delivery of her production, Nina: A story about me and Nina Simone in particular is so important to its staging. Let us know what you think of our quick fire round by sending us a tweet (twitter.com/youngvictheatre) and leave us a review on iTunes or some love on Soundcloud.

British film and theatre director Joe Wright came in this month to discuss his return to the Young Vic with Brecht's Life of Galileo following his 2013 production of Season in the Congo. We discuss Joe's early life spent working at the family's Little Angel Theatre and how that's shaped both his film and theatre work to date, as well as how he accidentally fell into directing period dramas after planning to do gritty social realistic films. We also cover Life of Galileo's exciting creative collaborations and the differences between directing for film and theatre.

Journalist Paul Mason pops in to the Young Vic to talk about his play about revolution and the networked generation, Why It's All Kicking Off Everywhere, based on his acclaimed book. We discuss how his upbringing in Greater Manchester, Northern Soul and a degree in music and politics influenced has his career. We also chat about his multidisciplinary work life, previously a journalist at the BBC and later Channel 4 to becoming freelance and working on productions and writing for theatre. Why It's All Kicking Off Everywhere will soon be broadcast on BBC Two as part of Performance Live. Find out more info about the production: https://www.youngvic.org/whats-on/kicking-off-live

Peter Brook's Battlefield visited the Young Vic in February 2016 before continuing its world tour. We spoke to Belgian actress, choreographer, director and saxophonist Carole Karemera. We discussed how the arts are being used in Rwanda as a healing tool within communities, her role in creating Kigali's cultural hub Ishyo Arts Centre in 2007 and how different audiences in different countries have reacted to Battlefield on tour. We also dissect that "magical" silence at the end of Battlefield.

Artistic Director of Corn Exchange and A Girl is a Half-formed Thing director, Annie Ryan joined us in March 2016 to discuss the incredibly powerful production of Eimear McBride's unflinching book. Annie also discusses how she ended up directing via acting courses at NYU and Trinity College, Dublin as well as how working in commedia has influenced the work she continues to produce.

Ramin Gray, Artistic Director of ATC (Actors Touring Company) and director of upcoming YV production Living With the Lights On joins us in the booth to discuss his career as a director. Ramin chats about how his multi-city upbringing may have influenced the work he creates, working in Liverpool as an emerging director as well as discussing how good UK theatre is at being inclusive, for both audience members and performers.

Isango Ensemble's Musical Directors, Pauline Malefane and Mandisi Dyantyis joined us in the studio to talk about A Man of Good Hope and how the 'extraordinary magic piece of theatre' came to be. Pauline and Mandisi also discuss how they first became interested in music, when they joined Isango and how Asad's story is not unique to Asad, but is every refugee's story.