This video was created as part of the web companion to the monograph Directions for Directing. Theatre and Method, written by Avra Sidiropoulou, and published by Routledge in September 2018. The book lays out contemporary concepts of directing practice and examines specific techniques of approaching scripts, actors, and the stage. Addressed to both young and experienced directors, but also to the broader community of theatre practitioners, scholars, and dedicated theatre goers, the book sheds light on the director’s multiplicity of roles throughout the life of a play – from the moment of its conception to opening night – and explores the director’s processes of inspiration, interpretation, communication, and leadership. The companion website explores the work of international practitioners of different backgrounds who operate within various institutions, companies, and budgets, providing readers with a wide range of perspectives and methodologies.

John Collins, award-winning artistic director of ERS, shares his ideas on directing, working with an ensemble, adapting the classics, and developing a directorial style. This video presentation took place in New York City, in July 2017. Special thanks to Hanna Novak and Ariana Smart Truman for all their help! Video editing by Emy Tzavra Bulloch.