Cosmopolitan UK - 04.2020

66 ·^ COSMOPOLITAN

WORDS CATRIONA INNES. PHOTOGRAPH MATTHEW SEADON-YOUNG

earn

Your hobby can

become your job

I found out I was

dyslexic at college – it

helped me realise that I

learn in a different way.

Throughout high school

I’d do all the creative

subjects – anything to

stay as far from the

traditional classroom as

I could. I’m really drawn

to making things with

other people, rather

than by myself, but

as much as I enjoyed

drama and the arts,

Miranda Cromwell, who co-directed the recent West End

production of Death Of A Salesman, shares her secrets...

I didn’t think there was

any work in them. Even

when I was studying

performing arts [in Truro,

Cornwall] I was selling

double glazing in order

to subsidise what I

thought was a hobby.

Back then I wasn’t

really aware of all the

different jobs in theatre.

The only way I thought I

could make money from

something I loved was

to teach, so I went to an

audition at the Bristol

Old Vic theatre, to lead

their Young Company

[ages five to 25].

Listen... but to the

right people

In Bristol I became the

director of the Young

Company. Early on, my

students had suggested

we put on a show and I

was the one to organise

and direct it. From there

I began directing three

to five shows a year –

large productions with

hundreds of people.

One of the biggest

lessons I learned was

how to keep my own

voice while also taking

on advice. It’s important

to seek out feedback,

but I used to listen to

others’ criticism so

“Finding

a mentor

is almost

like making

a friend”

much that I would

change what I was

doing and stop taking

risks. Sometimes you

just have to trust your

gut and know that

you’re the expert on

your own show. Now,

if I get criticism, I ask

myself, “Did I make

the work for them? Are

they the demographic

of the audience?” If

they are, then I take

on the feedback. A

70-year-old reviewer

isn’t the right person to

listen to if you made the

show for teenagers.

Mentors are the

same as friends

After eight years in

Bristol I moved to

London. My mum

wasn’t well, so I wanted

to be closer to her, but

I also felt I was ready

to move on from youth

theatre. It was like

starting again from

scratch. I sought out

assistant director

jobs, particularly with

women I admired in

the industry. Finding

a mentor, I think, is

almost the same as

how you would make

a friend – I would form

a relationship with those

who I was inspired by.

I was in email contact

with my mentors for

years, making sure

they knew I was keen

to work with them while

also emailing feedback

when I went to see their

shows. It was my work

as an assistant that led

to me being invited to

co-direct Death Of

A Salesman in the West

End, which was the

biggest production

I’ve ever worked on.

What’s your mantra?

Be kind, always.

The pressure can be

intense on a big

production. I try not to

let it escalate and

allow time for fun.

Where do you find

inspiration?

Everywhere. As a

director you need to

find out how people

think and speak, so

I’ll start conversations

on the bus or stand in

a queue listening to

people chatting.

TELL US

MORE...

A TINY BIT

as a theatre

director

How I got my job...

What are you

listening to?

I use audiobooks to

research the lives of

a play’s characters.

The Warmth Of

Other Suns, by Isabel

Wilkerson, really

helped with Death

Of A Salesman.