Second year students from @cssdactingcdt at @cssdlondon recently joined director Ned Bennett for an R&D process exploring staging and design ideas for a new production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, to be produced by @therepbirmingham and @meltingpotprods — working alongside Lighting Designer Laura Howard and Set and Costume Designer Eleanor Bull.
This was a knowledge exchange project built around the sharing of skills, expertise, and inclusive practice, with value flowing in both directions. Ned had previously worked with the cohort through the programme, and it was that existing relationship — and his sense of their creative range and our commitment to access and inclusion — that made this the right group to bring into the room.
Students gained rare access to a professional R&D environment at an early stage in their training, and the creative team brought into the room a group of devisers whose skills and perspective made a genuine contribution to the work.
Grateful to Ned, to Central’s Amy Ryall, and to Principal Josette Bushell-Mingo, who met the proposal with unwavering enthusiasm and support.
NATURAL CONNECTIONS 🌱
Devised by the company
Director Rachael Nanyonjo @r.nanyonjo
Performed by BA (Hons) Acting Collaborative & Devised Theatre
Designed & produced by BA (Hons) Theatre Practice
Dramaturg Robert Awosusi
📸 @camharlephoto
FESTIVAL ⭐️
Devised by @cssdactingcdt
📸 @camharlephoto
Creative & Production
Director (ISOLATE) Ola Ince (she/her)
Director (Natural Connections) Rachael Nanyonjo (she/her)
Set & Costume Designer Dec Santiago (he/him)
Lighting Designer (ISOLATE) Mika Herring-Myrholt (they/them)
Lighting Designer (Natural Connections) Harry Macdonald-Preston (he/him)
Sound Designer (ISOLATE) Zoe Olajide (she/her)
Sound Designer (Natural Connections) Andree Yin
Movement Director (ISOLATE) Laure Bachelot (she/her)
Assistant Movement Director (Natural Connections) Yasmine Irian-Angeni
Voice Coach Emma James (she/her) & Megan Burns (she/her)
Assistant Voice Coach Alexander McQueen (he/him)
Intimacy Coordinator David Thackerey
Fight Director Jonathan Leverett
Assistant Lighting Designer & Programmer (ISOLATE) Deejay Clayton (she/her)
Costume Supervisor Alex Gunnarsson (he/him)
Assistant Costume Supervisor Hannah McMahon-Major & Anni Sildvee
Stage Manager Lisa Bain (she/they)
Deputy Stage Manager (ISOLATE) Alex Webster (he/him)
Deputy Stage Manager (Natural Connections) Corvus Le Marchant Dane (they/he)
Assistant Stage Manager Harry Maltby (he/him) & Immy Glover (she/they)
Head LX Aimie Partridge (she/her)
Deputy LX & Programmer Lewis Ashton (he/him)
LX Fit Up Crew Liam Tonner & Millicent Randall
Captioner Maddy Malloy (they/them)
Dramaturg (Natural Connections) Rob Awosusi
Production Manager Victoria Philips (she/they) & Shaz McGee
With special thanks to The Washington, Anglia Farms, The North Star and J.D. McDougall, Theseus Scrutton, Izzy Fay, Ashleigh Ridding, Sam Tam, Lia Weber, Karin Schuck, Oliver Stilwell, Adam Lloyd, and Shakur Jones
ISOLATE 📻
Devised by the company
Director Ola Ince
Performed by BA (Hons) Acting Collaborative & Devised Theatre
Designed & produced by BA (Hons) Theatre Practice
📸 @camharlephoto
2 days to go until…
💫 The BA (Hons) Acting: Collaborative & Devised Theatre 2026 Showcase
Directed by Barry Fitzgerald 🌻
Voice support by Emma James
Musical direction by Joe Baldwin
ℹ️ Open to industry professionals only – Please contact [email protected]
🎭 CDT ‘26 presents our upcoming show FESTIVAL, a double bill, performing in The Courtyard Theatre at @cssdlondon
📆 Wednesday 25th - Saturday 28th February
🎟️ Ticket link in bio!
The first years had a fantastic two day intensive with @hika_at_wedo who brought the Japanese movement practice ‘Butoh’ to them. Thank you for the incredible experience! ✨
GRIMM TALES🕴️
Co-Created & Performed by CDT ‘26
📸 @camharlephoto
Director & Co-Creator- Rachel Valentine Smith (@_valentinesmith )
Dramaturg & Co-Creator- Lara May
Set Designer- Noga Gilboa
Costume Designer- Matilda Wheeler
Assistant Costume Designer- Sophie Uno
Lighting Designer- Adrien Mathieu
Assistant Lighting Designer & LX Programmer- Jack O’Neill
Consultant Video Designer- Ryan Watson
Video Production- Gregory Essex
Sound Designer- Zoe Olajide
Sound Associate & Sound Operator- Jesper Raymond
Voice Coach- Megan Burns
Costume Supervisor- Alison Cartledge
Assistant Costume Supervisor- Ashleigh Ridding
Movement Advisor- Laure Bachelot
Stage Manager- Wang Shao Kai
Deputy Stage Manager- Seraphina Denton
ASM Book Cover- Finn Meader
Assistant Stage Manager- Orr Hacohen
Head LX- Lewis Ashton
Deputy LX- Mika Herring Myrholt
Fit Up Lx Crew- Deejay Clayton & Vinay Nagah
Production Sound Engineer- Steven Tovell
Stage Crew- Harry Malty, Alex Webster & Brooklyn C. Eri
Dressers- Micky Jordan & Storm Williams
Production Manager- James Thompson
FOH Manager- Martin Juul Sorensen
Thank you so much to everyone involved 🌟
