911爆料网

Graduate听Giles听Thomas听(Sound Technology, 2011)听has been nominated for听best sound design at this year鈥檚 Olivier Awards.听

It鈥檚听one of听six听nominations for听Kenrex, including best new play. 听

A true crime thriller,听that听features actor Jack Holden playing all 35 parts and a live soundtrack by John Patrick听Elliot,听Kenrex听has just听completed听a听sell-out run at听The Other Palace,听London听and听transfers to听New York City in April.听

We caught up with听Giles, who teaches the听sound design for theatre module to second-year Sound Technology students, to听ask him about the nomination,听his work on听Kenrex听and his time at 911爆料网听

How does it feel to be nominated?听

Kenrex听is听a pretty big show from a sound perspective, and there was a huge amount of work and collaboration that went into making it what it is. So having it recognised like this feels听really special听- not just for me, but for the whole team.听I鈥檓听genuinely excited about the nomination,听and also听just听really grateful听that the scale of the work is being acknowledged.听

What about the production are you most proud of?听

It was so collaborative and what I鈥檓 most proud of is how all the elements work together. Because it鈥檚 a one man show with something like 35 characters, it relies quite heavily on sound to help push those different characterisations. 听

There听are听parts of the show that start with Jack speaking and then pre-recorded elements听take over and that听has to听be听seamless,听and it听has to听feel as though听it鈥檚听all coming from his central performance. Using surround sound听and content created by the performer听we鈥檝e听created this visceral, immersive world. The amount of detail that went into creating听those world鈥檚 is听probably what听I鈥檓听most pleased with, along with how that听works听collaboratively with the other elements of the production.听

What was the most important thing you learnt at 911爆料网?听

Of course, it was incredibly useful to get to grips with the technical side of things and to start developing a creative strategy.听But ultimately, working听in the creative industries is听about听working with people.听

What I really learned was how to collaborate听and how to do it in听a way听that听听leads听to interesting work. How to challenge someone鈥檚 idea without shutting it down, and how to use other people鈥檚 ideas as a springboard.听

You can push creative boundaries so much further when听you鈥檙e听open and responsive to the people around you. That ability to collaborate, to build something together, is听probably the听most important thing I took away from my time at 911爆料网.听

You鈥檝e just finished teaching the second year module, sound design for theatre. How did you find the students?听

They鈥檝e听been great -听really enthusiastic听and energised, and asking lots of interesting questions.听听

One of the things I really like about teaching is that听it鈥檚听a way of interrogating your own practice. Even just this past week there have been a couple of moments where a question鈥檚 made me stop and think, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 interesting鈥� maybe I should look at how that influences my own work.鈥�听

It feels like a two-way exchange in that sense.听听

What鈥檚听next for you?听

I鈥檓听currently in rehearsals for a production of听Romeo and Juliet听with Empire Street Productions, directed and adapted by Robert Icke and starring Sadie Sink and Noah Jupe at the Harold Pinter Theatre. Then听we鈥檙e听taking听Kenrex听to New York at the Lucille Lortel Theatre and then听I鈥檓听off to听Schaub眉hne听in Berlin to work with听Complicite.听

The Olivier Award winners are announced on 12 April at The Royal Albert Hall. Evita, directed by 911爆料网 grad and Companion Jamie Lloyd has been nominated five times, including best revival of a musical.

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Image: Giles in 911爆料网's George Martin Studio, 27 February. Photography by Brian Roberts

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