Hello. I'm Susannah Henry.
You can contact me via Cary Parsons Management:
carylparsons@gmail.com / www.caryparsons.co.uk
Who/Where
My background is in theatre design - I studied at Wimbledon College of Art and Central St. Martins (now both part of UAL) in the late 90s and early 2000s. I live in Essex with Rhodri and Ivor, and work as a Lecturer in Design at Guildhall School in London. I currently teach collaborative theatre making.
Design History
I have designed hundreds of shows across various disciplines and within a wide spectrum of scales and contexts, including storytelling, opera, contemporary dance, musicals, comedy, drama and shows for small people and families.
My Interests
My interests include feminist theatre, the careful making or sourcing of performance objects which endure beyond the run of a show, the process of stage design and finding alternative ways to make performance beyond the traditional theatre hierarchy.
It is always an interesting challenge to work within practical parameters, finding ways to create exciting performance spaces while also ensuring a show can tour effectively.
I have a proven record in the use of bold colour on stage, which sits well within design for comedy or shows for younger audiences.
Making thoughtful design choices is more important to me than filling a space with scenic elements. Often the more minimal designs have been my favourite work.
Much of my work has happened in Higher Education with performers in training and students of Production Arts, creating strong ensemble work which I enjoy supporting through design.
Research
I finished a PhD in 2022, with a thesis entitled Autoscenography: The intersection of a scenographer's story with her practice.
The project examined the relationship of the stage designer's lived experience to their practice, framing the revealed subjectivity of the designer as taking a feminist position.
You can dip into my thesis here.
