SAMANTHA PEARS
Theatre Director, Facilitator & Performer
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Samantha is a Theatre Director, Facilitator & Performer trained at the London College of Music. She specialises in new writing & devising. Her directorial ethos is to promote a free and playful space where actors can create truthful performances, creating a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere to work in.
Most recently Samantha directed 'Beauty & The Beast', the pantomime at the Exchange in Twickenham.
In March 2024 she directed Arts Council funded 'Stitches' by Jonathan Blakeley, which was a one-person show.
In 2022 Samantha made her Off-West End debut with ‘For You I’d Wait’, a new musical by Golby & West which had a two-week run at the Turbine Theatre in Battersea, and a three-week run at the Union Theatre in Southwark. She also directed the award-winning production of ‘London Zoo’ by Farine Clarke, which won Best Production and Best Ensemble at the London Pub Theatre Awards.
Other directing credits include: 'Blueberries for the Rainbow' (Bread & Roses Theatre), Child in the Forest (Four Fig Theatre), The Women (Make it Beautiful Theatre) and Assistant Director on ’Night Mother’ (Gold Thread Productions).
As a performer, most recently Samantha was in an R&D and work-in-progress showing of 'Blocks Falling: The Tetris Musical' where she played Robert Stein & Others. Samantha works regularly with Bigfoot Arts Education, facilitating workshops for children as well as many Theatre in Education performances such as 'Goldilocks on Trial' 'Agent Frostbite' and 'Dip and Dab'.
As a Facilitator she works regularly at Polka Theatre delivering workshops. She is also a co-founder and Director of Twickenham Youth Theatre, and an Assistant Director on ATE Superweeks, running summer camps for children, who also partner with Talking Out who run residentials for children who stammer. She delivers lots of workshops in schools with Bigfoot Arts Education. Samantha has over 10 years of experience working with children in different settings.
'Stitches'
by Jonathan Blakeley
The Hope Theatre
20th February - 9th March
"Adept and skilful performance by
under the crystal clear, detailed direction of Samantha Pears" - Matthew Parker
"vividly Directed..."
"Entertaining and moving it explores the elusiveness of memory and how objects can become both raft and anchor on life’s choppy seas." - Nilgin Yusuf, London Pub Theatres
★★★★ Paul in London
★★★★ North West End
★★★★ Rated Reviewed
★★★★ Everything Theatre
★★★★ Plays to See
★★★★ Reviews Gate
★★★★ Theatre & Arts
'Why are there no girl saints?'
'Cause they ain’t found you yet. I hope they never do.'
Chloe is about to embark on her very own journey through life, warts and all, but not without the help of a close companion who loves her more than anything else in the world…her teddy bear.
Stitches is a witty and insightful examination of one person’s existence through the lens of their best friend. From birth, through childhood friendships, to seeing what all the fuss about a relationship is, discovering who we truly are with age and ultimately, what we’re capable of becoming.
Writer and performer Jonathan Blakeley, with support from Arts Council England and in conjunction with Alzheimer’s Society and The University of Stirling DSDC (Dementia Services Development Centre), will be running a series of storytelling and creative therapy workshops throughout the run, helping those with the condition and those who care for them.
BLOCKS FALLING! THE TETRIS MUSICAL
Timestamps
10.00 - The Next Big Thing
11.10 - Phone Call Scene
Blueberries for the Rainbow
Samantha directed new play 'Blueberries for the Rainbow' by Hazel Fattorusso at the Bread & Roses Theatre in Clapham
Cast
Steph Sarratt
Louise Devlin
Adil Akram
Corinne Strickett
London Pub Theatres Standing Ovation Award Nomination
‘a very human experience’ ★★★★
An unmissable new play on Motherhood brought to you by playwright Hazel Fattorusso and award-winning Theatre Director Samantha Pears.
“I wish I could see it how other people see it! MY LIFE. OUR LIFE. MY GIRLS… Like the woman with her red painted nails does. But I can't. I just can't. Because I am living it. And that's all I can see.”
Motherhood. It’s hard. But does anyone ever tell you how hard? The sleepless nights. The endless expectations. The feelings of failure. The baby sick hiding in your hair on the school run.
But what if a mum was really struggling. Would the people closest to her even notice? Would anybody even care, as long as the children are ok?
Blueberries for the Rainbow is a feverish, funny and heartbreaking look at what happens when one mother's needs are neglected and the devastating consequences of always being put to the bottom of the pile.
Red Tent
Fuse Festival International & Clapham Fringe Festival
Samantha hCo-founded LazyLeaf Theatre company along with Nicola Moore & Laura-May Hassan. They as a company are currently working on a Devised piece 'Red Tent' which had its debut performance as part of FUSE International Festival in Kingston.
It then went on to be performed again at the Clapham Fringe, on the 4th and 5th October at 7pm at the Bread & Roses Theatre.
In 2022 Samantha Directed her Off West-End directorial debut with 'For You I'd Wait' a new British musical written by emerging writing duo Golby & West. It ran at the Turbine Theatre from the 11th - 21st May and at the Union Theatre in Southwark from the 31st May - 18th June.
'For You I'd Wait' follows the lives of 6 characters before, during and after the 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris. Throughout the show we explore how the character’s lives are turned upside in one night, the process of healing, and learning to carry on. The audience are invited to explore the world of these character’s seemingly perfect relationships, and delve further into the choices the characters make as they encounter milestones in their lives.
Paul Taylor-Mills, artistic director of the Turbine Theatre, commented: "The premier of For You I'd Wait at the Turbine Theatre is very exciting. New writers are close to our hearts, and it's more important than ever to showcase real world stories and experiences.
Directing CV
★★★★★
Director Samantha Pears allows the play to flow by having small on-set scene changes, that are clearly marked by red lights and a ticking sound. The actors are alive in these changes and continue to interact, continuing to engage the audience. The play uses a number of scene defining props; to keep these so tidy and their tracks faultless takes a large amount of organisation and skill from the director.
Aaron-Lee Eyles for London Pub Theatres
Director Samantha Pears maintaining a comic, quick witted flare, power dynamics and the snap decisions made forever fascinating to watch and encounter. Not afraid of tackling the pertinent issue of representation – an on going discussion had in the wider world, we witness the production boldly examine this further. London Zoo distilling a point in media history, on the cusp of transitioning to digital world and this is fascinating to watch. A must see!