Interview Marie McCarthy, Artistic Director of Omnibus Theatre

"Believe in yourself and speak up. Your voice matters."

Interview Marie McCarthy, Artistic Director of Omnibus Theatre

Hi Marie! Please introduce yourself to the reader and tell us about Omnibus Theatre.

I’m the Artistic Director of Omnibus Theatre. We’re an Off-West End venue based in Clapham, South London and produce our own shows as well as host productions from visiting theatre companies from across the UK and abroad. I’ve been at the helm since we opened in 2013. 

The artistic programme is inspired by the building’s literary heritage – the former Clapham Library, and we platform classics re-imagined, modern revivals, new writing as well as being known for championing queer work. 

As far as I’m aware, 96 Festival is the only LGQTQ+ festival housed under one roof in London. It’s a 3-week long event that will be held this year in June. We’re also multi-award winning and achieved critical success with our own adult and Winter family productions.

What do you love about your job? 

No two days are ever the same and I love that. There’s such a massive variation in my day to day role as an artistic director. The organisation doesn’t receive any core funding and we rely very much on generating income from box-office sales and hiring rehearsal rooms. 

Much of my time swings wildly between the creative and everything that involves pulling together an artistic programme and the mundane but vital part of the job which keeps the doors open. We’re a small team, but between us I like to think that we are making ambitious work and forging vital connections within our local community and London wide. It’s important that our programme is relevant, representative and accessible. 

dcbe0fcaf82b8b11c75d9b60c76146be4f09278f.jpgWhat are you looking forward to seeing during the new season at Omnibus Theatre?

So much! I started programming the Spring season about six to eight months ago, so seeing these productions come to life on our stages (we have two spaces, the main theatre and also a studio space upstairs) is always thrilling. The Glass Will Shatter, Flights and Can I Help You? are three adult dramas, all new writing. 

The Glass Will Shatter shines a light on the government’s Prevent strategy by young writer Joe Marsh and his experiences teaching in a London school, while Flights focuses on a rural Irish community and the impact austerity measures had a whole generation of young people. 

I’m really proud that the late Philip Osment’s final work is being staged right here in Clapham. Can I Help You? Is a beautifully written and powerful piece about mental health and hope. I’m also looking forward to Volpone, which is a classic re-imagined, infused with jazz and inspired by South African township theatre. 

How can young people get involved in the artistic work at the theatre?

They can come and see our shows at affordable discounted rates or join our Young Company which is a Saturday term-time youth theatre for 4 – 16 years olds. It’s a space that encourages self-expression and creativity while building on core drama skills. Every term they perform a new showcase, devised entirely by the group itself. We also have a participatory school holiday programme for 8-11 year olds who are receiving free school meals. We also often run bespoke outreach projects that reflect our artistic programme. 

What are the highlights of your career to date?

Getting this theatre off the ground has been such a challenge. We have literally grown our audiences from scratch. I remember our very first sold-out show being a major highlight. Also, it was rewarding to see the accolades that followed shortly after including our Peter Brook/Empty Space award in 2016 and the OFF-West End Award in 2018. Most recently breaking box office records for The Little Prince, our first Winter Show produced solely by us, has been really satisfying for the whole team.

How did you get into an arts job?  

I started my career as an actress. I loved drama at school and knew I wanted a career in the arts so applied for Drama School. After several years, I started my own ensemble theatre company and when we ran out of directors to employ, I fell into directing and loved it. 

Have you also worked outside the arts?

When I was an actor, I took on a variety of jobs to supplement my income. A driver for an all-female mini-cab company and selling household utensils in a department store are a couple of the most random ones!

Have you been inspired by any particular artists during your career?

Anne Bogart, a director who wrote an amazing book, A Director Prepares, is definitely an inspiration.  Every time I direct a play, I re-read it to remind me to be brave and trust my instincts. 

Can you describe your biggest challenge so far in your career? 

In the early days of my current job, Omnibus Theatre was literally still a building site; the doors weren’t open and there was a lot to do and a very short time to do it.  I was spinning so many plates at the same time: getting the building works signed off, programming plays, finding staff and fundraising. There was just two of us to start with and a lot of chaos. 

How did you overcome it? 

By writing loads of lists and thinking of each area as a puzzle. I kept on challenging myself to find all of the pieces to fit together. I was also excited and driven by the thought of running a theatre, so it was an extremely rewarding experience.

Have you noticed any changes in the industry? If so, what? 

When I started my career, there was much less awareness of the imbalances in theatre. There were hardly any artists of colour in lead roles other than being cast in token parts and hardly any women in positions of power, running theatres or directing. 

There is still an enormous amount of work to do and now the really great thing is that more people are speaking up when they see those changes not happening. Theatre is not about sitting quietly and behaving – theatre has to be alive and ever-evolving as society changes. Theatre presents a window into someone else’s experience and we have to represent that view. It has to be in step with the times.  

You’ve been granted the ability to send a message to 16-year-old you. What do you say? 

Believe in yourself and speak up. Your voice matters. 

Do you have any advice for young people interested in doing your kind of job?

Only do it if there is nothing else you would ever want to do. You have to be resilient, determined and focused!

How can people find out more about your work at Omnibus Theatre? 

It’s always great to hear from people interested in finding out more about what we do and how they can get involved. The door is always open, just send me an email. marie.mccarthy@omnibus-clapham.org.

Author

Sienna James

Sienna James Voice Team

Formerly Assistant Editor, Sienna now studies History of Art at the University of Cambridge and loves to write about the intersection of politics, history and visual art. Sienna is author of the Creative Education and Instaviews series.

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