voice in the room
Newcastle Upon Tyne
I was working with someone recently who held a very senior position in an
organisation and he hadn’t been in a good place. He was terrified of an upcoming
key note he had to deliver. At the end of our session he said: “I can’t believe
it Jo but I’m really looking forward to it now. I’ve got the tools I need”. That
is why I do what I do. What makes Voice in the Room different from other
training companies is the different perspective Jo brings. Her unique approach
has been shaped by her background and story. It’s worth understanding in full so
grab a cuppa or a glass of something and dive in. Logo Icon About Up About Down
Theatre Director 1999 - 2007 Theatre Director “Just before the play was due to
start my group refused to go on. We were backstage and you could hear this buzz
of expectation from the audience outside. I’d used all the security resources
available to put it on and here I was with my actors saying they wouldn’t go
through with it” Jo Darby set up Voice in the Room in 2016 but the seeds for the
business were planted many years before. As a teenager with a love of acting she
attended the National Youth Theatre. “I saw how directors were trying to help us
to get the message of the play across and make a connection with the audience.
That’s what they facilitated and that was the bit I found really interesting.
How do you support people in a really positive way to achieve that? That was the
point when I decided I didn’t want to do acting, I wanted to direct. When I
later had the opportunity to do that at University, I grabbed it with both
hands. Directing was a hobby that became a job.” As a Theatre Director Jo began
creating productions in the North East at Northern Stage and the Live Theatre.
She went onto launch her own theatre company and travel overseas to direct for
the Australian Theatre for Young People before later working at Pilot Theatre
Company and Bristol Old Vic. One early experience creating a brand new play with
inmates at Northallerton Young Offenders Institute was particularly influential.
“I was left on my own with the group to get on with rehearsals when one day
things all kicked off, a fight broke out, there were chairs flying, the lot. I
never felt threatened. I knew it wasn’t aimed at me and I was able to reassure
staff such that we were allowed to continue. I persuaded the governor we should
put on the play in front of the whole prison – in the prison chapel. Looking
back now this seems unbelievable but it’s true! Just before the play was due to
start my group refused to go on. We were backstage and you could hear this buzz
of expectation from the audience outside. I’d used all the security resources
available to put it on and here I was with my actors saying they wouldn’t go
through with it. So I had to give them a big pep talk about how this was their
opportunity to be heard and express themselves, remind them that they felt no
one ever listened to them and this was their big chance. Eventually, they went
out and did it. Everyone cheered and it all turned out fine. I still think now,
goodness know’s what would have happened if it hadn’t gone ahead!
