About the Author

Mike Alfreds has been directing plays for more than fifty years. In the 1970s he founded Shared Experience, and has since worked for the National Theatre, Shakespeare's Globe, the Royal Shakespeare Company and also extensively abroad. He is hugely respected within the profession.

He is the author of Different Every Night (Nick Hern Books, 2007), Then What Happens? (Nick Hern Books, 2013) and What Actors Do (Nick Hern Books, 2023).

Reviews

'Both fascinating and instructive for the general reader as well as practitioners... will prove invaluable to directors, actors and even designers and choreographers... a must have'
*British Theatre Guide*

'Alfreds' substantial book provides a fascinating insight into [his approach], which has been adopted by many other directors and companies since the 1970s. ... This is an ideal read for anyone who is keen to put storytelling at the heart of performance'
*Drama Resource*

'Comprehensive, rigorous and practical... a heavyweight book from a heavyweight author'
*Theatre in Wales*

'Practical and thorough... a very useful book for playwrights and directors'
*The Stage*