Digital Programme: Black Swans

Camila França as Older Sister

Trine Garrett as Younger Sister

Marie McCarthy and everyone at the Omnibus Theatre
Claire Martin and everyone at the Rose Lipman Building
Pierre Palluet and everyone at Centre 151
Amelia Karlsen Photography
Rich at Risk Rusk Films
and to Ben, Eric & Paul for their unwavering support!

Behind The Curtain

Join us for a post-show talk with the playwright, translator and director of Black Swans.

They’ll give insights into the making of the show, including the creative process, the challenges of staging the play, and the hopes and dreams they have for the show.

The talk will be chaired by Tian Brown-Sampson, and will feature playwright Christina Kettering, translator Pauline Wick and director Ria Samartzi.

The post-show talk will take place immediately after the performance and will last 30 minutes.

Exploring AI, Robotics & Healthcare

Join us for a post-show talk where academics, researchers and NHS workers will delve into the themes of the play and offer real-life insights into these fields. Discover the latest developments in the realm of AI and robotics within the context of caregiving.

The talk will be chaired by Tom May and will feature Solene Dietsch and Rema Daher. Full panel to be announced.

The post-show talk will take place immediately after the performance and will last 30 minutes.

Join us for a unique and free Theatre Salon experience!

Picture it as a book club, but with a twist! Instead of discussing a book, we’ll discuss the performance we’ve all shared. It’s a welcoming space for you to express your thoughts, viewpoints and opinions about the show and its themes. No one from the Creative Team will be present, and the discussion will be facilitated by director Tian Brown-Sampson.

The Theatre Salon is open to matinée audience members and will take place immediately after the performance and will last approximately 45 minutes.

Christina Kettering

Christina Kettering studied creative writing at the German Literature Institute in Leipzig. Subsequently, she organised readings and events and was actively engaged in cultural and political education work.

Her plays have garnered numerous awards and are performed at various municipal and state theatres as well as independent stages throughout Germany. One of the main focuses of her work is an interdisciplinary approach, closely collaborating with artistic teams. She is particularly interested in exploring connections between text and other art forms such as dance or graphic novels. Her play Schwarze Schwäne (Black Swans) won first prize at the 2019 Heilbronn Drama Competition as part of the “Science & Theatre” festival and has been translated into several languages. Most recently, she wrote the libretto for a music theatre performance for young audiences at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein (composition by Sergej Maingardt). She resides in Berlin.

Pauline Wick

Pauline Wick is a German translator, transcreator, and conference interpreter for English, Spanish and German. She currently works for the Goethe-Institut London (as of July 2023), promoting German as a foreign language through a DoE-funded initiative for multilingualism at British schools.

Having obtained a first-class degree in Multilingual Communication at the University of Applied Sciences Cologne, she continued her studies with an MA in Conference Interpreting at the same institute. In 2020, Pauline successfully completed the Theatre Translator Mentorship programme by Foreign Affairs, translating an excerpt from Black Swans into English. Since then, she has been commissioned to translate three more plays into English, including TIME OUT by Christina Kettering, and joined the German EURODRAM committee on plays in translation in 2020.

She has lived and worked in Colombia, Spain and England, collaborating with the Finborough Theatre (London) and Cut the Cord Theatre (London). She combined her interest in theatre and intercultural communication to work as a cultural programme coordinator for theatre and performance at the Goethe-Institut in Mexico City.

Camila França

Camila França (she/her) is Co-Artistic Director of Foreign Affairs, a small theatre company based in east London that focuses on translation, intercultural exchange, collaboration and performances in unconventional spaces.

Originally from Brazil, Camila trained as an actor. Her passion for bringing untold stories from afar to local audiences has led to her co-producing and directing many of the company’s artistic and creative programmes. Camila leads the company’s outreach programmes and is passionate about working with local communities. Recent producing credits include: The Wetsuitman (Arcola & Rose Lipman Building) and Where I Call Home (Rose Lipman Building).

Camila flourishes in her multifaceted role, adeptly juggling various responsibilities. She occasionally seizes acting opportunities such as The Blind One & The Mad One in 2018 and 2020 by Brazilian playwright Cláudia Barral, translated and directed by Almiro Andrade.

Trine Garrett

Trine Garrett (she/her) is Co-Artistic Director of Foreign Affairs, a pioneering theatre company in east London dedicated to bringing world theatre to local audiences through translation and multicultural exchange and collaboration.

Hailing from Denmark, Trine’s journey began as an actor but pivoted towards producing and directing upon co-founding Foreign Affairs. Her directing credits include: The Wetsuitman by Freek Mariën, translated by David McKay; Where I Call Home by Marc-Antoine Cyr, translated by Charis Ainslie; and The Warmhouse by Anna Bro, translated by Paul Russell Garrett. Beyond directing, Trine also continues to perform on stage, most recently in The Blind One & The Mad One alongside her artistic partner Camila França, directed by Almiro Andrade.

As an experienced teacher and workshop facilitator, Trine leads the company’s creative learning programmes. She runs masterclasses and workshops rooted in the company’s practice for other companies and organisations, most recently for the Royal Court Theatre, Cut the Cord Theatre, and BCLT: British Centre for Literary Translation.

Ria Samartzi – Director

Ria Samartzi is a UK based director, dramaturg and performance maker from Greece. She looks for strangeness in the familiar and the epic in the everyday. Her background is in movement, developing new work and collaborative practice.
A long standing collaborator with Foreign Affairs Theatre Company, she has worked with them on several projects, most recently as production dramaturg on The Wetsuitman by Freek Mariën (Rose Lipman Building & Arcola).

Other credits include: associate director on DUAL دوگانه by Peyvand Sadeghian (Edinburgh Fringe, Camden People’s Theatre & HOME), R&D director on Baghdaddy by Jasmine Naziha Jones (BOLD Studios), dramaturg on Bourne by Megan Smith (VAULT Festival 2020), director on Unterstadt -The Story of an Osijek Family by Ivana Sojat and Stlako Sviben in a translation by Valentina Marconi (Rose Lipman Building), associate artist on The Brownie Club by Jessica Lucia Andrade (Jackson’s Lane).

Amy Daniels – Lighting Designer

Amy Daniels (she/her) is a London-based freelance lighting designer, with occasional stints as a technical stage manager. A lover of theatre since she can remember, she studied English Literature at the University of Sussex, then fell in love with all things production during a year abroad at Stony Brook University in New York. She was the technical manager at Camden People’s Theatre from August 2018 until September 2022, during which time she focused her practice from technical management towards production lighting and lighting design. She works on a wide range of performance, with an emphasis on the political, the playful and the pondering.

Find her full credits and portfolio on her website: amydanielslighting.com.

Jovana Backovic – Composer/Sound Designer

Dr. Jovana Backovic (she/her) is a Serbian born composer and performance artist based in London, U.K. Her main interest lies within the field of improvisational electroacoustic and electronic music performance and composition, and how they can help facilitate transition from oral tradition to authorship. Her sound has often been described as cinematic. As well as composing for theatre, feature and documentary movies Jovana performs as a part of duo ArHai that have been touring the UK, EU and the Balkans extensively. Duo has two releases, ‘Eastern Roads’ (2013) and ‘Where Light Resides’ (2019).

Nastazja Domaradzka – Dramaturg

Originally from Poland, Nastazja Domaradzka is a feminist theatre-maker and director. Her work has been presented both in the UK as well as internationally. Credits include Orpheus Descending (National Theatre of Albania), Grate (National Theatre of Kosovo), The Shadow Garden (Teatri Gjilan), CACEROLEO and DUAL (Vault Festival). Nastazja was assistant director to Omar Elerian on his production of The Chairs (The Almeida) and As You Like It (RSC). In 2022 she curated a migrant led project NO BORDERS at The Royal Court. She also works extensively in various UK drama schools.

Ruth Newbery-Payton – Associate Producer

Ruth is a theatre-maker with a strong background in devised and physical theatre, including directing alongside Rich Rusk (Gecko). She worked with Katla Theatre Company on Mary & Mietek (Movement Director, London 2021; Producer & Engagement Programmer, London 2022; Producer, Reykjavik Fringe & Ukraine Fringe 2023). Work with Zoo Co includes support work meeting varied access needs and most recently stage managing Night Shift (Stanley Arts) including ensuring backstage accessibility. In 2022 she attended Draamamaa Weekend in Estonia and the Kosovo Theatre Showcase as an invited UK creative alongside representatives of 20+ other countries.

Lauren Wedgeworth – Assistant Production Manager & Technical Stage Manager

Lauren Wedgeworth is a theatre maker with experience in stage management and directing. She has previously worked with Foreign Affairs on The Wetsuitman at the Arcola Theatre. Other recent credits include: Hir (David Adkin and RJG Productions), The House With Chicken Legs (Les Enfants Terribles) and Project Dictator (Rhum + Clay). She has experience in touring, research and development and community-led projects.

Maria Laumark – Engagement Coordinator

Maria Laumark (she/her) is a producer, theatre-maker and facilitator with a passion for devising, new writing and international collaborations. She is the Artistic Director of the award-winning Katla Theatre Company which recently toured Mary & Mietek to Reykjavík Fringe and Ukraine Fringe. Maria is currently working with Zoo Co as Assistant to the Artistic Director and Creative Associate (shows incl. Perfect Show for Rachel at the Barbican, Night Shift at Stanley Arts and Risky Business with Zoo Co’s Young Company)

Maria has also worked with companies such as Royal Court Theatre, Cut the Cord, The Old Vic, Omnibus and has worked in Denmark, Sweden, Ecuador, Poland and Croatia on international projects.