Michelle Payne
MICHELLE PAYNE
DIRECTOR & WRITER
SHE/HER
TESTIMONIALS
GEORGE WHITEHEAD
"As soon as I walked into Michelle’s rehearsal room I felt incredibly comfortable. Michelle creates a very safe space to create work in that I feel really freed the cast up to takes risks, and make the best work we could. She has an excellent eye for detail which is essential for a director and knows when an actor may be sitting on an impulse, even when the actor themselves may not realise it, and knows exactly how to release that impulse to create an authentic moment. Michelle is not only a magnificent creative, but a very warm and friendly person, and was an absolute pleasure to work with."
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FRASER ANTHONY
"I had the pleasure of working on a new play with Michelle that she had written, from start to finish I felt safe and heard in the room, she knows what each actor needs to thrive, whether that be space to explore or close analysis into the text , she has a way of just knowing. Her directing style is refreshing and intelligent, I felt like I could excel as an actor under her watchful eye and make braver choices in the room. I feel so incredibly lucky to be able to say I have worked on one of Michelle’s originals and I can’t wait to see what’s next and hopefully work with her again".
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JOANNA KIRKLAND
TBC
Michelle is so refreshing to work with. Bursting with ideas she’s quick to try stuff out and creates a playful atmosphere in a rehearsal room which always feels like a safe place to make offers and collaborate. She’s commanding, organised and focused but also entirely human and approachable. I felt like the most confident version of myself in her rehearsal room.
ANNETTE BADLAND
"I had the pleasure of working with Michelle Payne and found her direction insightful and intelligent. She allowed her actors to develop their interpretation of the role: facilitating their development and providing stimulation and useful notes. An actor herself, she was extremely able to understand any blocks we may have and unpick things for us. She was also kind and humorous.
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The play we worked on was ‘Orchid’ which was written by Michelle whose theatrical voice I find unique and has an authentic, true ring to it.
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As a working class woman she is exploring and presenting pieces that examine current issues which are not often written about or seen."
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LEAH HARVEY
"Michelle Payne was a pleasure to work with on her play "Orchid". I'm very glad that she got in touch with me and gave me the opportunity to get involved with such a wonderful production. Her writing flows so well and the characters are very well thought out including her new play Full Circle, which I was able to watch at a recent showing of her work. As well as being an excellent writer, Michelle is able to communicate her ideas about the script and give clear and thoughtful direction to her cast in a way that makes one feel like they're being given a deep insight into how the play and characters mind works. I really enjoyed my time working with her and hope to work with her again in the near future! She also inspired me to do some writing myself, which was a big step for me and I thank for from the bottom of my heart for that!"
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HANNAH KHALIQUE-BROWN
"Michelle is an incredible writer and director, and aside from her brilliant acting training, what I learned of the ‘industry’ side of things was seriously game-changing.
Michelle goes beyond anything that would be expected to personally support her students in their careers, in and out of class. I owe a hell of a lot to her generosity and determination for us, which goes far beyond what any course description could convey, and is 100% the biggest reason why I can call myself a working actor now. Thank you so much Michelle!"
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