David Belshaw
Theatre Team Director, 1993 – 1996
David joined Half Moon Theatre in 1990 to work on Positive Knowledge, a drama in education programme raising awareness of HIV/AIDS. He became Education Unit Co-ordinator for Half Moon YPT. When Deborah Bestwick left in 1993, David was appointed Theatre Team Director (the company’s defacto artistic lead). His directing credits for Half Moon Young People’s Theatre include At the Edge of the Sky, Secret Elephant, Wimp and Waking.
Since leaving Half Moon, David has taken a Master’s Degree in Screenwriting at University of the Arts London and has worked as a scriptwriter for television. He was, most recently, International Scripted Producer at BBC Worldwide.
David Belshaw joined Half Moon Theatre as a workshop leader, two weeks before the company went into administration in 1990. He later became Education Manager, then Theatre Team Director at Half Moon Young People’s Theatre when the company moved into White Horse Road. Interviewed by Rio Puffett.
David Belshaw talks about Always With You, a play for teenagers which dealt with the issue of death and how sometimes it was tough performing in youth clubs.
David Belshaw joined Half Moon Young People’s Theatre in 1990 as a workshop leader on a project called Positive Knowledge, a programme about HIV/AIDS, which attempted to counteract the negative messages about sex at the time, as well as exploring gender politics and positive relationships.
David Belshaw was Theatre Team Director at Half Moon Young People’s Theatre in the 1990s. He talks about Waking, a play created with Lin Coghlan for teenage audiences. Set on the West coast of Ireland, the play explored death from a male perspective and went on to be the inaugural production at the new Soho Theatre in Dean Street.
David Belshaw recalls one of the builders at White Horse Road finding an enthusiasm for the desire to make the building totally accessible and how his knowledge of Braille was very useful.
David Belshaw was Theatre Team Director at Half Moon Young Poeple’s Theatre in the 1990s. He talks about Wimp!, a play for young audiences, and how the school audiences were sometimes more interested in the branded trainers in the production than watching the play. Interview by Rio Puffett.