Max Stafford-Clark is one of the UK's most influential theatre directors. He established Joint Stock in 1974, ran the Royal Court Theatre from 1979 to 1993, and then set up the extremely successful touring theatre company, Out of Joint, premiering plays from leading writers including April De Angelis, Sebastian Barry, Richard Bean, Alistair Beaton, Caryl Churchill, David Edgar, David Hare, Rebecca Lenkiewicz, Robin Soans and Timberlake Wertenbaker. He remained Out of Joint's Artistic Director until 2017. Dr Philip Roberts is Emeritus Professor of Theatre Studies in the University of Leeds and a theatre historian, particularly of the Royal Court.
'a rare opportunity to get inside the mind of one of British theatre's most original practitioners... a fascinating view of an incredibly diverse body of work' * British Theatre Guide * 'a splendid portrait of the vicissitudes of the collective life' * Times Literary Supplement * 'fascinating... By pioneering the workshop method of rehearsal, where actors and director all contribute ideas before sending the playwright off to pen the text, Stafford-Clark made a major innovation in the evolution of British drama... He also tells a good story' -- Aleks Sierz * Independent * 'a terrific read... an absolute treasure trove of insights, tips, reminiscences and lessons in the 'process' of how a new play comes into the world' * Rogues and Vagabonds *