IMTAL PEOPLE

IMTAL-Europe is a subscription membership organisation open to individuals and to institutions from anywhere in Europe. Members include those who perform, programme and curate all forms of live interpretation and museum theatre as well as students and academic researchers. At present our membership includes over a hundred representatives from England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Eire, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, France, Germany and Israel. Members are offered the opportunity to create a profile on this website.

DIRECTORS

IMTAL-Europe is managed by a board of directors. Directors are volunteers and are elected to the board at the Annual General Meeting. Their role is to promote live interpretation and museum theatre and represent IMTAL and its members. They:

• Communicate regularly with other board members

• Attend 3 board meetings a year

• Compile 3 newsletters a year

• Prepare the Annual General Meeting

• Organise development, networking and training days

• Organise the biannual IMTAL Europe Conference

• Co-organise the biannual Global Conference with IMTAL-Americas and IMTAP-Asia Pacific

Current Directors:

Dr Anna Farthing (Chair)

Anna has a particular interest in engaging audiences with sensitive histories, and animating unusual or neglected sites. Anna studied Drama at the Universities of Bristol (BA) and Manchester (PhD), Commedia dell’Arte in Italy and opera directing at The Banff Centre in Canada. She writes, directs and produces for live performance and recorded media, and has recently created a number of large-scale participatory launch events. Anna is the founding director of award winning company, Harvest Heritage Arts and Media.

Lara Muth (Treasurer and Company Secretary)

Lara is the founder/director of site-specific theatre company Bard Unbound and has devised projects for Hampton Court Palace and HM Tower of London. Lara has an MA in Text & Performance from RADA and is a member of the Young Vic's Genesis programme for emerging directors. Lara is currently employed as the company administrator for The Rayne Foundation where she is responsible for day to day administration and all financial reporting. Originally from the USA, Lara now lives in London.

Emily Capstick (Editor of IMTAL's Insights newsletter)

Emily is joint Company Director of Peoplescape Theatre and is based in Manchester. She has been working in museum theatre for the last 15 years as a writer, researcher, director, actor, facilitator and maker. Emily has a special interest in work for early years and those with special needs. She has developed performances through partnership with fifteen different organisations including the People's History Museum, The Manchester Museum, Museum of London, London Transport Museum and Staircase House. 

Chris Gidlow (Board Member)

Chris is Live Interpretation Manager for England’s Historic Royal Palaces. For eleven years he has been bringing to life the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Kew Palace, Kensington Palace and Banqueting House White Hall. He learnt on the job and can still be seen occasionally in costume. Chris is also an author, specialising in the history and legends of King Arthur, and designs historical board games in any spare time.

Tony Jackson (Board Member)

Tony is now Emeritus Professor of Educational Theatre at the University of Manchester, and was Director of the Performance, Learning and Heritage research project, 2005–8. (The research database, findings and report are available online at www.plh.manchester.ac.uk) He continues to teach part-time and his research is ongoing. His recent books include Learning through Theatre, 1993 (new edition 2013); Theatre, education and the making of meanings, 2007; and (edited with Jenny Kidd) Performing Heritage: research, practice and innovation in museum theatre and live interpretation.

Björn Buttler Jakobsen (Board Member)

Björn has been Director of the Foteviken museum since 1995 and Director for the Koggmuseum in Malmö since 2003. Under his leadership, both have been involved in many European partnership projects. Bjorn’s previous board appointments have included President of EXARC (European Exchange on Archaeological Research and Communication) and Chairman of NOAM (Nordiska föreningen för Arkeologiska Friluftsmuseer). He has also worked extensively as a tv and film producer on maritime and living archaeology projects.

Stephen Howe (Board Member)

Stephen has been an interpreter for ten years, most of which has been spent at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, with a year at Quarry Bank Mill. Prior to working in museums, he toured theatre internationally for about the same period. He has also taught English (TEFOL) and been an engineer. Stephen is passionate about combining education and inspiration in an entertaining and memorable way and wants to help IMTAL become an international tool and resource.

Shane Morgan (Board Member)

Shane trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and is now based in the South West of England. For the last 15 years he has been working as an actor, director, producer and facilitator of theatre. He is co-founder of Roughhouse Theatre, and has recently worked in association with several historic sites, including the Theatre Royal in Bath, the Victoria and Albert Museum, Arnos Vale Cemetery and the Tobacco Factory Theatre in Bristol. Shane also designs, runs and facilitates theatre-based workshops for all ages.