Patrons

Robert Petty

I was born early enough to catch most of Foursight's first productions. The first one I saw (when I was working as a teacher in Telford) was Helen of Troy. All I can remember is lots of long speeches and some bizarre headdresses.

I left the teaching job and became West Midlands Arts' Touring Officer. That's when I saw Pink Smoke In the Vatican on its opening night at Warwick Arts Centre. Kate wore a denim jacket and looked very like a theatre director; Naomi was terrifying.

I moved on to be director at mac. That's where I saw Boadicea - still one of my favourite pieces of theatre ever. (Another on this list is Six Dead Queens…see below). I still love visiting mac, even though it was the toughest job I've ever had.

I'd been living in Shropshire since 1975, maintaining quite a strong interest in Pentabus Theatre, so it seemed a natural step to become Director there - it was my turn. I took them to the edge of bankruptcy, tried to escape, but got pulled back in as Chair of the Board, which I've been ever since. They've also produced several pieces on my all-favourites list, a definite being their most recent show, Precious Bane.

After Pentabus I went back into teaching in Much Wenlock where we've recently opened an arts centre on the school site - The Edge. It's taken ten years of hard graft - ten years of promoting more Foursight shows: the one where Naomi cooked liver and onions on stage; the one where Naomi stuffed her mouth with porridge while bits of paper fell like confetti; the one where Lisa was stuffed into a glass case; that sex one; oh, and Six Dead Queens…(twice).

I love Foursight's work. I love their determination to do a perfect show every time, no matter the limitations of the venue, the paucity of the audience, whatever. I can't think of another company with such a consistent success rate - their work (I haven't mentioned The Snow Queen or Medea) has a distinctive style that seems always to be a strength, never a limitation. I'm proud to be associated with them.

Professor Lorna Hardwick

Lorna Hardwick teaches in the Department of Classical Studies at the Open University where she is Professor of Classical Studies and Director of the Reception of Classical Texts Research project (http://www2.open.ac.uk/ClassicalStudies/GreekPlays).

Her publications relating to classical drama and modern performances include Translating Words, Translating Cultures (Duckworth, 2000), New Surveys In The Classics: Reception Studies (Oxford University Press, 2003) and Classics & Anti-Colonialism: Decolonising Classics In Dionysus Since '69 (eds E Hall, F Macintosh & A Wrigley, Oxford University Press, 2004).

She is currently working on modern adaptations and performances of Greek drama in post-colonial contexts.

When she is not involved in her teaching or research work, Lorna regularly goes to the theatre for pleasure (and to the races).