Jack Wakely
London, GB
Bio
Jack Wakely (they/them) grew up in the West Country, but has lived and worked in London since 2008. They graduated from Goldsmiths College, University of London with a First Class degree in Drama & Theatre Arts (BA Hons). They're an advocate for recognising gender diversity, invisible disabilities and neurodiversity within the arts. Jack has been Co-Artistic Director of the award-winning Silent Faces Theatre since the company was founded in 2015, making brave, ridiculous, unique and challenging devised theatre. Alongside Josie Underwood and Cordelia Stevenson, they've written and devised three shows: Follow Suit ('Subtle, hilarious and ultimately shocking' ★★★★★, Everything Theatre), A Clown Show About Rain ('Delightful' ★★★★, The Scotsman) and Godot is a Woman ('Cheeky and geeky' ★★★★, The Guardian). Godot is a Woman was published in 2022 by Renard Press. They are a founding ensemble member of Degenerate Fox (AKA the London Neo-Futurists), writing, directing and performing in The Dirty Thirty, a fortnightly outing of an ever-changing menu of 30 original plays, performed in one hour, against the clock. In 2020, Degenerate Fox moved their show online, creating The Dirty 30 II: Electric Pay-Per-View, an award-winning digital show watched by audiences across the world. As an actor, Jack has performed at venues including The Pleasance, New Diorama, HOME Manchester, Camden People's Theatre, Sheffield Theatres, Plymouth Theatre Royal, Cambridge Junction, Bath Theatre Royal and Tobacco Factory Theatres, as well as at seven Edinburgh Fringe Festivals. From a background of self-producing work with both Silent Faces and Degenerate Fox, Jack worked as Producer and Project Manager at Open Door and Producer at Cardboard Citizens, and is currently Development Producer at CRIPtic Arts and a freelance Associate Producer with Citz. They're focused on producing work with a social purpose, working with disabled and neurodivergent artists, and supporting queer and trans artists.
Bio
Jack Wakely (they/them) grew up in the West Country, but has lived and worked in London since 2008. They graduated from Goldsmiths College, University of London with a First Class degree in Drama & Theatre Arts (BA Hons). They're an advocate for recognising gender diversity, invisible disabilities and neurodiversity within the arts. Jack has been Co-Artistic Director of the award-winning Silent Faces Theatre since the company was founded in 2015, making brave, ridiculous, unique and challenging devised theatre. Alongside Josie Underwood and Cordelia Stevenson, they've written and devised three shows: Follow Suit ('Subtle, hilarious and ultimately shocking' ★★★★★, Everything Theatre), A Clown Show About Rain ('Delightful' ★★★★, The Scotsman) and Godot is a Woman ('Cheeky and geeky' ★★★★, The Guardian). Godot is a Woman was published in 2022 by Renard Press. They are a founding ensemble member of Degenerate Fox (AKA the London Neo-Futurists), writing, directing and performing in The Dirty Thirty, a fortnightly outing of an ever-changing menu of 30 original plays, performed in one hour, against the clock. In 2020, Degenerate Fox moved their show online, creating The Dirty 30 II: Electric Pay-Per-View, an award-winning digital show watched by audiences across the world. As an actor, Jack has performed at venues including The Pleasance, New Diorama, HOME Manchester, Camden People's Theatre, Sheffield Theatres, Plymouth Theatre Royal, Cambridge Junction, Bath Theatre Royal and Tobacco Factory Theatres, as well as at seven Edinburgh Fringe Festivals. From a background of self-producing work with both Silent Faces and Degenerate Fox, Jack worked as Producer and Project Manager at Open Door and Producer at Cardboard Citizens, and is currently Development Producer at CRIPtic Arts and a freelance Associate Producer with Citz. They're focused on producing work with a social purpose, working with disabled and neurodivergent artists, and supporting queer and trans artists.
Producing Practice
I'm a creative producer, leveraging my experience as a theatremaker to support other artists in the development of their own. My focus is first and foremost on artist welfare, working with marginalised people to make sure they're safe and supported while working, and helping carve out space in an industry that doesn't always make room or look out for us.
Areas of Expertise
- Creative production
- Queer- and trans-led work
- Disabled-led work
- Early career artists
- Welfare and safeguarding
- Community engagement
- Facilitation
Collaboration Interests
- Queer and trans-led work
- Disabled-led work
- Working with marginalised artists
- Work with a social purpose
- Work that engages communities who aren't typically engaged with theatre, art, etc.
- Early career artists
