Martin French is the Co-Artistic Director of The Chamber Theatre and one of the Artistic Directorate for Louisville Repertory Company. From Ireland originally, he has worked in theatre for many years, covering a wide variety of positions. By trade a designer, and by preference a director, Martin has worked professionally in theatre for over 20 years in Dublin, London, and Louisville, combining his creative work with positions as a theatre technician, and more recently instructor. He has been an artistic director with Ourclann and Dublin Shakespeare in Ireland, and in Louisville has previously been on the board of The Alley Theatre, and currently serves on the board of the Louisville Repertory Company.
Depending on when you ask him, his influences may include Edward Gordon Craig, Vsevolod Meyehold, Tadeusz Kantor, Yoshi Oida, Robert Wilson, and Silviu Purcarete. He is known as a devotee to Henrik Ibsen, a student of the ancient Greeks, and a dabbler in Noh theatre when given the chance.
Some highlights of his directing work include The Bloomsday Breakfast Show, Elektra, Busu, Electile Dysfunction, Metamorphosis, and Chek-Mate.
His article, Don’t Cry For Theatre, Academia, was the catalyst for this conversation.