Hannah. Writer, Choreographer & Performer

Hannah is a twenty-seven-year-old Writer, Choreographer & Performer from Leeds. She is the co-founder of Liver & Lung Productions and has been in the Theatre and Performing Arts industry for five years. She recently co-launched the podcast Finding Fabulous that celebrates creativity, imagination and all things fabulous!

How did you get into your field? What inspired you?

‘Telling stories and performing are two things I've been interested in from a young age. I attended dance and drama classes from the age of three, and outside of that I was always making up shows to perform for my family and roping my brother in for the supporting roles. After graduating in 2014, I co-founded Liver & Lung Productions with my best friend, Shafeeq Shajahan, who I met at university. He was living in Kuala Lumpur at the time and I remained in London. Our ambition was to develop two concurrent streams of theatre, based in the UK and Malaysia, and take learnings from each other's culture to champion unheard voices and promote understanding and empathy. We both held down corporate jobs to pay the bills - I worked in advertising and Shaf in strategic consultancy. We spent the rest of our wages on funding the company and financing our shows - and on the odd night out...’

What did you study at university and did this help you get into your field?

‘I studied History at University College London (UCL). My course isn't directly related to the arts but the societies I participated in and the facilities I had access to were amazing. UCL had a partnership with The Bloomsbury Theatre meaning I had the opportunity to perform on and choreograph work for a West End stage. I was also the first student choreographer to choreograph a musical for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival during my time there - a production that would have been difficult to finance without support from the student union. The skills I learned from making theatre at a student level have carried through into my professional life. The freedom afforded meant I could experiment artistically in a safe environment - I could make mistakes and learn from them without huge repercussions. Importantly, university is where I met my closest friends. Their encouragement, love and support is invaluable and inspires me to dream big!’

Do you recommend any particular studies, courses or degrees for your field?

‘There are lots of amazing courses out there for artists. In another life, I may have applied to study Creative Writing at UEA or Columbia, Choreography at Trinity Laban or Musical Theatre at ArtsEd or Mountview. Applying for MA/MFAs is still on my radar but at the moment, I'm satisfied with learning on the job. For aspiring writers, check out BBC Writersroom and 4Screenwriting for opportunities to get your work seen by the right people. Creativity isn't just about studying though. I'd recommend getting out in the world and experiencing real life: go to that party, talk to that old lady on the bus, date that person, take that temp job!’

What does an average day look like in your role?

‘I'm currently freelancing so everyday is a little bit different. I may be teaching a class, rehearsing on set or meeting with a producer. I try to keep a normal routine so I can manage my time effectively and remain productive. I don't need to be in an office for 9am anymore, but I still like to be up, dressed and working by that time. I definitely work best in a morning so that's when I write. Anything movement related I leave until the evening when my body has warmed up and feels more fluid.’

What is the best part of your role?

‘Telling stories, creating weird and wonderful characters, entertaining!’

What is the worst part of your role?

‘Non-linear career progression (sorry, that's horrible corporate speak left over from my Adland days.) In other words, there's no set career path. It's not like becoming a doctor or a lawyer where you know the courses you have to take, the exams you have to pass, the posts you need to fill in order to reach that next level in your career and be regarded 'a success'. You work on a project by project basis and hope that one will provide the key to the next step. An optimist would say it's liberating - you have the freedom to control the things you do. As a natural planner, it's challenging for me to let go of structure and still feel like I'm doing 'enough'. Accepting that the creative industries are subjective and that there's no foolproof method for producing 'the next big thing' (and then getting it produced) can be discouraging. You really have to have your elbows out and just keep going.’

How important is work/life balance to you and how much spare time do you have?

‘Tough question! My work/ life balance fluctuates depending on the projects I'm involved with. I live by the motto that 'busy people get things done' so I try to fill my time with as many things as I can. I get my energy from people so socialising is important for me - especially if I've spent all day sat alone writing. I'm not very good at doing nothing but that's something I'm learning to embrace as part of my lifestyle.’

Do you have any hobbies?

‘I founded my production company, Liver & Lung Productions with the ambition of making my hobbies into a career. I'm a classically trained dancer so dance has always been a big part of my life, as has storytelling and performing generally. I still regularly take dance classes and performance or writing short-courses when I can. Other than that, I enjoy reading, RuPaul's Drag Race and gin.’

Do you have any advice for people looking to start a career in the same field?

‘1. Practice means progress. It sounds obvious but if you want to be a writer, then write. If you want to be a dancer, then get to class - and stretch. Read books, watch TV and go to theatre and cinema (as regularly as you can afford to). Appreciating other people's work will inspire your own.’

‘2. Speak to people who have your dream job. Be gutsy and reach out to people who work in the industry you want to work in. The worst that can happen is that they don't reply to your email, right? When making a career shift, it felt like I was starting at square one. I emailed everyone I knew who had a connection to the arts and television industry asking for advice or if they could put me in touch with a person they knew. LinkedIn is a great resource. It was amazing how many people were willing to help, offering up their time to meet with me and sharing their wisdom (thank you to those kind people!).’

‘3. Determination and resilience. The creative industries are tough. Competition is fierce. Not everyone will 'get you'. You have to stay driven, focused and believe in your dream and your ability to get there.’

Have you ever experienced any uncertainties about your career? If so, what did you do to overcome them?

‘For sure! Last year, I quit my stable city job in Adland and traded it in for working full-time in the arts. I moved to Malaysia for a 'creative break' and supported Shaf in building Liver & Lung in Asia. I threw myself into a new environment and said 'yes' to every opportunity. It really opened my eyes to a new way of working and my confidence in my abilities grew. I could do this! We produced six original musicals in Kuala Lumpur last year and in 2020 are set to embark on a national tour of Malaysia, tour to the Edinburgh Fringe and the Black Box Festival in Macau. We are also working on a short film and a TV series adaptation of two of our stage shows in the UK and Malaysia.’

Who is your biggest female inspiration and why?

‘So many! Malala Yousafzai, Michelle Obama, Madonna...'

'My number one goes to Audrey Hepburn. Not only was she a talented and multi-award winning Hollywood actress immortalising roles such as Princess Anne, Eliza Dolittle and Holly Golightly. She was also a devoted life-long humanitarian: from the dance performances she staged to help fund the Dutch Resistance effort during WWII, to the field work she undertook with UNICEF internationally. For me, she shows that anything is possible and she did it all with humility, empathy and grace!’