Craig Norman

Biography

I have acted in classical and contemporary productions in London and on tour nationally and internationally. Additionally, I have experience of feature and short film, television, corporate and music videos and commercials.

As a playwright, I have had work performed locally in Bournemouth (where I am from), Ringwood (Forest Forge Theatre Company), Dorchester (Arts Centre), Bristol (Old Vic, Alma Tavern), London (Pacific Playhouse, Bridewell Theatre), Exeter (The Bike Shed Theatre) and Ireland (Red Kettle Theatre Company, Waterford).

I have directed productions in Poole (‘Herons’ at the Lighthouse) and Bournemouth (‘Killing London’, my own play and ‘The Rise and Fall of Little Voice’ at Bournemouth International Centre), including at the Arts University Bournemouth (‘Spring Awakening’) and Verwood (‘When The Wind Blows’ at The Hub). In 2025, I directed ‘The Fall’ for University of Gloucestershire at the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham (Irving Studio Theatre).

I have experience of workshop delivery and facilitation (verbatim theatre, devising, storytelling) and have belonged to writing groups attached to Forest Forge Theatre Company in Ringwood and Poole Lighthouse. I also co-led The Engine, a writing group for 15-25 year olds based at the Lighthouse, Poole.

I was previously Artistic Director of ‘Theatre Orb’; a company dedicated to new writing in Bournemouth.

Qualifications

MA in Theatre & Performance (Merit), University of King’s College London, 2018

PGCE in Post Compulsory Education & Training (Distinction), University of Southampton, 2012

BA (Hons) Theatre & Media Drama (2:1), University of Glamorgan, 1996

Accreditation

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) (2016)

Awards

Trained Arts Award Advisor (Silver and Bronze)

Mental Health First Aid Champion (Higher Education MHFA Course)

First Aid at work

Membership of professional bodies

Fellowship of Higher Education Academy (2016)

Arts Industry Accreditation, Edinburgh Fringe (2022, 2023, 2025)

Teaching and research

Teaching areas and methods

I have taught on theoretical and practical modules on Arts & Event/Creative Events Management, Creative Writing and Acting courses at the Arts University Bournemouth and University of Gloucestershire.

At the Arts University Bournemouth, I previously taught for 7 years on the Creative Events Management course on units, which focused on cultural theory and practice, art forms, health and safety, project management, live events and dissertation writing. On the Acting course at AUB, I taught on both practical and theoretical units across all levels.

At UoG, I have continued to teach on practical Acting modules and historical/contextual modules (Theatre Histories, Research Methods, Dissertation) as well as Contemporary Theatre and Digital Media.

Research focus

• Peer reviewer for the Studies in Theatre and Performance journal (for a manuscript entitled ‘An Examination of Audience Behaviour in Immersive Theatre Environments through Environment-Behaviour Studies’ (July 2021).
  
• AUB’s internal journal ‘Creative Pedagogies’ entitled ‘Teaching Truth in Theory and Practice; the pedagogical opportunities provided when using verbatim theatre techniques at HE Level’ (Published Spring 2020).
  
• Playwriting (and its intersection with academic research, authorship)
  
• Site-specific theatre
  
• Immersive and participatory theatre practice
  
• Verbatim theatre
  
• Actor training and developing resilience within a context of trigger warnings, safe spaces, cancel culture, and misrepresentation.

Academia.edu

External responsibilities

I endeavour to pursue any external acting, writing and directing opportunities where possible. Currently, I am developing a play.

Subjects for media interview

Acting, writing, directing, performance, arts and culture, higher education.

External examining

I was External Examiner for Kingston College, London as part of the University of the West of England (UWE) for their BA Acting for Stage and Media course.