Bethan Clark
Fight & Intimacy Director
Certified Instructor
HI, I'M BETHAN
I am a Fight Director and Certified Senior Teacher with the British Academy of Dramatic Combat. I combine my work as a fight practitioner with Intimacy Direction and Coordination.
Whether you require a safe and convincing way to fall, an epic, bloody sword fight or multiple gun battle, I can facilitate and collaborate to make action which is bold, dramatic and truthful.
As a teacher I encourage and empower my students for the practical application of their skills in the industry. My route to dramatic combat came via my work as an actor. I trained at Drama Centre (MA Classical Acting) and at Exeter University gaining a first class BA (Hons) in Drama, going on to work professionally as an actor and fight performer in theatre and film. I understand the demands of the industry and the training required to make violent action safe, repeatable and believable.
Prior to my teacher training and alongside acting I was an applied drama workshop facilitator. I facilitated with all ages and backgrounds of participants and specialised in working within prisons for 5 years, using drama and theatre as a creative and explorative outlet. This extensive experience of drama facilitation enhances my work with theatrical violence as I am experienced at devising bespoke courses and workshops to meet a variety of requirements. Recent clients include York Theatre Royal, Geese Theatre Company, St Georges International School Luxembourg, The Wellcome Collection, Queen Mary University of London.
This combination of industry experience and drama facilitation informs my work and provides the foundation of my practice: inclusivity, kindness, supported challenge, collaboration and creativity.
Cowbois
Photo by Henri T © RSC
CREDITS
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Training: BADC Certified Dramatic Combat Teacher (Qualified 2015) MA European Classical Acting: Drama Centre, London (Graduated 2009) BA (Hons) Drama (1st): Exeter University (Graduated 2007) Industry Training & Qualifications: Replica & Blank Firing Handgun Instructor Coronavirus Awareness in Production: ScreenSkills Safeguarding within Colleges and Universities: Educare Disability and Wellbeing Training Inclusivity and Unconscious Bias Training First Aider Mental Health First Aid Certification L2 Further training and experience: Goju-Ryu Karate: 1st Dan Black Belt Aerial Stunt Rigging Aerial Acrobatics International Order of the Sword and Pen workshops HEMA Training
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2023Currently playing/ opening soon: COWBOIS | RSC | Dir. Charlie Josephine & Sean Holmes * Fight and Intimacy Director ROMEO & JULIET | Manchester Royal Exchange | Dir. Nicholai La Barrie * Intimacy Director GOD OF CARNAGE | Lyric Hammersmith | Dir. Nicholai La Barrie Previously: THE ODYSSEY: EPISODE 5 - THE UNDERWORLD | National Theatre | Dir. Emily Lim THE SWELL | Orange Tree Theatre | Dir. Hannah Hauer-King * Intimacy and Fight Director SOVEREIGN | York Theatre Royal | Co-Dir's Juliet Forster, Mingyu Lin and John R. Wilkins A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM | Chichester Festival Theatre | Dir. Jon Pashley DIXON AND DAUGHTERS | National Theatre & Clean Break | Dir. Róisín McBrinn TERRORE E MISERIA DEL III REICH | Civica Scuola di Teatro Paolo Grassi, Milan | Dir. Ben Naylor * Fight and Intimacy Director SNOWFLAKES | Park Theatre | Dir. Mike Cottrell THE WITNESS | Avant Cymru | Dir. Rachel Pedley MY BROTHER'S KEEPER | Theatre 503 | Dir. Robert Awosusi HEX * | National Theatre | Dir. Rufus Norris * as Fight Consultant THE LAVENDER HILL MOB | On UK Tour 2022 - 2023 | Dir. Jeremy Sams
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2020 to 2022THE PRINCE | Southwark Playhouse (Metal Rabbit Productions) | Dir. Natasha Rickman MACBETH * | Avant Cymru | Dir. Matthew Bool * as Co-Fight Director SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE * | East 15 | Dir. Polina Kalinina * as Co-Fight Director THE BEAUX STRATAGEM | E15 | Dir. Jon Edgley Bond BLOOD WEDDING | CSSD | Dir. Ben Naylor BETWEEN THE ROOTS AND WINGS | CSSD | Dir. Martin Wylde GALÁPAGOS | CSSD | Dir. Gemma Aked-Priestley MARVIN'S BINOCULARS | The Unicorn Theatre | Dir. Hannah Quigley AS YOU LIKE IT | Northern Broadsides & New Vic Theatre | Dir. Laurie Sansom THE BOLDS | The Unicorn Theatre | Dir. Lee Lyford HEX * | National Theatre | Dir. Rufus Norris * as Fight Consultant THE LOWER DEPTHS | CSSD | Dir. Ben Naylor OUR LADY OF BLUNDELLSANDS | Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse | Dir. Nick Bagnall MARVIN'S BINOCULARS | The Unicorn Theatre | Dir. Justin Audibert SNOWFLAKES | Dissident Theatre @ The Old Red Lion | Dir. Mike Cottrell BUNKER | Harpy Productions @ The Lion & Unicorn | Dir. Coral Tarran HAMLET | CSSD | Dir. Ben Naylor THE EFFECT | English Theatre Frankfurt | Dir. Audrey Sheffield MACBETH | Queens Theatre Hornchurch & Derby Playhouse | Dir. Douglas Rintoul THE LAST SHIP | US Tour | Dir. Lorne Campbell As associate Fight Director for Rc-Annie Ltd: NIGHT, MOTHER | Hampstead Theatre | Dir. Roxana Silbert FAUSTUS, THAT DAMNED WOMAN | Lyric Hammersmith | Dir. Caroline Byrne
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2018 to 2019HELLO AND GOODBYE | York Theatre Royal | Dir. John R Wilkinson OUR LADY OF KIBEHO | Theatre Royal Stratford East | Dir. James Dacre A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE | York Theatre Royal | Dir. Juliet Forster MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE | Leicester Curve | Dir. Nikolai Foster ROBIN HOOD | Queens Theatre Hornchurch | Dir. Douglas Rintoul BOUDICA | Courtyard Theatre, RCSSD | Dir. Jon Pashley MOLD RIOTS | Theatr Clwyd | Dir. Katie Posner AS YOU LIKE IT | NT Public Acts & Queens Theatre Hornchurch | Dir. Douglas Rintoul MACBETH | Antic Disposition | Dir. Ben Horslen & John Risebero ANGUIS | Avalon Arts at Gilded Balloon Taviot | Dir. Lucy Jane Atkinson BONES | Courtyard Theatre, RCSSD | Dir. Martin Fylde & Diane Alison-Mitchell THE HIRED MAN | Queens Hornchurch, Hull Truck & Oldham Coliseum | Dir. Douglas Rintoul CYMBELINE | Courtyard Theatre, RCSSD | Dir. Ben Naylor & Anna Healey IN BASILDON | Queens Theatre Hornchurch | Dir. Douglas Rintoul THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY | Tilted Wig Productions | Dir. Sean Aydon AS YOU LIKE IT | Eton College | Dir. Scott Handy THE LAST SHIP | Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto | Dir. Lorne Campbell ONE MAN TWO GUVNORS | Eton College | Dir. Angus Graham-Campbell KES | Leeds Playhouse | Dir. Martin Leonard THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS | Polka Theatre | Dir. Roman Stefanski HANSEL & GRETEL* | Rose Theatre Kingston | Dir. Rosie Jones * as co-Fight Director THICK AS THIEVES | Clean Break & Theatr Clwyd | Dir. Roisin McBrinn MACBETH | Merely Theatre | Dir. Abigail Anderson DWAYNE I GOF | Theatr Bara Caws | Dir. Bethan Llwyd THE LORD OF THE FLIES | Theatr Clwyd & Sherman Theatre | Dir. Emma Jordan ABIGAIL'S PARTY | Queens Theatre Hornchurch | Dir. Douglas Rintoul CARMEN THE GYPSY | Romany Theatre Company at Arcola & UK tour | Dir. Abigail Graham THE CEASEFIRE BABIES | NT Connections | Dir. Tom Hughes OTHELLO | Liverpool Everyman | Dir. Gemma Bodinetz PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT | Queens Theatre Hornchurch | Dir. Douglas Rintoul REARED | Theatre 503 | Dir. Sarah Davey-Hull DNA | National Youth Theatre | Dir. Sean Hollands THE ROVER | RCSSD | Dir. Ben Naylor & Anna Healey THE LAST SHIP | Nothern Stage | Dir. Lorne Campbell LEGACY | York Theatre Royal | Dir. Kate Veysey ROPE | Queens Theatre Hornchurch & New Wolsey | Dir. Douglas Rintoul OTHELLO | Eton College | Dir. Scott Handy BAD GIRLS | The Arts Centre Edge Hill Uni | Dir. Clare Chandler SISTER ACT | The Arts Centre Edge Hill Uni | Dir. Rachel Griffiths
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2016 to 2017THE INVISIBLE MAN | Queens Theatre Hornchurch | Dir. Ryan McBryde BEWEEP, OUTCAST | RCSSD | Dir. Martin Wylde THE DEVILS | RCSSD | Dir. Ben Naylor & Anna Healey BOOM | Theatre 503 | Dir. Katherine Nesbitt RICHARD III | Antic Disposition | Dir. Ben Horslen & John Riseboro EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE: THE YORK SUFFRAGETTES | York Theatre Royal & Pilot Theatre | Dir. Juliet Forster & Katie Posner THE BORROWERS | Polka Theatre | Dir. Lee Lyford OUT THERE ON MEAT RIDGE ROAD | Trafalgar Studios | Dir. Harry Burton SPRING OFFENSIVE | Omnibus | Dir. Marie McCarthy HAMLET | ALRA | Dir. Dickon Tyrell DR ANGELUS | Finborough Theatre | Dir. Jenny Ogilvie DNA | National Youth Theatre | Dir. Sean Hollands THE INVISIBLE MAN | Paines Plough | Dir. Olusola Oyeleye THE GREAT DIVIDE | Finborough Theatre | Dir. Rory McGregor HALLOWEEN CABARET | Twin and Tonic | Dir. Louise Holland HOLLIE CAN | National Youth Theatre | Dir. Sean Hollands MACBETH | Omnibus Theatre | Dir. Gemma Kerr BLUE STOCKINGS | The Brit School | Dir. Sarah Niven HAMLET | Sutton Valance School | Dir. Ben Fewson TREASURE ISLAND | University College School Hampstead | Dir. Conor Abbott THE LADYKILLERS | Eton College | Dir. Timothy Howe As Associate Fight Director TOM MOLINEAUX | Jack Studio Theatre | Dir. Kate Bannister
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2020 to 2023KILL YOUR LOVER (Short Film - in Post Production) | Switchblade Cinema | Dir. Alex Austin & Kier Siewert Fight Arranger FRANK (Short Film) | National Theatre Wales | Dir. Jesse Briton Fight Arranger THURSDAY (Short Film) | MetFilm | Dir. Anabel Barnston Action Coordinator and Intimacy Director THE LAST UNION (Short Film) | Ardvale Films | Dir. Liam Abbott Action Coordinator and Armourer SIFT,SIMMER,SHRED (Short Film) | Studio 206 | Dir. Caglar Kimyoncu Fight Arranger REDCAP (Short film) | MetFilm | Dir. Giles Reeve Action Coordinator & Fight Arranger THE LAST DAYS (Short film) | Tannahill Productions | Dir. Dipo Baruwa-Etti Assistant Stunt Coordinator DASHCAM (Feature Film) | Blumhouse Productions | Dir. Rob Savage Fight and Action Double for Lead BULL (Feature Film) | Plastic Fish (BULL) Ltd c/o Tea Shop Productions | Dir. Paul Williams Action/Fight Assistant
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2018 to 2019RUINED (Short Film) | Glad Moss Films | Dir. Glad Moss AWAIT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS (Feature Film) | Shudder Films | Dir. Jonathan Kevorkian Fight and Action Assistant HERETIKS (Feature Film) | Sterling Pictures | Dir. Paul Hyett Fight and Action Assistant GENESIS (Feature Film) | Next Level Films | Dir. Freddie Hutton-Mills and Bart Ruspoli Action and Fight Performer
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2015 to 2017WE STILL STEAL THE OLD WAY (Feature Film) | Evolution Pictures | Dir. Sacha Bennett Fight and Action Assistant HOWL (Feature Film) | Starchild Pictures Ltd | Dir. Paul Hyett Fight and Action Assistant ARTHUR AND MERLIN (Feature Film) | Myrrdin Ltd | Dir: Marco Van Belle Fight and Action Assistant
The Lord Of The Flies
Photo © Sam Taylor, Theatr Clwyd & Sherman Theatre
TEACHING
MetFilm School on BA Acting for Screen: intensive course on fundamentals of unarmed and armed fighting for film for film. Training systems are unarmed, knife, longsword and handguns.
Royal Central School of Speech and Drama: Summer School BADC Standard Level Course. Fight & Intimacy Direction for MA Classical and Contemporary Actings courses includes Blood Wedding, Mother Courage, In Hell and Hamlet.
University for the Creative Arts on BA Acting and Performance: stage combat tutor. Fight and Intimacy Director.Devised an unarmed and knife course that complements a module focusing on violence and revenge in classical texts.
Wimbledon School of Arts (UAL) on BA Acting and Performance: masterclasses in unarmed stage combat.
East 15 Acting School on BA Acting and Stage Combat: guest tutor and fight director.
TRAINING & WORKSHOPS
BADC Certification Courses are now booking for 2023! Follow the link below for full details. Bespoke workshops and 1-1 training are available upon request.
