Professor Kenneth Rea

Key details:

Department:
Drama
Role:
Acting Tutor

Ken Rea studied at the University of Auckland (NZ) and Royal Holloway University of London.  After working as a leading actor and director in New Zealand, where he founded the Living Theatre Troupe, he studied theatre in Bali, Java, India, China and Japan, as well as studying with leading European teachers.

Since joining the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, where is currently professor of theatre, he has initiated many groundbreaking collaborations between actors and musicians and this has become one of his main areas of research. Internationally, he has taught in the national drama academies of China, India, Italy and New Zealand, as well as running courses and workshops in Indonesia, Singapore and Canada, for the International Workshop Theatre in London and for seven years, the Prima del Teatro festival in Tuscany. He has also worked with many theatre companies, including the Royal Shakespeare Company. He was the founding Artistic Director of Jet Theatre and is currently  Artistic Director of Koru Theatre.

His plays and adaptations include The Brave Magicians of Mangalore, Pippi Longstocking, The Deceived and Voyagers. Publications include A Better Direction and The Outstanding Actor: Seven Keys to Success. For 15 years he was a theatre critic for the Guardian and has been a regular feature writer for the Times. In the corporate world Ken also trains business leaders of global companies.

Ken Rea works on what makes a performer (actor or musician) stand out from the rest, especially with regard to the projection of presence and charisma. His book The Outstanding Actor: Seven Keys to Success identifies the values and traits that characterise the greatest actors, and it gives a framework for producing more exciting work on stage or screen, and having a more successful career as an actor.

His research with classical musicians has shown the positive effects produced when musicians have applied certain acting techniques to their playing, or have worked alongside actors. Currently he is leading a team investigating the nurturing of charisma in business leaders.