Jordan Langford studied MA Contemporary Directing Practice, and graduated in 2022. We caught up with Jordan and asked him to share his experiences of studying at Rose Bruford College and how his education has helped him to succeed in the industry.
What did you like most about studying at Rose Bruford College?
The intensive nature of the course, the collaborative ethos of the institution, the main campus is phenomenal, and the vast experience of the tutors shaped my practice more than I could have imagined.
How has your course helped you to get to where you are today?
I went into the course as a professional choreographer, with ambitions to move into directing and creating my own work. I truly believe that without Irina Brown, Rose Bruford College and the army of amazing tutors, that I wouldn’t be able to be working full time as a theatre creative, with numerous projects in the pipeline. The tutors also noticed that I had a certain way of working, which was suggested to be undiagnosed ADHD. This led me to pursuing official diagnosis, which has not only shifted my practice into something workable for me as a professional, but this care and notice of how I was working has completely changed my personal quality of life for the better.
What has been the highlight of your career to date?
I would say my biggest highlights so far include Build a Rocket – this play was my final Independent Research Project at Rose Bruford College. To tell this beautiful story was a passion project I had in mind for a long time before the course, but without the institution approving the project, I would have struggled to have the space to create this with a supportive atmosphere and Irina’s insightful notes and guidance. Shannon Rewcroft, the actor in the one woman piece, and I were completely overwhelmed by the response from the audience at our first sharing at the Club For Acts and Actors in Covent Garden. We couldn’t with good faith leave the project there – this led us to take the show on a short tour to Leeds Playhouse and Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, and then a year later, we took it on a full tour to venues around the UK, where the show was nominated for a GMFringe Award. We ended the tour with a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, receiving 5 star reviews. This show would not have been possible without the support of Rose Bruford College and Irina Brown. My next highlight was Associate Directing/ Choreographing the world premiere of a new musical At Last It’s Summer at the London Palladium.
How have you stayed connected to Rose Bruford College since graduation?
Irina Brown is the epitome of a ‘mentor’, she has supported my entire cohort following graduation, regularly sending us opportunities and inviting us to the current student’s work. I have been lucky enough to be able to be a part of the admissions panel for the MA Contemporary Directing Practice for the last two years which has been a joy. To be a cog in the wheel of selecting the next cohort to follow in the footsteps of our learning is a very special part of my continued connection to Rose Bruford College.
What would you say to a student who is thinking of applying for your course today?
You have to truly want to tell stories, have clarity on who you are and what your life and experiences can bring to a live theatrical production. The course is intense and electric, if you are focused on trying to find who you are within it, I think it could be more of a struggle than it needs to be. So, aim at getting a handle on what your story is and how that can be transferred to unlock work. Read as much as you can: As someone who struggles with reading, this can be done in many ways with apps etc, so utilise whatever you can to keep learning and creating. If you have less experience, that should not hold you back – some of the best people I have seen at interview stage have been less experienced in a professional forum, but what they lack in experience, they make up for in passion. They have drive and they are doing as much as possible to develop and learn so that by the time they interview, they have questions about the world and have fixated their passion and creativity on how to tell a story to open up this question to the world. To any students who have been offered a place, I would say be prepared to work hard and be open to the variety of practices and tools that are shared with you, especially if it’s a challenge. We we only grow if we are willing to stretch ourselves and to take the advice and guidance of mentors and collaborators. Finally, it goes far too quickly! Enjoy every minute and take every opportunity.
Pick three words to describe Rose Bruford College
Collaborative, Friendly, Community
Find out more about Jordan
@jordanlangford1