Art of the Government by Jonathan Polkest

In conversation with FRANCIS O'CONNOR Set Designer with Druid Theatre. HOW DID YOU FIRST GET INTO DESIGN?. I started off wanting to act and did lots of youth theatre stuff in Teeside but I gradually discovered I was better at art and design than drama, I did a drama course for two years then did a stage design course and I knew that was what I wanted to do.While at college I still used to direct and when I left I ran a company called Catch 22 for two years in London but I was also designing other shows.I started working with directors who would embrace my opinions and I realised I did'nt need to direct for my voice to be heard - I was working with people who were interested in a genuine dialogue and I found these collaborations were artistically fulfilling. What sustains my patnership with Directors such as GARRY HYNES is, what I said before about collaboration, especially so. with Garry, though, as we've had such a long relationship (Beauty Queen of Leenane was our first show)What we do for one another is we contribute to each others work, we have a very good relationship, our aesthetics are similar, the journeys we've made in our work together have been very productive.Some of my favourite personal designs have been productions I did with Garry, like Big Maggie, The Leenane Trilogy, Sharons Grave and Crestfall.