The People  (To download this page as a Word file click here)

THE IDEAS FOUNDRY is a collaboration between theatre professionals who each bring their own essential expertise and understanding.  THE IDEAS FOUNDRY is comprised of:

Chairman - ROBERT COGO-FAWCETT

Robert has extensive knowledge and experience of the theatre and entertainment industry.  His experience includes opening and running the Tramshed Theatre, Business Manager then Finance Director of the Royal Exchange Theatre Company in Manchester, Administrative Director of Riverside Studios, founding the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith's commercial production company, Director of the Theatre Royal Bath, Artistic Consultant and later Director of Production Programming to the Ambassadors Theatre Group and the first Executive Producer of the Barbican and Pit Theatres (following the departure of the RSC).   Robert is currently Managing Director, Continental Europe for Clear Channel, a director of the Society of London Theatre and Chairman of its Finance Committee, and Lead Advisor on Touring for Arts Council England.  As a producer Robert's work includes The House of Bernarda Alba (Glenda Jackson and Joan Plowright, Globe) Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know (Derek Jacobi and Isla Blair), Roald Dahl's The BFG, Becket (Robert Lindsay and Derek Jacobi, national tour and Theatre Royal Haymarket), A Passionate Woman (Stephanie Cole, Comedy Theatre), The Glass Menagerie and The Reduced Shakespeare Company (Criterion Theatre).

Chief Executive - Joe Harmston

Joe has 15 years experience as a director in the UK and USA.  His West End productions have included The Collection, The Lover, The Birthday Party and Wait Until Dark.  He has directed numerous highly successful number one commercial tours including the recent Relative Values and The Blue Room.  He was Resident Director at Greenwich Theatre and then Chichester Festival Theatre before setting up his own production company, Tour de Force.    

Marketing Director - Paul Savident

Paul formed his own Marketing & Press Management company in May 2000 after 20 years working in the industry. Productions and events that Paul has handled include The Bush Theatre’s The Glee Club, M.A.D. and Damages, Vanessa Ford’s The Hobbit, Hampton Court Palace Ice Rink, Boogie Nights The Musical, Joe Harmston’ production of The Blue Room, Travels With My Aunt and Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens and The City Club. Previous to May 2000 Paul worked on Cliff Richard’s Heathcliff, Maxwell the Musical, Elvis The Concert, A Streetcar Named Desire, An Ideal Husband, Blood Brothers.  Paul began producing theatre with Marcus Markou's Age-Sex-Location.

Finance Director - Peter Teale

Peter Teale qualified as a UK Chartered Accountant with Ernst and Young.  He has recently left Granada Media were he was the Financial controller for the Sports and Interactive Division.  Previous to Granada Media he occupied senior financial positions with several multinational companies such as Virgin, Unisys Computers, Timberland and LA Gear.

Director (Musical Projects) - Thomas de Mallet Burgess

Thomas has directed over fifty operas, musicals and plays in the UK, Europe, Japan and USA. Highlights have included Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and Alessandro Stradella and La Vestale for the prestigious Wexford Festival Opera in Ireland. For the past four years he has lived and worked in the USA where recent award winning productions included; The Rape of Lucretia, The Medium, as well as The Ballad of Baby Doe, Pelléas et Mélisande and Hansel and Gretel .

Musical Director - Nicholas Skilbeck

Nicholas is a musical director, composer and author who has spent much of his career working on new productions. He is currently the musical director of Mamma Mia at the Prince of Wales Theatre, London and has just finished working on Acorn Antiques, Victoria Wood's  sell-out new musical.  He was one of the original creative team on Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium. Nicholas has also worked extensively in non-commercial theatre including a ten-year collaboration with DV8 physical theatre company.

Director (New Writing Projects) - Andrew Whelan

Andrew has 15 years experience as a writer and composer for theatre, television and radio.  He has written extensively for Granada, Carlton, the BBC (TV and Radio) and LWT including; Flantastic, (BAFTA Nominated), The Russ Abbott Show, You’ve Been Framed, Alasdair McGowan’s Big Impression,  and The Treatment.   With Joe Harmston he has co-written the family musical Leo, Holly Billy and the Big Bad Bug, the TV comedy drama The Tin Woman (commissioned by the BBC and Dawn French), as well as composing numerous scores for theatre including The Blue Room, My Sainted Aunt, Vortigern, Henry V, Macbeth and Much Ado about Nothing.