Thomas Tegento: Telling Stories That Matter
Meet Tom! Our first ever Stage Door Trainee Director who worked with us on Kyoto at the RSC. Here Tom shares more about working with Good Chance and Olivier-Award winning Directors Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin, finding a fresh appreciation for Shakespeare, and the importance of opportunities like Stage Door.
I’m Thomas Tegento, an interdisciplinary refugee artist based in Kent and London. In my practice I use a holistic approach (from my academic and ancient African cultural exposition) that focuses on community art works that REALLY matters and are not limited nor exclusive. This means I write/publish, act, direct, use music intensively, train/coach, give advice on theatre companies, and most importantly I do research on my practices and encourage multidisciplinary practice.
I studied physical acting and movement studies MA, BA acting and directing at the University of Kent and Addis Ababa University/AAU.
And my role on this amazing production in Kyoto is as a trainee director; I'm with gratitude to say this production is one of the highlights in my professional journey.
What attracted you to the Trainee Director role?
Daniel Naddafy, my co-worker and Lead Artist at Playground sent me the link and I could tell this was an opportunity to tell history that matters, to tell the truth, and to know and work with Good Chance. I lived in Calais and so have a very personal connection to their play The Jungle - this was a company I’ve always wanted to connect with!
This employment scheme meant a lot for me and I have no doubt that it will be very significant and a base to inclusivity in the industry that is brutal and hard for refugee creatives. It will open a way for migrant artists to start to participate in telling their own story as is, rather than interpreted/manipulated as usual. For me, this chance increased my existing confidence, connection, reassurance that everything is getting BETTER.
To work at the RSC has also changed my attitude towards Shakespeare where I used to have a reservation of his works while at the university. Working with the team has given me a totally different perspective and inclusive journey; I enjoyed witnessing that every place in the UK is not the same.
What has it been like working alongside the Kyoto creative team?
It has been a wonderful opportunity to learn from both Stephen and Justin with their professional team throughout this really intense creative journey. The way they compliment each other on such a tough subject is unbelievably imaginative, patiently professional, complementing and compassionate.
Joe and Joe were like brothers to me. Since their experiences in Calais, I have been so inspired and interested by their work!! The Associate Director Jane was like my guardian angel at the rehearsals. I appreciate and learned from her dedicated commitments, resilience, creative spirit and of course, that I will always remember. The fact that the company felt like a family shows all of their talent and guidance, and being part of the directing team is a memory I will cherish forever.
What have you learned during your time as trainee director?
Stephen and Justin are like doctors of the play in operating a ‘theatre’, and I learnt so much from their different directing perspectives. I learned the power of language and how it should be treated to really get through different audiences, and how to localise world history to connect to those watching.
The play has this energy, your mind racing, the action travelling around the world at lightspeed and before I knew it the whole day had gone by. As a director, this is my first exposure to a very international production, and it reaffirmed my taste of stories that matters, and that move people.
What is the most memorable moment for you?
Kyoto is my first opportunity where I ACTUALLY belong to what I felt I really belong in general, the whole thing is memorable. The theme is URGENT and UNIVERSAL and that determines the future very close to home. Overall the intense non stop hard working for such a noble journey was really notable, satisfying, and I learned about myself a lot in the process. Especially, hard-working professional actors, these WONDERFUL PERFORMERS were like family… took care of me, supported and encouraged me all the way.
No spoilers! What's your favourite moment in the play?
Estrada and Don’s circle games are an amazing portrayal of the human condition as we are facing a lot of sociopath leaders who often use and crucify True people. The play reconciles global injustice within an ocean-like round table inside the theatre. And I also enjoyed the parts we were using music/rhythm, and various languages other than just English.
Any final thoughts?
This opportunity is what most refugee artists need, while it looks like we are doomed to be just on the side, side, side all the time, we have so many things to offer/say/do things we have SEEN first hand, experienced, and even PASSED THE challenges of the themes explored in any given platform. As the next generation of directors in the UK, I hope for a future with more rights and less fences to participate and engage actively, without systemic stereotype judgments and fears of any levels of unnecessary and uncreative privileges established.
I am very grateful to Good Chance standing for the REAL changes that matter to EVERYONE. Thank you for the opportunity 🙏🏽🫶
