Curtain Call: A Year Backstage in London Theatre

Curtain Call is about the unsung heroes, and the unseen, unknown true life of behind the scenes. Going backstage in over 60 productions over the course of a year in the world theatre capital of London's West End, this project explores the alternative perspective of stagecraft and show business. The backstage area is a hallowed space, and permission to roam around with a camera is tightly controlled. Each show and production has its own rituals, games, rules, characters and unique moments, which the audience are mostly completely unaware of. There is a choreography to the backstage life that can be as regular and rehearsed as the action on stage. Each person plays their part, as this is an entirely collaborative process - there is no room for egos in theatre. This makes it an exciting, supportive but largely undocumented world to explore, and one that I felt truly privileged to unravel over the course of the year through the unprecedented access I was granted, being able to photograph live during shows from some unique positions. This photo essay is a small sample of the side of backstage life that I was able to witness.