Patrick Kennedy (born 12 February 1985) is a British-Australian theatre director and producer recognized as one of the major figures of the twenty-first century European avant-garde.[1][2] He is the founder of The Patrick Kennedy Theatre Machine based in London and Sydney. He is a leading expert on the work of Richard Foreman.[3] Most notable for creating and directing new musical Halbwelt Kultur and directing several UK premieres of Richard Foreman and Stanley Silverman's work, Kennedy's career has focused on avant garde plays and musicals.[4][5]
Early life
Kennedy was born in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. He was educated at the University of Birmingham graduating with a degree in French, Italian and Chinese. He completed a postgraduate research degree at the university specializing in American actor training techniques of the twentieth century.[6]
Career
Patrick Kennedy with composer Stanley Silverman
Kennedy has been the Artistic Director of Patrick Kennedy Theatre Machine (originally The Phenomenological Theatre) since 2008, during which his 2009 production of The Lesson won critical acclaim from The Scotsman.[7]
He is recognised for his distinctive and idiosyncratic style incorporating elements of dada, vaudeville, grotesque and surrealism.
In January 2016, Kennedy directed the four hour tribute concert to David Bowie following the singer's death. Titled Starman: A Celebration Of David Bowie, the concert took place at the Union Chapel in Islington and featured established acts such as Dan Gillespie-Sells and The Magic Numbers.[13][14][15]
Image of two characters from the play Pain(t)
In October 2016, Kennedy once again worked with Stanley Silverman to bring another Silverman/Foreman premiere to the UK. Hotel For Criminals played at New Wimbledon Studio from October 18–29 and garnered critical acclaim for its bold, unique and surreal visuals.[16][1][17][18][19][20][21][22]
Continuing to bring the work of Richard Foreman to the UK, Kennedy directed, designed, choreographed and produced the UK premiere of King Cowboy Rufus Rules The Universe at the London Theatre Workshop.[23] Critics called the production "An ambitious, brave play. Genuinely unsettling, disorientating and confrontational" [24] and declared Kennedy as "one of the country's most fascinating theatre practitioners".[25]
Sophia=(Wisdom): The Cliffs - Production Photo
On 7 Dec 2018, Kennedy announced a year long partnership with New Wimbledon Theatre entitled Foreman At Fifty, a season of three plays from three unique parts of Richard Foreman's career to celebrate his 50th anniversary as a theatre maker.[26]
Following a move to Australia, Kennedy announced the Asia Pacific premiere of Richard Foreman’s Sophia=(Wisdom) Part 3: The Cliffs. Playing at New Theatre, Sydney from 10-27 January 2024, the production marked Kennedy’s return to directing after a five year break. Receiving universal acclaim, critics stated that "you will not forget Patrick Kennedy's first Australian production."[27]
Patrick Kennedy Theatre Machine
Patrick Kennedy with Richard Foreman
Kennedy launched The Patrick Kennedy Theatre Machine on 14 January 2018. It creates impulsive, chimerical stage productions summoned from deep inside the unconscious which turbulently reverberate. It produces multi-layered, deeply complex theatre pieces which speak to the transcendental phenomenology of humanity. Under Patrick Kennedy's deeply idiosyncratic aesthetic direction, The Patrick Kennedy Theatre Machine incorporates vaudeville, philosophy, slapstick, dadaism, surrealism and limitless other divergent sources.[28]
A statement from Patrick Kennedy said, "50 years after Richard Foreman founded his Ontological-Hysteric Theater, I thought it critical that we answer the need for a new avant garde theatre company which continues Richard's work in the exploration of consciousness. This is especially important given the perilous social, economic and political times we live in."[29]
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