Paulette Randall, MBE (born 1961) is a British theatre director of Jamaican descent."Paulette Randall sets the Jamaican Olympic stage", Jamaica Observer, 2 September 2012. She was chair of the board of Clean Break Theatre Company in 2006–07, and is former artistic director of Talawa Theatre Company. She was the associate director for the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics."Congratulations to Paulette Randall for a wonderful opening Olympic ceremony", Rose Bruford College of Theatre & Performance, 2 August 2012.
Biography Paulette Randall was born in south London to Jamaican parents.Matt Wolf, Hedley' ahead", Variety, 29 September 2002. She attended Saint Jude's Primary and Dick Shepherd Secondary School in Brixton."Paulette Randall", in Pride of Black British Women; 1995, p. 53. EBSCOhost Connection. When she was 11, she started helping out in a shop on Saturdays and she has said: "It was working in Brixton market that was my real first understanding of theatre, just the characters you met and stories you heard." She subsequently went to drama school at the age of 18, training to be an actress at the Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama.Jennifer Rock interviews Paulette Randall, director of stage play Radio Golf, at the Tricycle Theatre, Theatre News, 5 August 2009. After graduating in 1982, she and two fellow students – Bernardine Evaristo and Patricia Hilaire – set up their own company, called Theatre of Black Women,"Theatre of Black Women", Unfinished Histories: Recording the History of Alternative Theatre. in response to the lack of roles for black actors at the time.Vic Motune, "Let The Games Begin!", The Voice, 27 July 2012.
She was Associate Director of the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, working alongside Danny Boyle.Nosheen Iqbal, "Paulette Randall interview: 'You never know what's around the corner, do you?'" The Guardian, 9 July 2013. According to London's Evening Standard: "Knowing her theatrical pedigree – Randall, 49, has directed August Wilson's plays, which celebrate the African American experience and is a former artistic director of black theatre company, Talawa; her TV credits include Desmond's (Channel 4) and The Real McCoy (BBC2) – makes you wonder whether she can claim credit for the multicultural flavour of the show."Liz Hoggard, "Team DB: the people who helped create Danny Boyle's extraordinary vision – Paulette Randall", Evening Standard, 30 July 2012.
In 2013, Randall became the first female black director to bring a production to London's West End with August Wilson's Fences, starring Lenny Henry, at the Duchess Theatre.Pamela Jikiemi, "Interview with Paulette Randall", Female Arts, 17 May 2013.
Awards and recognition Randall was appointed an MBE in 2015 for services to drama, and was awarded an honorary degree from Brunel University in the same year."Paulette Randall MBE receiving her Honorary Degree from Brunel University London Mon 13 July 2015", YouTube.
In 2016, she was given a lifetime achievement award for her work as a director and playwright in film and TV at the inaugural WOW Creative Industries Awards, presented by the Women of the World Festival at the Southbank Centre."WOW Creative Industries Awards", Southbank Centre.Daisy Bowie-Sell, "Paulette Randall and Bryony Kimmings win WOW Creative Industries Awards", WhatsOnStage, 9 March 2016.Georgia Snow, "Paulette Randall wins lifetime achievement award for women in the arts", The Stage, 9 March 2016.
Selected projects Royal Court Theatre Directed Blest Be the Tie by Doña Daley (2004). "Daley's concerns emerge naturally through her characters rather than hammering an agenda, and director Paulette Randall (whose Talawa company here co-produces with the Royal Court) gets her cast – Marion Bailey, Lorna Gayle and Ellen Thomas – to turn in performances which all engage in different ways." Ian Shuttleworth, Blest Be the Tie review, Financial Times, 2004. Directed What's in the Cat by Linda Brogan (2005). "What's in the Cat is painfully slow for its first 45 minutes but once the knives are drawn, picks up to become a fascinating kitchen sink drama about the life of a highly volatile, mixed-race family in Manchester in the 1970s."Philip Fisher (2005), What's in the Cat review, British Theatre Guide, Retrieved 6 March 2025. Other theatres Directed Urban Afro Saxons (2003). "Talawa's latest production is subtitled 'What Makes You British?' and is a timely contribution to the controversial debate spawned not only by Blunkett's proposed citizenship tests but the burning questions raised by racism in the police force."Jackie Fletcher (2003), Urban Afro Saxons review, British Theatre Guide. Retrieved 6 March 2025. Directed Blues for Mister Charlie, by James Baldwin, 2004, a co-production between Talawa and the New Wolsey Theatre, at the Tricycle Theatre. "Blues For Mr Charlie may last for around three hours but the tension never drops. It would make a tremendous contribution to any debate on racism and its most terrifying facet is that it is set merely a generation ago."Philip Fisher (2004), Blues for Mister Charlie review, British Theatre Guide. Retrieved 6 March 2025. Directed Gem of the Ocean, by August Wilson (2003, Los Angeles; 2004, New York; 2006, London). "...the scene is brilliantly staged, complete with chanting and gospel singing, as it re-enacts a slave-ship journey back to the African ancestral home."Neil Dowden (2006), Gem of the Ocean review, CurtainUp. Retrieved 6 March 2025. Directed Fences, by August Wilson, starring Lenny Henry, at the Duchess Theatre (19 June–14 September 2013).
Television Produced Desmond's (1989). Produced Porkpie (1995). Produced the second series of The Crouches (2004–05). "The first series of this sitcom wasn't seen by many and was critically mauled by the press, the BBC gave it a second chance and used new writers for series 2.""The Crouches", The British Comedy Guide.
References
External links Emma John, Sweat is fine – You don't have to have blood, The Guardian, Monday, 2 January 2006. "Paulette Randall: my life in five shows". Interview by Catherine Love, The Guardian, 17 March 2015. "20 Questions: Paulette Randall - 'directing looked more fun, WhatsOnStage, 11 March 2015. Dominic Cavendish, "It's Boom Time for Black Theatre, but Will it Last?", The Daily Telegraph, 4 April 2004.
An interview with Angel House director, Paulette Randall, YouTube. "Interview with Paulette Randall (Coco Gal)", YouTube. Six videos at V & A (Victoria and Albert Museum) website. Siobhan Murphy, "Paulette Randall hopes for a stage set for change", Metro, 29 September 2008. "Knowing who you are: Paulette Randall at TEDxBrixton", YouTube video.