About me

Hello! I’m David, a Glasgow-based theatremaker specialising in new writing and musicals.

I love collaborating with people from different backgrounds to make shows that are thoughtful, noisy, colourful and immediate (and lots of other spicy adjectives.)

At Roughly Staged, I support DIY and grassroots theatre-making in Scotland with regular development opportunities. Outside of my own projects, I collaborate regularly with Short Attention Span Theatre, Under the Rug Theatre and Green Door Theatre.

Being neurodivergent myself (ADD), I’m a passionate supporter of improving opportunities for disabled artists and those from working class and low-income backgrounds.

You’ve read this far, so let me say this –

I believe making theatre is good for your health. It’s something that everyone can do at any point in life. From writing to lighting to acting, there is something about the process of making a show with other people that is humanising^[1]By ‘humanising’ I mean to say that making theatre helps us become more humane, more compassionate and understanding of each other.. I think it’s because you have to let go of your individual ego for the sake of the group, and there’s a deep solidarity that’s forged in getting through a show together, for better or worse.

In my favourite film, Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald, an amateur scriptwriter wins a competition to have her drama performed on live radio. It’s her first ever script, and she’s so proud and excited to have her work produced and broadcast to the nation.

But as various things go wrong during production, her script is slowly butchered by the actors and creative team as it’s performed live on air, and she is left humiliated, defeated and raging. She begs for her name to be taken off the end credits, to which the producer replies:

You don’t get it. Do you really think we’re satisfied with just a name in the credits? It isn’t just you. Sometimes, I’d like my name taken off too. But I don’t, because I have a responsibility. Bad as the show may be, I made it. I can’t escape that.

It isn’t about being satisfied. You compromise over and over till it doesn’t matter anymore. But you know, there’s still one thing we all believe…

Someday we will do something we’re satisfied with. Something to please everyone who makes it and hears it. Only trouble is, this is not that show.

That’s just how it is! I’m sorry, but your name stays.

I think about this speech all the time. It encourages me to keep ploughing ahead when things aren’t working out quite as I’d hoped. It reminds me that making theatre isn’t about knocking out a single perfect show, but rather a process of trying over and over and refining the recipe a little bit each time. It’s an endless, rewarding, addictive, humanising cycle.

But what really keeps me going is being part of the deeply supportive, talented and generous theatrical community here in Glasgow. This place is full of truly wonderful and brilliant artists whose work constantly encourages me to aim higher, and stay cheerful. And, along the way, I’ve helped put shows together that I’m just so proud to have been a part of. Have a look on the homepage to see what I’ve been up to.

Feel free to email me at [email protected]. I’m always pleased to chat about ideas and meet new people. It would be lovely to hear about what you’re working on, too!