Our People
Struan Leslie
Struan has been creating movement-based theatre and performance for more than 30 years in over 300 productions as well as teaching and training at the highest level. This includes plays from ancient, early modern and contemporary periods, circus, oratorios, operas as well as his own devised productions and dance works.
He was the founding Head of Movement at The Royal Shakespeare Company from 2008-2013, creating movement and choreography and supporting on over 100 productions.
Whether as the leading, conceiving artist on a project or as part of a team creating work, Struan’s work is identified by its ‘trans-disciplinary’ and collaborative nature. There is also, through all areas of his work, a common thread in the principles of choric and ensemble work. These processes bring together his wide experience and knowledge in all areas of performance. These elements of theatre production combine with other disciplines, such as music and visual arts, to create work that is specific, in both devised work and in response to extant repertoire.
He has collaborated extensively with many directors. Over a 15 year period he was movement director and choreographer on some 35 productions directed by Katie Mitchell including seminal productions of Ancient Greek plays at the National Theatre as well as Operas and Oratorios at Welsh National Opera. Additionally he has collaborated with directors including Neil Bartlett, Roxanna Silbert, Michael Boyd, Gregory Doran, Nicholas Hytner, James Dacre, Dominic Hill and Phillip Howard.
During the last 30 years Struan has consistently been devising and creating new work from self-performed solos to large scale events in theatre and site-specific projects. Integral to his practice is his work as an artist-teacher leading workshops and master-classes for performers, actors, dancers and musicians in the UK and all around the world.
Struan is Artistic Director of 21CC – Twenty-First Century Chorus, which he formed in 2014 on leaving the RSC. Twenty-First Century Chorus is a contemporary devising theatre company based on the praxis of the Ancient Greek Chorus, drawing on extended theatre practices of the 21st Century, and explored through the prism of historical context.
