Our Story So Far:
“I REGARD THE THEATRE AS THE GREATEST OF ALL ART FORMS, THE MOST IMMEDIATE WAY IN WHICH A HUMAN BEING CAN SHARE WITH ANOTHER THE SENSE OF WHAT IT IS TO BE HUMAN.”
OSCAR WILDE
Get to Know Us
We are an ensemble Theatre company formed from the teachings of the great American practitioners Sanford Meisner, Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler and Susan Batson and inspired by the ground breaking, paradigm shifting work of the Group Theatre of the 1930's which birthed the modern concept of truthful acting.
At the heart of what we do is a commitment to the craft of acting and a desire to keep growing as artists, so we can create work that resonates with audiences and contributes to real change.
Our Philosophy
“I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be human.”
Oscar Wilde
“Great theatre is about challenging how we think and encouraging us to fantasize about a world we aspire to.”
Willem Dafoe
Our core members have all trained together for a number of years in Meisner and Method Techniques and are dedicated to profoundly transforming and growing as artists. We believe that this commitment to our shared training will bring deeper understanding, connection and trust within the cast and lead to an intensely human element in performance, making it a truly unique and powerful experience for our audience.
This photo is from 'Waiting for Lefty'. It is the moment the audience erupted with passion , joining the actors as they yelled' Strike, strike, strike". This outpouring of human passion lasted for over 45 minutes and 26 curtain calls. Hence the time for a photo!
Live theatre has the potential to be the most riveting, impactful and thought provoking forms of Art. It can change lives and leave people thinking on what they saw years even decades after the event.
But only if what transpires on the stage is real...a lived human experience.
We feel that the point of theatre is not to merely entertain...it's purpose is to help society reflect on itself...to help us perceive our actions and our lives in a clearer fashion so that we may improve ourselves and this world.
“Unless the theatre can ennoble you,
make you a better person,
you should flee from it.”
Constantin Stanislavski
Our Mission Statement
Based in Brighton, Pocket of Light Group Theatre is rooted in the principles of the pioneering American practitioners whose transformative work in the original Group Theatre of the 1930s laid the foundation for truthful and human-centered storytelling. Under the leadership of Sebastien Blanc (Meisner Technique) and Caroline Farrington (Adler, Strasberg, Hagen), our ensemble is dedicated to mastering and upholding these techniques and values in all our work. Through carefully curated plays that explore the gamut of human experience, the nature of our techniques and an intensely rigourous rehearsal philosophy, we aim to profoundly move our audiences; to provoke thought and discussion which will hopefully inspire meaningful action and affect social change within the community and beyond. As we grow, we will align ourselves with organisations, charities and individuals who share our core values and intent so that every performance is geared towards promoting and assisting on pressing social issues and provides a genuine conduit between inspiration and action. As a company we aspire to the Meisner and Method concept of living truthfully under imaginary circumstances. This means each and every performance is unique, nothing is set in stone and the actors have a freedom to adapt and react to the truth of the moment rather than a pre-prescribed plan on how the performance should be. This requires a huge amount of trust, confidence, technique and understanding of the characters and the play but allows us to genuinely exist on the stage, so that each night we breathe new life into the worlds we inhabit and create something which is not performed but lived. This is when theatre can transcend entertainment and become a life changing experience; something which can inhabit the mind of an audience for a lifetime. Our commitment to storytelling is inspired by pivotal moments in theatre history, such as Clifford Odets's 'Waiting for Lefty'. Set and performed during the Great Depression, the audience were so moved by the performance they spontaneously erupted and joined with the cast as they were chanting ‘Strike! Strike ! Strike!’. Such was their fervour, it lasted for over 45 minutes with 26 curtain calls. This is the true power of great theatre. We will strive to achieve such an impact while also embracing the truth that to move or affect one person is a victory. Yes, we want to empower our audiences and communities to confront societal and personal issues; to advocate for truth and justice but also to ignite a greater passion for theatre in the City of Brighton and beyond; to share all the joy and connection it can offer.
Team
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
This is your Team section. It's a great place to introduce your team and talk about what makes it special, such as your culture or work philosophy. Don't be afraid to illustrate personality and character to help users connect with your team.
Pocket of Light Group Members
Sebastien Blanc
Artistic Director/ Director
Sebastien trained in the Meisner technique intensively for 4 years. He worked for a while as an actor but found an overriding passion in directing and teaching. He taught for 2 years at the GFCA before opening his own classes and eventually forming the Actor's Craft: Studio of Method and Meisner in 2019 with his fiancee, Caroline Farrington. In this time he has directed many plays on the London Fringe with the vast majority either winning or being nominated for an award (pls follow link below for more details) For the past 5 years he has focused on training and teaching before forming 'Pocket of Light' from the members of the AC to realise his dream of Group Theatre trained in shared techniques ; all of whom are bound by a vision of truthful theatre which can help inspire and change the people who come and contribute to making life better. Or at the very least, to go down swinging :)
Caroline Farrington
Artistic Director/ Director
Info Being updated
Actor/ Creative Producer
Virginia Thorn
Virginia Thorn is a Meisner-trained actor and classically trained singer working across theatre, voice-over, music and post-production. She is an Emmy Award–winning dialogue editor, recognised for her work on the HBO David Simon series Generation Kill, and a graduate of Rose Bruford College. In 2023, she co-founded Pocket of Light Theatre Company - a home from which to create theatre rooted in lived experience, social inquiry and emotional truth. Alongside her theatre practice, Virginia works as a role-play actor and voice-over artist, and writes and performs music on the folk scene. She holds an MA in Creative Arts Psychotherapy and has led multidisciplinary teams across therapeutic and educational settings, including the design and delivery of a bespoke performing arts SEN curriculum.
Actor/ Producer
Andrew Faure
Andrew's fascination with the performing arts was ignited in childhood, the moment he discovered that the figures on television and film were not real individuals, but characters brought to life through storytelling. This revelation kindled a profound love for the magic and exhilaration of crafting entire worlds and stepping into the shoes of imagined personas. Throughout his school years, he was a constant presence on stage, dedicating himself to honing his craft. Upon completing high school, Andrew seamlessly transitioned into the realms of film and television. In this industry, he has carved out a multifaceted career, distinguishing himself as a producer, writer, and actor, continually driven by his early passion for bringing narratives to vivid life.
Actor
Lamb Bennett
Originally from the East Midlands, Lamb relocated to London to pursue her passion for acting after completing her studies in performing arts at Brooksby Melton College, where she earned an award and distinctions in acting. Following this, she underwent intensive training in Repertory theatre with Fourth Monkey Theatre Company. Upon graduating, she co-founded Shrink Theatre, which achieved acclaim by winning the Theatre Madness Festival 2014. This success led her to participate in Theatre Delicatessen's 'Departure Point' programme for emerging artists. Along the way, Lamb discovered her true north in American method techniques, which she continues to develop and refine at The Actors Craft Studio. In addition to her acting work, Lamb has taken on the role of producer for Pocket of Light Theatre Company and looks forward to sharing our work with Brighton and beyond.
Actor/ Writer
Sangeeta Samsera Sharma
Also known as Musical Artist SAMSERA, Sangeeta's long career in the arts includes Childrens TV for the BBC, touring the UK, Europe & whilst living/working in the US. Sangeeta is relentless in pursuit of her passion for connecting with people & exploring the human condition through creativity. She began studying Meisner in New York & later Method in London. Her recent performance in DISCO DANCER at Sadlers Wells in London's West End, was an Int’l success. She is currently in PLATFORM 7, playing AUNT DARKA on ITVX. She hosts a regular Radio/Podcast & can be found on socials @samsera.”
Actor
Keaton Makki
Keaton's Theatre credits include The Dinner Party (The Courtyard Theatre/Theatro Technis), Visions of Kerouac (Half Moon), Save your Kisses for Me (Tristan Bates Theatre), Red Girl (Etcetera Theatre) as well as performing as part of the Sam Shepherd Festival in New York. His screen credits include Scattered, Welcome to The Majority and Speechless. His work in Speechless won Best Actor at the short film festival Cannes in a Van.
Actor
Christina Ama Roberts
Christina is passionate about art that creates change and provokes thought. When she’s not on a stage somewhere she loves to travel to hot climates and take martial arts classes.
Actor
Qais Pervais
Qais is an actor based in London. Currently he is training at Actor’s Craft in Method based training. He has previously trained in physical theatre, clowning and puppetry at Fourth Monkey Theatre Company. Qais has a keen interest in fantasy, comedy and drama. He is multilingual, speaking English, Urdu and intermediate Arabic (MSA). He also holds a BA in Arabic and English Language.
Actor
Angela Munnoch
Angela Elise decided to persue her creative ambitions after taking a change of career and found a passion for acting and the collaborative process of creating stories and characters for an audience. From that moment, she has worked on various small theatre productions, short films and feature films. After attending training in other acting schools and establishments, she began to search for specific training and found Method and Meisner Technique. She continues to train and develop at The Actors Craft.