Charlie Wiseman

Poetry Editor, Writer, London Peace Prize

Charlie Wiseman is a writer and in theatre, producer, director and scriptwriter. 

"The ups and downs of working with the homeless is tempered by the joy of knowing you change a life here and there". One such example is that after raising funds for their work at the Berlin People's Stage (which has become the best known stage in Germany and winner of awards), the homeless performers went on to form an ensemble that continues to this day. There followed an Academy of Arts Prize. This emerging ensemble still plays and tours and has developed into something of a cult, so that countless of today's theatre graduates aim to start their careers by directing a play with this innovative group.

Charlie has been involved in a number of avant-garde theatre projects, travelling from New York to Brazil and having been invited to Paris, London, Dublin, Berlin and Moscow with an ensemble of homeless actors who were given the opportunity of playing themselves on stage. They toured Europe, where Charlie used his extensive language skills as translator, including French and German, to help mediate communications between actor and director and enable the actors to express their authentic experiences, a cutting edge of the rehearsal process. 

He went on to work at the Berliner Ensemble, write for the Guardian and Evening Standard, as well as accompanying  events  of  Bettina Jonic, (a singer and writer whom  Bob Dylan has praised) at the Albert Hall Scott Rooms and worked at Riverside Studios and Young Vic.

In 2011 Charlie started the London Peace Prize, an annual award dedicated to commending work of an individual who contributes actively to arts projects within their local community. The charity also works with homeless charities and on community engagement initiatives and has received financial support from Waitrose and from renowned people working within the Arts, including Jude Kelly, Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre and the actor and President of LAMDA, Timothy West CBE.

Publicity

Please contact marla@thewand.org.uk for press related issues

Internships

We welcome applications for internships.  Unfortunately we are unable to offer expenses as we depend on voluntary support to continue our work.  Please contact the editor, Laura Hymers by emailing Laura@thewand.org.uk for more information.

Contributors

We welcome writers, poets and artists who are interested in contributing to our publication.

We are currently accepting submissions for the Spring 2014 edition of The Wand Literary Review.  All submissions should be emailed to marla@thewand.org.uk for consideration.  Closing date: 5th March.