About Us
Ensemble 52 was created by Artistic Director Andrew Pearson to bring together people with a wide range of creative backgrounds, to showcase new theatre works, and produce classic plays and musicals.
Andrew Pearson
Andrew trained at LAMDA. He has appeared in over 35 productions on stage and screen and directed 27 theatre projects both in the UK and abroad. He worked as Head of Composition at LAMDA and was the Associate Director of NAPA until January 2008, Artistic Director of Ensemble 52 and Associate Director for the National Youth Music Theatre. Andrew has directed The Changeling, Death of a Salesman, Deux Jeunes Filles, and Ines de Castro all for The NTC and An Englishman’s Home at the Library Theatre in Manchester. For NAPA he directed Billy Elliot (including Victoria Palace, London West End Gala). For E52 he has also developed and directed The Last Soldier in Hull and Nice at Studio Salford. This production won a Forever Manchester 5* award. He directed All Above Board at the Bridewell in London and The Hired Man at Hull Truck and RADA for the NYMT; As We Forgive Them for Ensemble 52 at The Bolton Octagon, The Young Vic, The Tobacco Factory and The Arcola. This production won a Manchester Evening News Theatre Award. Andrew won Best Director at the 2010 Studio Salford Awards and is a co-founder of the warehouse venue ‘Fruit’ in Hull. In 2007 he co-created and directed Disposable People at the Marina Boatsheds in Hull as part of the William Wilberforce commemorations. He is a writer and performer in the comedy group Live Naked Idiots.
The company is based in Hull, East Yorkshire and was co-founded by playwright Richard Vergette.
Richard Vergette
Richard Vergette trained in drama at Bretton Hall College. He was Head of Performing Arts at John Leggott Sixth Form College in Scunthorpe, before becoming a self-employed education consultant and author - whilst still continuing to teach part time at the University of Lincoln. As a consultant he has been responsible for much of the training for the government's 14-19 Reform Agenda. He has written two A-level Drama and Theatre Studies text books.
Richard has worked as a professional actor, and as a playwright written the libretto for a musical version of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (Northern Theatre Studios, Hull 1997), Sweet Miracles (Edinburgh Fringe 1999) Darling Bea (Edinburgh Fringe 2000), An Englishman's Home (Humber Mouth Literary Festival 2004 and later re written for the 24.7 Theatre Festival Manchester, transferring to the Library Theatre in 2008). As We Forgive Them won the Audience Favourite Production at the 2009 24:7 Festival and the Vicky Allen Award (presented by Equity) for best production. It transferred to the Octagon Theatre in Bolton and The Young Vic, London and is now nominated for four Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards. Richard is working on his next play Bridge of Sighs with Ensemble 52 and a screenplay Dangerous Gardens for Pylon Productions. In 2010 'Made in Manchester Productions' in association with The Independent Newspaper are producing a radio version of As We Forgive Them to coincide with the first anniversary of Obama's Inauguration.