Guest Speakers: Rajesh Thind & Tanika Gupta
Our Saturday Seminars offer audiences the chance to go beyond the stage. Taking place on selected Saturdays during the season, these engaging talks invite leading academics, authors, and cultural commentators to explore the world behind our productions.
From unpicking historical detail to examining social and political themes, each seminar is designed to deepen your understanding of the play and enrich your theatre experience.
Previous speakers have included renowned broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby, Martin Fitzpatrick, Head of Music at English National Opera, and Dr Will Tosh of Shakespeare’s Globe.
Whether you’re a curious newcomer or a seasoned theatregoer, Saturday Seminars promise fresh perspectives, lively discussion, and new ways to connect with the stories we tell.
All tickets £15.
Rajesh Thind is an award-winning director, producer, and creator of acclaimed documentary films and series. Known for his bold storytelling and originality, he brings authentic, urgent, and moving stories to life, earning critical acclaim and industry recognition.
With over two decades in film and television, Rajesh began his career in high-budget commercials and indie fiction before moving into prime-time documentary and reality TV in the early 2000s. He has since worked across documentary features, premium factual, and drama for television, cinema, and streaming platforms.
His early breakthrough hit was the authored comedy film Travels with My Beard (BBC, 2006), made in response to the 7/7 London terror attacks, which was widely praised and led to major media coverage and appearances. In 2007, he helped launch Why Democracy?, the largest global documentary series transmission of its time. He has also directed and produced prime-time factual hits, including Wife Swap, Secret Millionaire, and Rich House, Poor House.
Rajesh’s feature-length work includes This World: The Children of the Revolution (BBC, 2012), a Best Feature finalist at the Rory Peck Awards, and Buena Vista Social Club: Adios (2015), working alongside Wim Wenders and Lucy Walker.
His recent credits include the premium series, Italia 90: Four Weeks That Changed the World (Sky, 2023), which was nominated in the Best History Series category at the 2023 Royal Television Society Awards and in Best Sports Documentary at the Broadcast awards, and Defiance: Fighting The Far Right (C4, 2024), which won Best Documentary at the ACTA Awards, and was/is a Finalist as Best Documentary Series at the 2024 Grierson and Broadcast Awards. The series was in a Guardian “10 Best Shows of 2024” list, and was described as “essential viewing in a year of civil unrest” in the British Film Institute’s ‘Best British Television of 2024’ round up.
Proficient in seven languages, Rajesh is based in London, where he also writes for stage and screen.
Over the past 25 years Tanika Gupta has written over 25 stage plays that have been produced in major theatres across the UK, including the OT’s production of Hedda.
Previous stage credits include: A Tupperware of Ashes, Sanctuary, The Good Woman of Setzuan, The Waiting Room(National Theatre); The Empress (RSC, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre); Great Expectations (Watford Palace Theatre, Royal Exchange Theatre, ETT); Lions and Tigers, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare’s Globe); The Overseas Student, A Doll’s House (Lyric Hammersmith Theatre); Mirror on the Moor, Catch, Sugar Mummies (Royal Court Theatre); Red Dust Road (Edinburgh International Festival); A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian (Hull Truck); Anita and Me, Love ‘N Stuff, Broad (Stratford East); Mindwalking (UK tour); Dreaming by Day (Unicorn Theatre); 2 Young 2 Luv(Birmingham Rep); Meet the Mukherjees (Bolton Octagon); Gladiator Games (Sheffield Theatres, Stratford East); Hobson’s Choice (Young Vic, Royal Exchange Theatre); Fragile Land (Hampstead Theatre).
Television credits include: The Bill; Crossroads; All About Me; EastEnders; Grange Hill; London Bridge; Flight; Banglatown Banquet.
Film credits include: Bideshi; The Fiancée; Non-Resident.
She has written extensively for BBC Radio 4 drama. Her play The Empress and her adaptation of Ibsen’s A Doll’s House are also included on the GCSE curriculum.
Tanika was awarded an MBE in 2008 for services to the arts.