Mark Smith

Mark is a multi-award-winning actor, director, and producer with over 30 years of experience, renowned for his expertise in improvisation and storytelling. His work, which includes a PhD in this area, is characterised by a passion for spontaneity and developing new narratives.
As an active researcher and developer of arts-based projects across the North, Mark champions the region's next generation of theatre makers. He ignites the talents of emerging artists and companies through dedicated mentorship.

Professional Experience & Training: Mark's career spans extensive regional, national, and international work with venues, festivals, and companies. He was Artistic Director of Spike Theatre from 2008-2014, devising and directing all of their productions during their fifteen-year tenure as a nationally and internationally touring small-scale theatre company. He is also passionate about collaborative theatre making and has developed acclaimed works with playwright Robert Farquhar, including 'When I Wake I Want to Be Famous' and 'Sink or Swim'.

In 2021, Mark established Wing It - Impro & Stories, and in 2023, he founded the Liverpool Improvisation Festival (LIF), the first of its kind for the region, now in its third successful year.

Mark trained at Liverpool John Moores University (1993-1997) and further specialised in Children & Young People’s Theatre and Physical Theatre at Hope St. Ltd (1997-1998). During this period, he collaborated with esteemed practitioners and companies such as Paul Hunter, Jos Houben, Andrew Dawson, and Trestle Theatre.

Teaching & Academic Contributions: With eighteen years of teaching experience, Mark has delivered numerous modules across all three university levels, specialising in improvisation, devising, directing, arts administration, and physical/visual theatre practices. His teaching roles include positions at Hope University, Bradford University, LIPA, Exeter University, and The Hothouse (Los Angeles).

- Level 6 Modules: Advanced Theatre Practice 1 & 2 and Drama Dissertation


(2005) - Jason and the Argonauts
(2005) - Backwater
(2005/06) - This Side Up (1)
(2007) - The Adventures of Robin Hood
(2007/08/09) - Gin and Tonic and Passing Trains (2)
(2008) - Alice in Wonderland
(2008/09/10) - Legless and Armless (3)
(2009) - Aesop’s World
(2009/10) - Hoof Jnr.
(2010) - Top of the World
(2010) - When I wake up I want to be famous!
(2010) - Grimm’s Tales
(2010) - The Games (4)
(2010) - Danny the Champion of the world
(2011) - The Games (5)
(2011) - Alice at the Dock
(2011) - Beasts and Beauties (6)
(2012) - The Games
(2012) - How to read minds and influence people (7)
(2012) - Pieces of Eight
(2012) - A Christmas Carol
(2013) - Sink or Swim
(2013) - I can make you a mentalist (8)
(2014) - A life in 5 scenes
(2014) - I can make you a Mentalist
(2014) - The Judgement of Hakim
(2021) - Story Pot (online) - ongoing
(2021) - The Bunker
(2022) - The Fly - ongoing
(2022) - Those With Tales
(2022-ongoing) - The Incomplete Works of Shakespeare
(2023) - Talk to the Hand (puppet Improv)
(2023) - Curator Liverpool Improvisation Festival
(2023) - Producer - Nosferatu - new score by Danny Bradley
(2024) - A Wake
(2024) - Story Forge: Make your Own Myth
(2024) - Curator Liverpool Improvisation Festival
(2025) - Taxi Tales - One Night on the Town - R and D
(2025) - Story Forge: Make your Own Myth (National tour)
(2025) - Curator Liverpool Improvisation Festival
(2025) - Taxi Tales - One Night on the Town


(1) Nominated for best show at Singapore arts awards 2005
(2) Voted one of the picks of 2007 by Flying Inkpot critics Singapore
Nominated for Best Show at Baltimore Visual Theatre festival 2008
(3) Shortlisted for Best comedy show at the Brighton fringe festival 2009
(4) Winner of Best comedy and Production Liverpool Daily post reader awards 2010
(5) Nominated for Best comedy, production and director Dark Chat Awards 2011
Nominated for Best show by Broadway baby and 3 Weeks 2011
(6) Voted one the picks of 2011 by The Public Reviews critics
(7) Winner of Three weeks Editors choice award 2012
Winner of Best Cabaret at the Brighton Fringe festival 2012
(8) Nominated for Best Cabaret at the Brighton Fringe festival 2013



Publications
The Games (Co-written with Jamie Woods, Lauren Silver, Liam Tobin and Toby Parks published in 2012)

Degrees

2023, Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom, PhD, Devised theatre practice
1997, Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom, BA (Hons) Drama