Alexandra Helfrecht

Alex Helfrecht was born in Oxford in 1979 to British and American parents. She grew up in the UK, France and the Cayman Islands before studying English at University College London. She trained as an actor and director at the Central School of Speech & Drama in London. She then spent 3 years living and working in Los Angeles before returning to London in 2007.

DIRECTING WORK INCLUDES:

Patrick Süskind’s THE DOUBLE-BASS
Intl. Music & Theatre Festival in Catalonia, 2006

2+2+2 by Jörg Tittel, featuring Richard E. Grant
Kings Head Theatre, London in 2007
www.twoplustwoplustwo.com

“The whole feels fiercely original mainly due to Jörg Tittel’s impeccable turn in the central role and the inventiveness of Alex Helfrecht’s direction. It’s a dark satire on a rat race that long ago lost its sense but it’s also a beautifully crafted kick at self-censorship and a song to the irrepressibly human spirit. A rare, ebullient treat”
****Time Out, London

“delivered with the kind of enthusiasm that I can almost never resist.”
Ben Brantley, New York Times

“claustrophic and involving… impressively realised by director Alex Helfrecht.”
The Stage

“the best social commentary.”
London Lite

1800 ACRES by David Myers, starring Cathy Tyson
Riverside Studios, 2008

“epic in scope and setting and bold in its mixture of realism and fantasy.”

• What’s on Stage

“It is very much to the credit of the director and cast that a sense of yearning and hope remain the strong backbone of a play that moves between realism and mysticism…they work together to keep perfect harmony”.
The Stage

“There are some lovely authentic moments; the mystical visions and atmospheric music and how the characters react to it gives a weird and wonderful atmospheric tone which sweeps you away to these unknown places and make the play beautifully engaging… touching and entertaining. Highly recommended.”
The Fringe Report

“The epic elements referred to by the director, Alex Helfrecht, are all present, plus naked ritual dancing, masturbation and the digging of a flower bed ominously described as an open grave. Ripe material indeed. The cast attack their roles with a notable dedication. It’s led by Cathy Tyson’s urgent fugitive from New York, whose slinky dance as part of her ranch-hand’s fantasy is truly erotic.”

• The Times

CURRENT PROJECTS:

Alex recently adapted and recently obtained the stage rights to Ernest Hemingway’s celebrated novel FIESTA (THE SUN ALSO RISES). The script was developed with the Old Vic New Voices and an off-West End production is planned for 2010.

In addition to her theatre work, In January 2010 Alex will be directing her first film THE BATTLE FOR BRITAIN, based on real events, to be produced by Alexandra Schinasi of Oscar-winning production company, Breakthru Films.