Liz Ranken Explained

Liz Ranken
Birth Name:	Elizabeth Ranken
Nationality:	British
Alma Mater:	London University

Elizabeth Ranken is a British choreographer, performer, director, movement director and artist. She is an Associate Artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC)^[1] and was a lead performer with DV8 Physical Theatre. Her work encompasses opera, theatre, physical theatre, dance, television, film and art.

Early years

Ranken initially read biology and holds a BSc from London University. She later qualified as a speech therapist from Central School of Speech and Drama before moving to Laban Dance Centre to train in choreography and performance.

Career

On leaving Laban Dance Centre, Ranken was invited by Jacob Marley to set up Company of Cracks, which was a cross over between dance and performance art. In the early '80s, Ranken met Angus Farquhar and became a member of the industrial music group Test Dept.^[2]

In 1986, Ranken was invited by Lloyd Newson to join DV8 Physical Theatre as a deviser and performer.^[3] She became an Artist in Residence at the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA, Glasgow) creating her own work.

In 1992 Ranken began a collaboration with Shared Experience, working with Helen Edmundson and becoming an Associate Artist for the company. In 1993 Ranken won the Edinburgh Evening News Capital Award for directing, devising and performing 'Funk Off Green' at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Ranken was invited by Michael Attenborough to work as Movement Director at the RSC, ultimately becoming an Associate Artist with the company.^[1] She has an ongoing association with Michael Boyd, who later became Artistic Director at the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Ranken began painting in 2011 with a painting of Michael Boyd, which is currently in the collection at the RSC.^[4]

In 2015, she made her debut as a choreographer in opera with L'Orfeo for the Royal Opera House.^[5]

Theatre

Credits as Movement Director:

Year	Title	Production	Notes
1991	Anna Karenina		directed by Nancy Meckler, revived 1993 & 1998^[6]
1992			directed by Michael Attenborough^[7]
1993	Mill on the Floss		directed by Nancy Meckler and Polly Teale, revived 1995 & 2001
1995			directed by Steven Pimlott^[8]
1996	War and Peace		directed by Nancy Meckler and Polly Teale, revived 2008
1996			directed by Steven Pimlott^[9]
1996	Jane Eyre		directed by Polly Teale, revived 2006
1997	The Tempest		directed by Nancy Meckler
1998			directed by Michael Boyd^[10]
1998	The House of Bernarda Alba		directed by Polly Teale
1998	Arabian Nights	Young Vic (1998)and Royal Shakespeare Company (2009)	directed by Dominic Cooke^[11]
1999			directed by Michael Boyd, transferred to Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)^[12]
1999	Mother Courage and her Children		directed by Nancy Meckler
2000			directed by Michael Boyd^[13]
2000			directed by Michael Boyd^[14]
2000			directed by Michael Boyd, revived 2006^[15]
2000			directed by Michael Boyd, revived 2006^[16]
2001			directed by Michael Boyd, revived 2006^[17]
2002	The Magic Toyshop		directed by Polly Teale
2002	The Malcontent by John Marston		directed by Dominic Cooke^[18]
2002	The Tempest by William Shakespeare		directed by Michael Boyd^[19]
2003	A Passage to India		directed by Nancy Meckler
2003			directed by Dominic Cooke^[20]
2003	A Doll's House		directed Polly Teale
2004	Gone to Earth		directed Nancy Meckler
2004			directed by Dominic Cooke^[21]
2004	House of Desires		directed by Nancy Meckler^[22]
2004	Hamlet		directed by Michael Boyd^[23]
2005	Brontë		directed Nancy Meckler, revived 2010 & 2011
2005			directed by Michael Boyd^[24]
2005			directed by Nancy Meckler^[25]
2005			directed by Dominic Cooke^[26]
2006	Orestes		directed Nancy Meckler
2006			directed by Dominic Cooke^[27]
2006			directed by Nancy Meckler^[28]
2006			directed by Dominic Cooke^[29]
2006			directed by Dominic Cooke^[30]
2007	Kindertransport		directed by Polly Teale
2007	Richard II		directed by Michael Boyd^[31]
2007	Henry IV		directed by Michael Boyd^[32]
2007	Henry IV: Part II		directed by Michael Boyd^[33]
2007	Noughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman		directed by Dominic Cooke^[34]
2008	Mine		directed by Polly Teale^[35]
2008	The Dance of Death	Shaftesbury Theatre	directed by Sean Matthias
2009	The Caucasian Chalk Circle		directed by Nancy Meckler^[36]
2010	The Glass Menagerie		directed by Polly Teale^[37]
2011	Speechless		directed by Polly Teale^[38]
2000	Fireface	Royal Court Theatre (2000) Young Vic (2012)	directed by Dominic Cooke^[39]
2012	Mary Shelley		directed by Polly Teale^[40]
2013			directed by Nancy Meckler^[41]
2013	Bracken Moor		directed by Polly Teale^[42]
2015	Mermaid		directed by Polly Teale^[43]
2018	Tamburlaine by Christopher Marlowe	Royal Shakespeare Company	directed by Michael Boyd^[44]
2021	The Normal Heart by Larry Kramer	The National Theatre	directed by Dominic Cooke ^[45]

Physical Theatre and Dance

Credits:

Year	Title	Production	Notes
1987	Deep End		conceived and directed by Lloyd Newson starring Nigel Charnock, Lloyd Newson, Michelle Richecoeur, Liz Ranken^[46]
1987	My Body, Your Body		conceived and directed by Lloyd Newson^[47]

Opera

Credits as Choreographer and Movement Director:

Year	Opera	Production	Notes
2015			directed by Michael Boyd
2016			directed by Michael Boyd, starring Roderick Williams and Brindley Sherratt.^[48] ^[49]
2017			directed by Michael Boyd^[50] ^[51]
2017		Byre Opera	directed by PJ Harris^[52]
2021			directed by Michael Boyd^[53]

Film work

Ranken has appeared in the following films:

• 1990 Silences
• 1991 Caught Looking directed by Constantine Giannaris
• 1991 Edward II directed by Derek Jarman^[54]
• 1993 Three Steps to Heaven directed by Constantine Giannaris'
• 1994 Touched^[55] directed by Wendy Houstoun

Ranken was the choreographer for:

• 1997 The film Alive and Kicking directed by Nancy Meckler. This film is also known as Indian Summer^[56]
• 2000 3 Steps to Heaven, directed by Constantine Giannaris

Awards

• 1988 Ranken won The Place portfolio choreographic award with composer John Eacott. This was for artists to watch out for and invest in. Matthew Bourne also won this award in the same year.
• 1992 She won The Time Out Award for choreographing Anna Karenina for Shared Experience theatre company.
• 1993 Ranken won the Edinburgh Evening News Capital Award for directing, devising and performing 'Funk Off Green' at the Edinburgh Fringe

Paintings

2011: Ranken's portrait of Michael Boyd was taken into the Royal Shakespeare Company Portrait collection.

2013: Ranken's painting, entitled Held in Infinity, was taken into the Heinz Archive and Library at The National Portrait Gallery.

Other

• 1986: Ranken began performing with the band Test Department. At this time, she had started to collaborate with Test Department's percussionist Angus Farquhar^{[57] [58]} while she was at the Laban. He was at Goldsmiths studying drama and they shared the same campus. In 1998 Ranken collaborated with Angus Farquhar and his new company NVA performing at the National Day for Britain at the World EXPO in Lisbon. They created a pagan fire festival with musicians and dancers from Scotland and Portugal, burning 15-meter high straw figures (gigantones) in front of a live audience of 10,000.
• 1992: She was performer/choreographer for The Big Tease working with strippers for the Edinburgh Fringe festival. Ranken performed alongside the strippers whose autobiographies were the basis of the show.
• 1995: She was the performer/devisor of Doing Bird directed by Irvine Allan for Glasgow Mayfest, then touring prisons in Scotland including Barlinnie Prison. The piece then was performed at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, and toured prisons in Leeds including Armley Jail.

External links

• • Interview with Liz Ranken: Web site: How to be a successful artist: Marysia's Podcast with Liz Ranken. Love Your Creativity. 21 April 2013 .
• Elizabeth Ranken at Saatchi Art

Notes and References

1. Web site: Associate artists – Royal Shakespeare Company. Rsc.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
2. Web site: Program for Progress: The Fall from Light – test dept. testdept.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
3. Web site: DV8 Physical Theatre. Dv8.co.uk. 20 May 2018.
4. Web site: Choreographer | Movement Director | Painter | Elizabeth Ranken | UK .
5. Web site: Orfeo – Productions – Royal Opera House. Roh.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
6. Web site: Shared Experience has thrilled audiences the world over with its powerful visually stunning productions including A Passage to India, Mill on the Floss and Jane Eyre.. Sharedexperience.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
7. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – CHB199211 – The Changeling – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
8. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – RI3199509 – Richard III – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
9. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – AYL199604 – As You Like It – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
10. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – TRO199812 – Troilus and Cressida – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
11. Web site: Theatre review: Arabian Nights, Courtyard, Stratford-upon-Avon. Michael. Billington. 16 December 2009. The Guardian. 20 May 2018.
12. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – MND199903 – A Midsummer Night's Dream – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
13. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – ROM200007 – Romeo and Juliet – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
14. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – HH1200012 – Henry VI – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
15. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – HH2200012 – Henry VI, Part 2 – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
16. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – HH3200012 – Henry VI: The Battle for the Throne – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
17. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – RI3200102 – Richard III – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
18. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – MAG200208 – The Malcontent – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
19. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – TEM200209 – The Tempest – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
20. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – CYM200308 – Cymbeline – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
21. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – MAC200403 – Macbeth – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
22. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – HOI200407 – House of Desires – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
23. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – HAM200407 – Hamlet – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
24. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – TWE200504 – Twelfth Night – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
25. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – COM200507 – The Comedy of Errors – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
26. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – AYL200508 – As You Like It – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
27. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – CRU200603 – The Crucible – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
28. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – ROM200604 – Romeo and Juliet – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
29. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – PER200611 – Pericles – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
30. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – WIN200611 – The Winter's Tale – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
31. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – RI2200708 – Richard II – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
32. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – HF1200708 – Henry IV, Part 1 – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
33. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – HF2200708 – Henry IV, Part 2 – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
34. Web site: Noughts & Crosses – Royal Shakespeare Company. Rsc.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
35. Web site: Shared Experience – Productions – Mine. Sharedexperience.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
36. Web site: Shared Experience – Productions – The Caucasian Chalk Circle. Sharedexperience.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
37. Web site: Shared Experience – Productions – The Glass Menagerie. Sharedexperience.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
38. Web site: Shared Experience – Productions – Speechless. Sharedexperience.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
39. News: Fire in the family. Michael. Billington. 2 June 2000. The Guardian. 20 May 2018.
40. Web site: Shared Experience – Productions – Mary Shelley. Sharedexperience.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
41. Web site: Search – RSC Performances – ALL201307 – All's Well That Ends Well – Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Collections.shakespeare.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
42. Web site: Shared Experience – Productions – Bracken Moor. Sharedexperience.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
43. Web site: Shared Experience – Productions – Mermaid. Sharedexperience.org.uk. 20 May 2018.
44. Web site: Michael Boyd 2018 Production.
45. Web site: The Normal Heart review – the National Theatre revives Larry Kramer's play | WhatsOnStage . 30 September 2021 .
46. Web site: DV8 Physical Theatre. Dv8.co.uk. 20 May 2018.
47. Web site: DV8 Physical Theatre. Dv8.co.uk. 20 May 2018.
48. Web site: Eugene Onegin – Garsington Opera. Garsingtonopera.org. 20 May 2018.
49. Web site: Eugene Onegin (Garsington Opera at Wormsley). Whatsonstage.com. 7 June 2016 . 20 May 2018.
50. Web site: Pelléas et Mélisande – Garsington Opera. garsingtonopera.org. 20 May 2018.
51. Web site: Opera Today : Pelléas et Mélisande at Garsington Opera. Operatoday.com. 20 May 2018.
52. Web site: Cunning Little Vixen 2017 – Tour – Opera Scotland. Operascotland.org. 20 May 2018.
53. Web site: Orchestra and chorus light up Garsington's Eugene Onegin revival .
54. Web site: Liz Ranken. https://web.archive.org/web/20180517223726/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2bb48690fd. dead. 17 May 2018. BFI. 17 May 2018.
55. Web site: Wendy Houstoun Film and Other Work. Wendy Houstoun. 13 May 2018.
56. Web site: Alive and Kicking aka Indian Summer. Park Films. 13 May 2018.
57. Web site: Ramaswamy. Chitra. All Fired Up: The people behind the Beltane Festival. The Scotsman. 13 May 2018.
58. Web site: Angus Farquhar: For love and reconnection. Beltane.org. 29 June 2015 . 13 May 2018.