Colin David Reese
Shakespearean Actor and Director
I’m devoted to helping actors and audiences connect with Shakespeare’s language and world in a deeply practical, theatrical way.
Growing up in London with a radio-actor father, I was steeped in performance from a very early age. My passion for Shakespeare began with childhood roles and developed through classical training at Webber Douglas Academy. I went on to study in France with Jacques Lecoq, where I absorbed the power of physical theatre, movement and Commedia dell’Arte.
Over the years I’ve acted in a wide range of productions — from modern drama to classical plays — and founded my own company, La Compagnie du Cèdre, to produce work that is both theatrical and scholarly. One of my proudest achievements is A Gift to the Future, a piece I wrote and directed that marries my research into Shakespeare’s world with imaginative storytelling.
My signature show, Shakespeare Unbound, is a one-man exploration of how the First Folio came to be, and what life as a player in the original Shakespeare company might have felt like. I combine historical insight with performance, hoping to bridge the gap between academic Shakespeare and real, living theatre.
I also run in-depth workshops for actors — helping them to understand breathing, rhythm, articulation, movement, and how to unlock verse through working with facsimiles of original texts. My approach is grounded but playful, rigorous but welcoming. If you’re an actor who wants to feel Shakespeare — not just say the lines — I’d love to guide you.
