Philip Kingslan John is an experienced educator and theatre maker based in Bradninch, just outside of Exeter. In 2012 he founded the company Four of Swords with his friend and colleague Sarah White; they have now been creating relentlessly visceral, vibrant and immersive theatre, film and art projects across the South West for over ten years.
They have specialised in unforgettable site-specific productions, such as Gawain and the Green Knight in Exeter Cathedral, Doctor Faustus in St Nicholas Priory and Medea in Beer Quarry Caves, although recently they have been creating inspiring and innovating shows for more conventional stagings, such as The Magical Screentest of Isobel Jeffery (supported by Libraries Unlimited) and The Tale of Trista Heb Skovam.
Philip has been creative co-lead on Exeter Phoenix’s Summer Film School for eight years and has worked as a tutor in residence on various summer schools for international students. He also designs and delivers the course content for Creative Connections, a collaboration with Exeter Northcott and the Pelican Project. Together with his student Isobel Jeffery, he has created Madame Thespia’s Deliciously Diverse Cabaret: a quarterly open mic night for all, especially designed to platform under-represented artists. He has also worked with Exeter Community Initiatives and the Ripple Recovery Group at Exeter Colab, supporting therapeutic theatre and storytelling work for vulnerable adults. When not creating spectacular theatre experiences, he lectures in Media Studies at Petroc College, Barnstaple.
