Darren Heppolette

Creative Director

Darren’s interest in performance and passion for the arts began as a young performer at Greenwich Young Peoples Theatre in South London. It continued through school and into further education where 1993 he completed a two year Access Drama Foundation Course at Lewisham College. After a period as a Youth Worker and time spent as a support teacher in a challenging London Secondary School he went back into education. Darren graduated in 2004 from The Central School of Speech and Drama with Honours Degree in Applied Theatre and Education.

Following his degree he continued to develop his skills as a teacher and theatre practitioner working with young people in a variety of educational settings. These included Southgate and BSix College. In 2007 he gained a PGCE from the Institute of Education and currently teaches in Further Education at City and Islington College.

His eventual union and partnership with Sylvia at Hardknock Productions was brought about by a strong friendship and shared commitment to creative education and a belief in the arts capacity to enrich lives. For Darren what started as an early curiosity to perform has became a lifelong ambition to engage and empower others through the creative process and performing arts industry.