Neil was a faculty member in our department from 1991 to 2006 and was renowned for his unique approach to the unlocking of Shakespearean text for young actors. Students always left his classes with a new respect for Shakespeare and a plethora of new insights in how to unlock the mysteries of the bard. His research into the First Folio and his writing on the use of these texts for the actor has changed the way Shakespeare is approached by thousands of actors around the world. On October 28, 2015, the BC Flag on the UBC campus was lowered to half-mast in Neil’s honour.

NEIL FREEMAN, M.A. (Nottingham), was trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. His awards include the John Gielgud Scholarship; USA National Endowment of the Arts Major Artists’ Fellowship; the Joseph G. Green Fellowship from York University, and a minor Scholarship from SSHRC. He worked with the Will Geer Theatre, British American Drama Academy, The National Theatre School, the Centre for Actors Study, the National Voice Intensive and the Stratford Festival.

Neil Freeman Memorial Scholarship

In Neil’s memory, the Neil Freeman Memorial Scholarship has been established at the University of British Columbia’s Department of Theatre & Film. Donations to this scholarship can be made here.