About Me
I am a freelance theatre director and writer, as well as the founder and Artistic Director of Quintessence Theatre.
I am based primarily in Dublin, but work throughout Ireland and the UK.
My work is highly stylised and physically driven: often described as visually striking, visceral, and inventive, I use unashamed theatricality and playful, ensemble based storytelling. My process is collaborative and actor-focused, utilising the ensemble's collective bodies as a visual and creative tool. I fuse choreography, mime, and text, looking to exploit the shared imagination between actor and audience to create exciting, challenging, expressionistic work that both entertains and provokes.
I write as well as direct, regularly adapting literature to dramatic form, writing original plays, and devising new work collaboratively with actors on socially provocative issues.
I trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, where I was the recipient of the Elsa Roberts Award for Directing. I was an Education Practitioner with Shakespeare's Globe, London, and a Young Creative Associate of the Pleasance Theatre.
Credits
UNGUARDED
National Tour Spring 2024
Droichead Arts Centre, Drogheda | November 2022
An Tain Arts Centre | February 2023
DIRECTOR
BELFAST GIRLS
An Tain Productions & Quintessence Theatre |
An Tain Arts Centre January 2024 | The Lyric Belfast January & February 2024 | Droichead Arts Centre February 2024 | The Solstice Arts Centre February 2024
DIRECTOR
BRIGID: LADY OF LIGHT
An Tain Arts Centre | February 2024
WRITER
THE CURIOUS CASE OF ALBERT CASHIER: LINCOLN'S 'LADY' SOLDIER
Quintessence Theatre |National Tour | Autumn 2020
DIRECTOR
THE MIDNIGHT SCALPING OF PEG CARROLL
Quintessence Theatre | Droichead Arts Centre | April 2023
DIRECTOR/DESIGNER
INTO THE DARK
Quintessence Theatre & An Táin Productions | Anaverna House, Ravensdale | October 2022
DIRECTOR
ROBYN HOOD: PRINCESS OF THIEVES
An Tain Arts Centre, Dundalk | Anaverna House | August 2022
WRITER
AFLOAT
Sunday's Child | The Belltable | Future Limerick Festival | May 2022
DIRECTOR
BEHIND LOCKED DOORS
Quintessence Theatre | Droichead Arts Centre | April 2022
An Tain Arts Centre | June 2022
DIRECTOR
THE STAR OF CHESTER'S LANE
Quintessence Theatre | National Tour 2021
Droichead Arts Centre | May & August 2018 | Winner of Drogheda Arts Festival Commission Award 2018
DIRECTOR/DESIGNER
AFLOAT
Sunday's Child | Summerhall Digital | Edinburgh Fringe Festival | August 2021
DIRECTOR
SHERLOCK HOLMES & THE ANAVERNA ADVENTURE
An Tain Arts Centre, Dundalk | Anaverna House | August 2021
WRITER
BEHIND LOCKED DOORS
Digital | Drogehda Arts Festival | June 2021
DIRECTOR
BEAUTY & THE BEAST
An Tain Arts Centre, Dundalk | Anaverna House | August 2020
WRITER
BOUDICA
Radio Play, READ College | July 2020
DIRECTOR
BETTER TOGETHER
Quintessence Theatre | Droichead Arts Centre, Drogheda | February 2020
WRITER/DIRECTOR
#METOO, THREE, FOUR...
Quintessence Theatre | Droichead Arts Centre, Drogheda | November 2019
DIRECTOR
BOY, GIRL, REPEAT
Quintessence Theatre |Droichead Arts Centre, Drogheda | July 2019
DIRECTOR
PINOCCHIO
An Táin Arts Centre, Dundalk | Anaverna House | July 2019
WRITER
WELCOME TO THEBES
South Hill Arts Centre, Reading | May 2019
DIRECTOR
WARRIOR OF THE TAIN
Quintessence Theatre | An Táin Arts Centre | February 2019
WRITER/DIRECTOR
DRACULA
Quintessence Theatre | Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin | October 2018
Droichead Arts Centre, Drogheda | May 2017
An Táin Arts Centre | April 2017
WRITER/DIRECTOR
*Best New Play 2019 - Broadway World Ireland Regional Theatre Awards
CRACKS
Quintessence Theatre | National Tour: ROI and NI | September-October 2018
DIRECTOR
CRACKS
Radio Play | October 2018
DIRECTOR
THE DEADLY WIZARD OF OZ
Quintessence Theatre | An Táin | Anaverna House | July 2018
WRITER/DIRECTOR
SOME OF OUR CHILDREN
Quintessence Theatre | An Táin Arts Centre | February 2018
DIRECTOR
ROMEO & JULIET
Quintessence Theatre | An Táin Arts Centre | November 2017
DIRECTOR
THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS
Quintessence Theatre | An Táin | Anaverna House | August 2017
WRITER/DIRECTOR
THE WASP
Two Shillings & a Sixpence Productions | Street Theatre, London | July/August 2017
DIRECTOR
HAMLET
Quintessence Theatre | An Táin Arts Centre | May 2016
DIRECTOR
ROMEO & JULIET
Quintessence Theatre | An Táin Arts Centre | May 2016
DIRECTOR
VESSEL
Quintessence Theatre | The New Theatre, Dublin | April 2016
An Táin Arts Centre | November 2015
DIRECTOR
CIRQUE DES REVES
Sickle Moon/Illustrated Productions | Smock Alley Theatre| October/December 2015
MOVEMENT DIRECTOR
ALICE IN WONDERLAND
Quintessence Theatre | An Táin | Anaverna House | August 2017
WRITER/DIRECTOR
DORIAN GRAY
Incognito | Pleasance Islington, London | December 2015
Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh Fringe Festival | August 2015
WRITER/DIRECTOR
GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR
Incognito | Pleasance Islington, London | December 2014
The Below, Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh Fringe | August 2015
DIRECTOR
CLOSE TO YOU
Tangled Thread Theatre | Brighton Fringe Festival| May 2014
Southwark Playhouse, London | March 2014
Greenside, Edinburgh Fringe | August 2013
DIRECTOR
DISCO PIGS
Blue Crate Theatre | Tristan Bates, London | September 2012
Tobacco Factory, Bristol | July 2012
Alma Tavern Theatre, Bristol | May 2012
DIRECTOR
*Elsa Roberts Award for Best Director
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
Upstart Theatre | Anaverna House, Ravensdale | August 2008
DIRECTOR
Select Career History
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Quintessence Theatre, Ireland
2015-present
LAMDA SPEECH AND DRAMA TUTOR
St Paul's Girls' School, London
2015-2017
DIRECTOR
Stagedoor Manor, New York, USA | Productions included: BASKERVILLE, WOMEN IN WHITE, & FAMILY
July-August 2016
EDUCATION PRACTITIONER
Shakespeare's Globe, London
2014-2016
YOUNG CREATIVE ASSOCIATE
Pleasance Theatre Trust (via Incognito)
2013-2015
DIRECTOR IN RESIDENCE
Dulwich College, London | Productions included: GRIMM TALES, AMADEUS, ANIMAL FARM, THE RAINBOW FISH, THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY
2012-2014
Training &
Workshops
Bristol Old Vic Theatre School | MA in DRAMA DIRECTING (Distinction)
Frantic Assembly | PHYSICAL DEVISING
Ecole Phillipe Gaulier | LE JEU | Susanna Alcantud
Trestle Theatre | MASK
Le Coq | PHYSICAL THEATRE | Johnny Dixon & Hayley Clifton
University College Dublin | BA Psychology (2:1)