Resident Director — Lewisham Youth Theatre

I lead inclusive, movement-led, participant-authored theatre with young people aged 7–18. My role mixes devising, script development, directing and pastoral care. I build relaxed rehearsal rooms with visual scores, bite-size tasks and clear content notes so every voice can contribute. I co-create texts from the group’s language, mentor graduate creatives and volunteers, and hold safeguarding and parent/carer liaison. Projects centre confidence, agency and connection, with accessible sharings and post-show circles so authorship stays with the young people. Recent work spans climate ethics, identity and belonging, always meeting participants where they are and shaping high-quality performances from their lived experience.

https://www.lewishamyouththeatre.com/

Workshops (JYT1 & SYT)

Alongside productions, I design and lead LYT’s free skills programmes: JYT1 (ages 8–11) and SYT Workshops (13–18). Over five weeks we build ensemble foundations through games, physical storytelling and simple devising tools that are adaptable for all abilities. Sessions use clear structures, visual prompts and low-pressure entry points; we maintain a relaxed environment with options for sensory breaks and quiet time. The emphasis is on confidence, communication and play—participants try out leadership roles, co-set behaviour agreements, and learn how to give/receive feedback kindly. Many young people joining have SEND, experience social isolation or are school refusers; I work closely with families and the core LYT team to keep access practical (travel support, flexible calls, open sharings). The workshops are a doorway into LYT’s wider offer and a space where young people discover their voice, make friends and see their ideas land on their feet.

Into the Ark (13–18s)

I co-directed a devised response to Dawn King’s The Trials and the 1968 Lewisham flood. Each performer created a defendant whose climate choices felt real to them; we built the script through ethical debate, character labs and improvisation, testing where guilt, responsibility and care collide. I shaped the dramaturgy, edited participant text, and held the care/safeguarding lead. Movement sequences sat alongside testimony, and we kept the room relaxed and collaborative so difficult themes stayed navigable. The piece closed with a poetic chorus—“Into the Ark, what do we take?”—where the ensemble offered the small joys they’d preserve. It was funny, tender and honest, holding climate anxiety next to hope.

HOW CURIOUS?! (7–11s)

What happens when young minds dare to dream? Embark on an extraordinary journey with LYT in "How Curious?!," a vibrant adaptation inspired by The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Join our young performers as they unravel a captivating mystery, navigate unique challenges, and discover that stars aren’t just made—they’re born from a little pressure and a lot of imagination. It’s a story of courage, connection, and the power of determination.

This project was devised with the young people over the project length. We fragmented Christopher into 16 unique roles built around the dreams and aspirations of the actors themselves and the difficulties they are going through in achieving them. The play took them through these difficulties so that by the end they found the belief that they all can ‘do anything’!

THE CHANGING ROOM (11-15s)

The Changing Room is an exploration of the liminal space between adolescence and adulthood - a world where everything is shifting: bodies, friendships, identities, and expectations. Set in and around a swimming pool changing room, the play weaves together the stories of young people on the brink of transformation. They arrive as individuals but slowly reveal their hopes, fears, and frustrations as they navigate growing up in a world that’s watching their every move. Tackling themes of transition, pressure, vulnerability, and self-discovery, The Changing Room gives voice to the raw and relatable moments of teenage life - where identity is fluid and the future is uncertain.

I directed and abridged this production with Lewisham Youth Theatre in 2024, creating a 15-minute adaptation for a cast of six young actors. The process centred ensemble storytelling, physical theatre, and co-created movement sequences that captured the tension and release of lives in flux.