Director, Movement Director, Facilitator
Lydia is a British director working across theatre, musical theatre and opera.
She is an interdisciplinary director, with a strong musical background and many credits as a choreographer. Her interests are in female led work, political work and devising. She also is interested in making work staged in non traditional theatre settings such as immersive, interactive and site specific productions. Her aim is to engage as many women as possible in theatre at all levels.
Lydia trained as a director at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and is an alumna of the University of Exeter, where she read Drama, received a music scholarship and worked as a professional choral singer while studying. She has additionally trained with the National Youth Theatre, British Youth Opera and Royal Opera House.
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Her recent production of new play Hardly Working by Jessie Milson was premiered at Bristol Old Vic Theatre as part of the 2024 New Writing Festival and went on to have a successful run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe receiving five star reviews.
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Her recent production of Octopus by Afsaneh Grey ran at the Wardrobe Theatre in Bristol and was described as ‘an affecting display of an oppressive system, underscored by female rebellion’ and ‘a striking display of Bristol Old Vic Theatre School’s Talent (Bristol 24/7)’.
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As a movement director, Lydia recently choreographed Trinity Theatre’s five star production of Chicago The Musical, which was received so well that the theatre revived the production six months later.
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She is currently developing a multidisciplinary devised play about women’s experiences in football, which will be performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2025.
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Lydia was on the Director Training Programme for British Youth Opera in 2022, where she assisted director Harry Fahr on his production of Sir John In Love by Vaughn Williams, and also Co-Directed the understudies performance for the production. She was fortunate to be selected for the National Students Opera Society Mentorship Programme where she received mentorship from Elaine Kidd, Head of Young Artists at the Royal Ballet and Opera. She was also a founding member of the University of Exeter Opera society where she co-directed their award winning production of The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart.
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Some of Lydia’s recent credits include: Octopus (Wardrobe Theatre), Hardly Working (Bristol Old Vic), Chicago (Trinity Theatre), Matilda Jr (Hever Festival Theatre). Associate/Assistant credits include: Twelfth Night (Malcom X Centre), Sir John in Love (Opera Holland Park), The New Musketeers (Trinity Theatre), Miracle on 34th Street (Trinity Theatre).
Lydia has worked extensively as a creative engagement practitioner with community groups of all ages. She has directed many youth and community productions as well as regularly leading youth theatre workshops, schools workshops and dance classes. Projects she has worked on include: The London Bubble Theatre Company’s Speech Bubbles programme, Half Moon Theatre’s Transitions programme, NT Connections, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School Young Artists programme, Trinity Theatre’s Creative Engagement programme and National Youth Theatre’s Young Facilitator Training.
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Lydia is passionate about accessibility in the arts, and is currently developing a creative engagement programme to support young working class women in music to develop their skills as artists and facilitators.
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