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About
2026
The Snow Queen by Noisemaker
Director, Dundee Rep Theatre
We Shadows by David Cullen & Emily Oulton, after William Shakespeare
Director, Royal Academy of Music
The Hills of California by Jez Butterworth
Director, Central School of Speech & Drama
Talking Heads by Alan Bennett
Director, The White Bear
Witness for the Prosecution by Agatha Christie
Directed by Lucy Bailey
Associate Director, County Hall
2025
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by Jethro Compton & Darren Clark
Directed by Jethro Compton
Associate Director, West End
Make It Happen by James Graham
Directed by Andrew Panton
Associate Director, Edinburgh International Festival & Dundee Rep
A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story by Mark Gatiss
Directed by Adam Penford
Associate Director, Alexandra Palace
The Fix by Jonathan Dempsey & Dana P Rowe
Director, Rose Bruford Actor-Musicianship
RUM by Joe Mallalieu
Directed by Tess Seddon
Associate Director, UK Tour
ABOUT
I am a UK-based director of theatre and audio.
My work ranges from small-scale plays, to outdoor immersive audio experiences, to big ensemble musicals - often foregrounding live music, original compositions or soundscapes. I work across revivals, new musicals, adaptations and plays.
I am an experienced associate director, working on large scale productions across the UK. Currently, I am associate director on Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution on Southbank, London. Previously, I was associate director on multi-Olivier Award-winning The Curious Case of Benjamin Button on the West End, and on James Graham's Make It Happen at Edinburgh International Festival, with Dundee Rep & National Theatre of Scotland. I have supported directors and artistic directors on large-scale processes, as well as led recasts and revivals of productions.
I frequently work as a visiting director at leading drama schools, such as the Royal Academy of Music, Arts Ed, Central School of Speech & Drama and Rose Bruford College.
I co-run Obscura Theatre with theatre maker Patch Middleton. We are currently developing new musical A Shanty for an Atomic Town about maritime mythology and nuclear power in Cumbria.
CREDITS
As Director: The Hills of California (Central School of Speech & Drama), Talking Heads (The White Bear), We Shadows (Royal Academy of Music), Songs and Stories from the Atomic Town (Theatre by the Lake), All the Boggles of Derwentwater (Theatre by the Lake, Obscura Theatre), Not Something Other People Do (Curve Online), LE3 Writers’ Showcase (Upstairs at the Western), The Best Play Ever (Delicious Theatre, Edinburgh Fringe), Little Shop of Horrors (Delicious Theatre, Edinburgh Fringe), Private Lives (John Thaw Theatre), Into the Woods & Guys and Dolls (University of Manchester).
As Associate Director: Witness for the Prosecution (London County Hall), A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story (Alexandra Palace, Birmingham Rep, Nottingham Playhouse), Make It Happen (National Theatre of Scotland, Dundee Rep, Edinburgh International Festival), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Ambassadors Theatre, West End), RUM (Max Emmerson Productions UK Tour), Roman Holiday (Theatre Royal Bath).
As Resident and Assistant Director: The History Boys (Theatre Royal Bath & UK Tour), Witness for the Prosecution (London County Hall), West Side Story (Curve), My Beautiful Laundrette (Curve & UK Tour), The Entertainer (Curve), Mixtape (Royal Exchange Theatre).
Training: MFA Theatre Directing at Birkbeck, Birkbeck Trainee Director at Curve, Young Director at Royal Exchange Theatre, University of Manchester Drama BA First Class (Hons).
Witness for the Prosecution Cast 15, photography by Sam Barker
Left to Right: Owen Warner, Simon Cotton, Eleanor Sutton, David Whitworth
RECENT PRESS
★★★★ Everything Theatre - "The way in which director and designer have drawn the two pieces together to communicate their simultaneously hilarious and devastating truths – is nothing short of awe-inspiring." (Talking Heads)
★★★★ LondonPubTheatres - "This mini Bennett Fest represents something of an occasion for South London—a bit like going to see the crown jewels." (Talking Heads)
★★★★ LondonTheatre1 - "A new lease of life under the direction of Emily Oulton." (Talking Heads)
Soundlandscape: The Wild Hauntings on the Moor, photography by Emily Oulton
Productions
SELECTED PRODUCTIONS
Talking Heads
Director
White Bear Theatre
Witness for the Prosecution
Associate Director
London County Hall
A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story
Associate Director
Alexandra Palace
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Associate Director
Ambassadors Theatre, West End
Make It Happen
Associate Director
Edinburgh International Festival, Dundee Rep & National Theatre of Scotland
RUM
Associate Director
Max Emmerson Productions UK Tour
A Christmas Carol
Associate Director
Birmingham Rep
Songs & Stories From the Atomic Town
Director
Theatre by the Lake
The History Boys
Assistant Director
Theatre Royal Bath & UK Tour
Witness for the Prosecution
Resident Director
County Hall, Southbank
A Christmas Carol
Associate Director
Nottingham Playhouse & Alexandra Palace
Roman Holiday
Associate Director
Theatre Royal Bath
Soundlandscape: All the Boggles of Derwentwater
Director
Theatre by the Lake
My Beautiful Laundrette
Resident Director
Curve & Co-Production Tour
West Side Story
Resident Director
Curve
The Entertainer
Trainee Assistant Director
Curve
The Best Play Ever
Director
Edinburgh Fringe
Mixtape
Assistant Director
Royal Exchange Theatre
Services
Soundlandscape: The Wild Hauntings on the Moor, photography by Emily Oulton
BID WRITING
As a freelance director, having self-produced and secured funding for a number of projects over the years, I now offer tailored and affordable support for individual artists and small theatre companies applying for Arts Council England National Lottery Project Grants (Under £30K).
I have a high success rate with applications for projects taking place across the UK, and experience producing ACE Project Grant-funded work myself. I offer a sliding scale of support which might include:
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One-off 1:1 advice sessions
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Project planning and shaping
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Application draft editing
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Resubmission troubleshooting and editing
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Full application writing, including budget and timeline
While I can't submit your application for you or guarantee funding outcomes, I draw upon my own experience as a freelance artist applying for funding. With this shared perspective, I can help you shape a project that is both fundable and engaging for audiences, artists and participants.
Get in touch via the contact form below for my rates, or to arrange a short no-commitment video call to discuss your project. Please note I currently have capacity to support with applications from June 2026 onwards.
Some examples of my previously funded applications:
I Know I Know I Know by Flora Wilson Brown
Directed by Harry Tennison
DoNotAlight @ Southwark Playhouse
A Shanty for an Atomic Town by Patch Middleton
Obscura Theatre
Supported by Rosehill, Theatre by the Lake & Barrowfull
Contact
CONTACT
Find me on Instagram: @emilyoulton
Website by Emily Oulton, updated April 2026
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