Elizabeth Freestone
Director
Elizabeth is a freelance theatre director, with experience of working on both new plays and classics. She has a particular interest in sustainable theatre-making and is the co-author of a book about theatre and climate change called 100 Plays To Save The World and of the forthcoming Performing Shakespeare on an Endangered Planet. Elizabeth is a trustee of Theatre By The Lake, where she also chairs the Artistic sub-committee, and of the National Rural Touring Forum, where she also chairs the Environmental sub-committee. She teaches at various institutions and mentors a number of artists.
Awards and Nominations
Broadway World UK nomination for Best Direction of a New Production of a Play for Nora: A Doll's House, Citizens Theatre, Glasgow Tramway.
List Of Productions
2023
THE TEMPEST | Royal Shakespeare Company
2022
THE WIND IN THE WILTON'S | Wilton's Music Hall
2021
100 PLAYS TO SAVE THE WORLD | Co-Written with Jeanie O'Hare | Published: Nick Hern Books
2020
NORA: A DOLL'S HOUSE | Young Vic
2019
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING |Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory
MUSICAL CONFUSION | Northern Opera Group
CROOKED DANCES | The Other Place, Royal Shakespeare Company
NORA: A DOLL'S HOUSE | Glasgow Citizens Theatre
2018
QUEEN MARGARET | Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
HENRY V | Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory
THE RAPE OF LUCRECE | Gate Theatre, Dublin
2017
PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS | Associate Director | St Ann's Warehouse, New York
HOUSE AND GARDEN | Watermill Theatre
From 2012-2016 she was the Artistic Director of Pentabus Theatre Company where productions included:
AS THE CROW FLIES by Hattie Naylor
HERE I BELONG by Matt Hartley
FROM LAND TO MOUTH by Bethan Marlow
THE LONE PINE CLUB by Alice Birch
EACH SLOW DUSK by Rory Mullarkey
MILKED by Simon Longman
IN THIS PLACE by Lydia Adetunji and Frances Brett
STAND UP DIGGERS ALL by Phil Porter
THE HAY PLAY by Nell Leyshon
FOR ONCE by Tim Price
BLUE SKY by Clare Bayley
2012
THE RAPE OF LUCRECE | Royal Shakespeare Company, Edinburgh International Festival and international tour including Sydney, Melbourne, Sao Paulo, Curitiba, Poland, The Hague, Derry, Cork Opera House, Dublin and Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre London.
ENDLESS LIGHT | Southwark Playhouse
2011
A GLORIOUSLY MUCKY BUSINESS | LAMDA
NIGHT MUST FALL | Royal Welsh College
BODY COUNT | ONO Theatre, Tour
ROCKET FUEL | ONO Theatre, Tour
2010
VOLPONE | Greenwich Theatre
THE DUCHESS OF MALFI | Greenwich Theatre
RAGTIME | Urdang
2009
TOP GIRLS | Royal Welsh College
DR FAUSTUS | Greenwich Theatre
THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL | Greenwich Theatre
HERE LIES MARY SPINDLER | Royal Shakespeare Company
THE TRAVELS OF THREE ENGLISH BROTHERS | British Museum
2008
THE TRAGEDY OF THOMAS HOBBES | Royal Shakespeare Company
ROMEO AND JULIET | Shakespeare’s Globe, European and UK Tour
SKELLIG | ONO Theatre, Tour
THREE SISTERS | Royal Welsh College
THE WATER HARVEST | Theatre 503
2007
THE COMEDY OF ERRORS | RWCMD/Royal Shakespeare Company
SIX CHARACTERS IN SEARCH OF AN AUTHOR | Central School of Speech and Drama
SKELLIG | ONO Theatre, Tour
OTHER PRODUCTIONS INCLUDE
LEFT ON CHURCH STREET | Bridewell Theatre
OIL HEART MOTHER | Nabokov
FLAMINGOS | Nabokov
POOR HENRY | Old Red Lion
PIGEONS | Theatre 503
COURSE IN A RESTAURANT | Old Vic (New Voices: 24 hour plays)
AS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE | dir. Sean Holmes | Filter/National Theatre UK tour
AS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
MARKET BOY by David Eldridge | dir. Rufus Norris | National Theatre
A NEW WAY TO PLEASE YOU by Middleton and Rowley | dir. Sean Holmes | RSC
SPEAKING LIKE MAGPIES by Frank McGuinness | dir. Rupert Goold | RSC
BELIEVE WHAT YOU WILL by Philip Massinger | dir. Josie Rourke | RSC
FUN HOUSE by Catherine Johnson | dir. Phyllida Lloyd | Old Vic 24 hour plays
LOYAL WOMEN by Gary Mitchell | dir. Josie Rourke | Royal Court Theatre
SUNDAY FATHER by Adam Pettle | dir. Rupert Goold | Hampstead Theatre
VIA DOLOROSA by David Hare | dir. Stephen Daldry | Royal Court Theatre / Tour
THE TRESTLE AT POPE LICK CREEK | dir. Raz Shaw | Southwark Playhouse
NAVY PIER by John Corwin | dir. Abigail Morris | Soho Theatre
RADIO INCLUDES
THE MATCHMAKER by J B Keane | Radio 4
THE LUNEBERG VARIATION by Paulo Maurensig | Radio 4
THE OTHER MAN by Jan Etherington and Gavin Petrie | Radio 4
WAR WITH THE NEWTS by Karel Capek | Radio 3
THE PAPERS OF A J WENTWORTH (Retd) by H F Ellis | Radio 4
A CHILE CHRISTMAS by Peter Searles | Radio 4
WATER SCULPTURES by Dawn King | Renosance
RING AROUND THE BATH by Lucy Clare and Ian Davidson | Radio 4
RADIO
BAGGY TROUSERS | Radio 4
FABULOUS FLOPS and MORE FABULOUS FLOPS | Radio 4
THE MEL AND SUE THING | Radio 4
Elizabeth is an Associate Artist at English Touring Theatre, a Mentor for Women in the Arts and a Board Member for the National Rural Touring Forum. She has read plays and directed readings for many companies. She trained at Rose Bruford College and the National Theatre Studio.