
ABOUT ME & MY WORK
I call the work I make seriously entertaining theatre - stories with something to say about the world, told in engaging, inventive ways.
In the last few years, my work has become increasingly about politics and society. I’m driven to use theatre as a tool to interrogate how we live together and the structures that affect our lives.
My most recent project was Block the Block, telling the story of social housing residents fighting a private property developer.
I have previously led socially engaged projects with the Royal Exchange (Something For Me, Best Ever Place Ever) Leeds Playhouse (Do'n’t Stress Jess), and the Lowry.
In 2018, I was appointed Youth Theatre Director at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton. As part of this role, I commissioned new scripts, developed partnerships with drama schools LAMDA and RADA, and launched the actor training programme Young Octagon.
In 2018, I was supported by the Young Vic as one of their six Reach Out Directors. In 2022 I received a scholarship to train on the prestigious Theatre Directing MFA at Birkbeck College.
I have worked as Associate Director for Told by an Idiot, and Resident Director on productions of Evita, A Chorus Line (Leicester Curve) and My Beautiful Laundrette (National Theatre/Curve).
UPDATES
Really pleased to have a new opinion piece in The Stage addressing inequality between freelancers and employees.
After directing Twelfth Night with their students in April, I’m really excited to be able to say I’ve been appointed as Module Leader for Theatre at ICES University, Vendée, France.
This role involves directing two plays a year with the university, and leading on other teaching modules such as Playwriting and Introduction to Shakespeare.
Really thrilled to be back at Arts Ed this term to work with students in the School of Musical Theatre, as director for some of their projects.
This will involve collaborating with choreographer Vikki Ryan and Musical Director Ian Brandon to stage two production numbers with students, giving them the experience of working in a professional rehearsal room.
Really excited to say I’ve been selected to become Resident Director at Leicester Curve. This will involve assisting on three productions - this year’s Christmas show Evita, a tour in partnership with the National Theatre My Beautiful Launderette and the UK tour of A Chorus Line.
I’m really excited to be able to learn from being part of rehearsals with Artistic Director Nikolai Foster, and work alongside top creatives such as Ellen Kane, Howard Hudson, Ben Cracknell and many more!
Being Associate Director on Told by an Idiot’s Kill Will has been a pleasure. It’s involved being the creative lead while away in Romania, making quick decisions as we moved the site-specifc show throughout various locations in the city of Craiova, and then again when we were back performing in the UK.
This was a very silly show about two Shakespeares fighting each other in increasingly ridiculous ways, and it was such a joy to be a part of a project that was so inherently entertaining, theatrical and extremely unpredictable!
Real pleasure to work with this brilliant cast on the reading of Adam Kotwal’s new play Brownballed.
The play delves in to the fast-paced world of professional football, and is performed as part of the Octagon’s First Bites series of play readings.
The cast were Shobna Gulati, Adam Karim, Matt Lanigan and Mitesh Soni.
The Stage this week published my opinion piece ‘Let’s harness technology to make British theatre less London-centric’.
This was a very unique project that the Royal Exchange approached me to run in partnership with Jigsaw Homes Engagement Team. Jigsaw Homes recruited the women through Tameside Women and Families Centre, the Jobcentre and other support services in the Dukinfield and Ashton area.
It was an unusual project for me as the brief wasn’t to create a piece of theatre but to deliver sessions that boosted participants’ confidence and skills, so that they could volunteer as Ushers in the Royal Exchange’s Pop-up Theatre, The Den.
As part of my role as Youth Theatre Director at the Bolton Octagon, I have led on launching the Young Octagon group.
This is a dedicated year-long training programme for talented young performers from in and around Bolton. Members will receive training from top London drama school LAMDA.
The group’s first production will be a newly commissioned play ‘One Night in Bolton’ by writer Becky Prestwich. This will be co-directed by myself and Artistic Director Lotte Wakeham.
It was a real privilege to have been awarded Best Director at the 2019 OffCuts Festival, for my direction of Curtis Cole’s play Fomo.
The judging panel included Royal Exchange Associate Director Nickie Miles-Wildin and Oldham Coliseum Artistic Director Chris Lawson.
I have been working regularly as a freelancer with the Octagon since 2017, including on their production of Gullivers Travels. I am thrilled to be joining their team in house, leading the Youth Theatre.
This role will involve directing productions with their youth theatre and community groups, including with their specialist SEND programme Bridges.
I’m really excited to announce I’ve been selected by the Young Vic as one of their Reach Out Directors for 2018.
This involves working closely with the building, shadowing the theatre’s departments, observing rehearsals, as well as budget to connect with other theatres around London.
-
“As a company, we cannot recommend Joe highly enough—he is an instinctive, imaginative, and generous director who thrives across multiple platforms."
Paul Hunter
Artistic Director, Told by an Idiot
-
"Every young person Joe works with is encouraged to be their most confident and authentic self. He has unlocked potential in so many students and empowered them to be curious and ambitious."
Amy Lancelot
Schools Programme Senior Manager, RSC
-
“Joe is an accomplished facilitator, supportive and challenging in equal measure. He is reliable and unflappable, qualities that are essential when working with young people. I can't recommend him enough!”
Maddie Short
Programmes and Creative Lead,
Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation -
"Joe was one of the best assistant directors I have ever worked with. It's clear that Joe has a natural instinct for working with actors and telling a good story. "
Kate Budgen
Course Leader, Mountview