Biography
Job Title: Visiting Lecturer
Courses Taught: BA (Hons) Acting
Specialisms: Devised Theatre, Playwriting, Directing, New Writing, Contemporary Theatre, Co-Creating, Dramaturgy
Tess is a theatre director and writer from Yorkshire. She’s interested in how systems of power pervade politics, gender, sex and pop culture. She works with classics, adaptations and new writing to create comedic, tragic shows that surprise, challenge and entertain audiences.
Tess trained on the National Theatre Studio Directors Course and with the Wooster Group in New York. From 2016-17 she was the Leeds Playhouse’s first year long Resident Trainee Director. In 2018 Tess worked with Gob Squad and the Maxim Gorky in Berlin and Stanislavskiy Electrotheatre in Moscow as part of a British Council Initiative.
Tess is the Artistic Director of TheatreState and has written and directed Git (The Yard), The Fanny Hill Project (National Tour), On the Benefits of Being a Troll (The Yard and Camden People’s Theatre) and Tribute Acts (National Tour). TheatreState is currently working in association with Leeds Playhouse on Say Yes to Tess – A New Musical about Tess’ experience of standing in the 2017 general election.
As a freelance theatre director Tess has directed Pomona (LAMDA), The Things We Wouldn’t Otherwise Find (Leeds Playhouse) and How to Fly Like a Reindeer (The Herd and Hull Truck).
Tess led writer director development for Hull UK City of Culture 2017 and Hull Truck. She directs for the National Theatre’s New Views playwright program. Tess has directed young company shows for Almeida, Southwark Playhouse, Young Vic and acts as a visiting director for the National Theatre’s Connections Festival.
