Hi, I’m Paul - an award-winning theatre director, dramaturg, lyricist and writer who has worked as the artistic director of Middle Child since 2011. As artistic director I’ve overseen the company’s growth from its foundation to joining the Arts Council’s National Portfolio in 2018. The company is now an established force in Britain’s new writing scene, with Lyn Gardner saying “there is a disconnect between an industry predominantly based in metropolitan areas and those who feel unheard, those who never go to the theatre, who think it’s not for them, or who have no access. Middle Child is the kind of company that can bridge the gap.”

I was born and raised in Harlow, Essex and now live in Hull. After graduating from the University of Hull and achieving a First Class Degree, I went on to further my studies at both LAMDA and the National Theatre. I am also a CLORE Leader and have both First Aid and Mental Health First Aid qualifications.

My main interests are in new writing and creating popular theatre which appeals to new audiences.

Directing credits include : Baby, He Loves You (Site Specific, Hull), Modest (Kiln Theatre, Hull Truck, Sheffield Crucible, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Northern Stage, SlungLow, New Wolsey), There Should Be Unicorns (London Greenwich & Docklands Festival, Freedom Festival, Hat Fair, Brighton Festival) we used to be closer than this (Creative Hull Festival), The Canary and the Crow (Arcola Theatre, The Roundabout), Us Against Whatever (Hull Truck, Liverpool Everyman), All We Ever Wanted Was Everything (Bush Theatre, The Roundabout, Welly Nightclub), Pronoun (Hull Truck Theatre), One Life Stand (The Roundabout & Touring), I Hate Alone (Touring), Mercury Fur (Site-Specific), Weekend Rockstars (Hull Truck & Touring), Divas (The Pleasance), Saturday Night & Sunday Morning (Fruit Warehouse), Apples (Hull Truck) and the 2012 Royal Court Gala (Royal Court / Shoreditch Town Hall). I also worked extensively with Bad Apple Theatre Company on a number of productions.

I have worked as dramaturg on each of Middle Child’s productions as well as on Rebel Music (Birmingham Rep) and I was a gig theatre consultant on Seagulls (Bolton Octagon).

I’m also experienced in the field of pantomimes, having directed 13 in total including Cinderella and Dick Whittington by Tom Wells.

I’ve worked as a facilitator and teacher at institutions including the National Theatre, Birmingham Rep, Bolton Octagon, Hull Truck, the Tron in Glasgow and at the National Student Drama Festival (NSDF).

As a writer I wrote the lyrics for Luke Barnes’ There Should Be Unicorns, Maureen Lennon’s Us Against Whatever (Hull Truck, Liverpool Everyman) as well as six pantomime scripts; Beauty and the Beast, Jack and the Beanstalk, The Little Mermaid, Rapunz’ull and Robin Hood : Prince of Thorngumbald and Red Riding Hood.

I am a proud member of the Advisory Board of the Junction Theatre in Goole and the chair of Cultural Collisions - a group which brings together major cultural organisations across Hull, the East Riding, North & North East Lincolnshire.

I am represented by Giles Smart of United Agents.