Paula Chitty
Director
Designer
Producer
Project Manager
Paula is a Freelance Director - Designer – Producer. She has, four times, very successfully, directed plays for our Drama Award
She has directed and designed over 80 productions in London and on regional tour…from Mike Leigh to Shakespeare and Puccini to Menotti. She premiered Lily and Bear, a new musical for children at The Albert Hall (www.lilyandbearproductions.com) and also recently staged theatre and opera productions at The Southwark Playhouse, The Bunker Theatre ,The Arcola Theatre, The Kings Head Theatre, Upstairs at The Gatehouse, Highgate, Brockley Jack SE4 and The Arts Theatre, West End. She was assistant director at The Royal Opera House and now runs irrational theatre which produces the best of british opera, libretists, composers and plays .For full CV see www.irrationaltheatre.co.uk
Interested in off beat and original
Genius in boldness
Credits
www.irrationaltheatreco.uk
for a full cv to 2021
The Sperm Bank | Kenneth Branagh Award. | Finalist | Director/Designer | online Oct 2021
Holst’s The Idea | Brockley Jack . London | Director /Designer/Producer | I Week | Oct 2021
★★★★ London Theatre 1(see below) ★★★★ Reviewgate A rare delight , staged with wit. Sung with relish Deserves to pop up all over the place
The Grand | Kings Head Theatre. | Director /Designer /Producer | 1 week | Sept 2021
Cultural Capital – A hidden gem directed by Paula Chitty. A strong platform and this promising concept driven play has much longer life ahead
Lily & Bear | Radlett Centre |Director/Designer /Producer | Au2020
Holst’s The Idea | online | Director /Designer/Producer | Aug 2021
Holst’s The Idea |Chsiwick Playhouse |Up Stairs at The Gate House | The Old Court .Windsor | St Albans | Harpenden
Tour | June 2020
★★★★ ‘London theatre1 .witty & taut direction – children’s tea party on acid’
The engaging production and the costumes were just right - taking us into a pretend story-land world . Excellent cast and an accomplished band… Fascinating to hear this early, very much neglected work by Holst - deserves to be seen and heard -. JW (Audience)
The Grand | online | Director/Designer/Producer| Feb 21
The Grand | St Saviours| Director/Designer/Producer| Dec 2020
‘Thank you for giving us a great drama experience in these bleak times ‘ AB (Audience)
Skin in the Game | online | Director,Producer| Oct 2020
Lily and Bear | online | Director/Designer/Producer| Oct 2020
Waiting for Hamlet | online | Director/DesignerProducer| Aug 2020
Lily and Bear | online | Director/Designer/ Producer| Aug 2020
Puccini’s Ill Trittico at Home | Royal Opera House/Richard Jones | Assistant Director | June 2020
LBGQT Princess Ida | postponed Covid| June 2020
Merry Wives |SACO | Designer | March 2020
Lily and Bear |Hertford Theatre| Director/Designer/Producer| 2020
Children under 16's |Trinity Laban |Project Manager| 4 mths 2020
Mikado Gilbert Sullivan |Opera Anywhere Tour| Designer| 2019
Kenneth Branagh Award - The Court House . 1 week Oct 2019 'Finalist' Director and designer.
Barber. Reynolds. Offenbach Arcola Theatre. 1 week Aug 2019 Director designer producer
★★★★ Fast paced, linked by the theme of chance-witty revival-cast optimism shines through. The Stage. Another Grimeborn Triumph –Twitter. Director/designer cleverly incorporates costume and scenery into the script. Great acting/singing – Review Hub
Barber. Reynolds. Offenbach Harpenden. 1 night . Aug 2019 Director/Designer/ Producer
Agatha Christie / Hendon Chapel Playhouse . June 2019
Director/Designer /producer
Agatha Christie / P Hale - Chapel Playhouse. June 2019
Director/Designer/Producer
Stubb’s Lily and Bear Abbey Theatre. Herts. Tour 2019
Director/Designer/Co Producer
Agatha Christie/ P Hale Kings Head Thr. May short tour 2019 Director/Designer/Producer
G&S Rudigore. SACO , Herts. I week. March 2019
Designer/ build
Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci/ Southwark Playhouse short tour 2019 Director/Designer/Producer
Stubb’s Lily and Bear/ The Bunker Thr. 6 shows. Tour Dec 2018 Director/Designer/Co Producer
Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci/ Kings Head Theatre. short tour. Dec 2018. Director/Designer/Producer
★★★★ Well sung. It’s about as accessible as it gets – West End and Broadway. Reviewed at Arcola Theatre
Amazingly powerful. Altogether wonderful. Bloody fantastic. (liamcalling twitter)
Waiting for Hamlet / Kenneth Branagh Award. 1 week Oct 2018 ‘Winner of The Kenneth Branagh Award’ Director/Designer
Government Inspector/ Brockley Jack. 2 week. Aug 2018
Government Inspector/ Upstairs at the Gatehouse
Director/Designer/Producer
★★★★ ‘highly recommended for fans of the ridiculous, the comic, and the painfully true. Pub Theatre 1
Lily and Bear / Letchworth Broadway - Tour June 2018
Director /Designer/Co Producer
Strauss’ Die Fladermaus/ (Saco) I week March 2018
Designer
Opera Triptych - Whittaker. Reynolds. Offenbach
Kings Head.Theatre London / Abbey Theatre 1 week Feb. 18Director/Designer/Producer
★★★★. Modern operas with an irrational twist – Stuart Review. I felt like yodeling along and I have not said that since 1984. Pub Theatre. Infectious, fun comes in small packages Gizzler.. Bags of energy, charming. Planet Hugill.
Hometime/ New Writing The Space. London Over 3 weeks Jan 18 Director/Designer
★★★★ This little play is a powerful one- Younger Theatre. Simply and cleverly suggested with movement and lighting – Theatre Box. Powerful performance. Movement and timing were well directed – London Theatre1
Home time / Kenneth Branagh Award/ Finalist 1 week Oct 2017. Director/Designer
Directed by Paula Chitty, was a triumph. Someone sat behind me said that we should have stood to applaud and I agree.. It is impossible to untangle the roles of writer, director and actor in achieving the outcome but that is what great theatre is all about. (Sardines Review – South East)
Lily and Bear Tour - Maltings Theatre Tour - Oct 2017
Director/Designer/Co - Producer
Grimeborn Festival/ Arcola Theatre/ Kings Langley Herts - 1 week Aug 2017 Menotti/Sullivan/Norland
Director/Designer/ Producer
HMS Pinafore Gilbert and Sullivan / Opera Anywhere / Tour '17 Designer
Pirates of Penzance Gilbert & Sullivan/ Opera Anywhere / Tour '17 Designer
Sondheim’s A Little Night Music. The Maltings I week May 17 Director/Designer / Producer
Clever use of props, pin point timing and Paula’s clear vision – it’s a revelation. Herts Ad.
Lily and Bear by Lisa Stubbs The Arcola Theatre. Tour April 17 Director/Designer/ Producer
Last Tango In Little Grimley The Fat Lady Sings, David Tristram/ Rada GBS studio, I week - April 2017
Director/ Designer
Gilbert and Sullivan Pirates of Penzance/ SACO. 1 week March 17. Designer
A bright attractive set by Paula Chitty. John Manning.
Lily and Bear / Royal Albert Hall. Elgar Room/Tour 2017
Director/Designer/ Producer
Tredinnick’s Up Pompeii/ Rada. GBS Studio./ I week Nov 2016 Director/Designer
Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas /St Luke’s Church. Chelsea. 2 perf Oct 16 Director
The Green Man by P Hale and No Cure by K Walker The Maltings Theatre. 3 perfs Oct 16 Director/Designer/ Producer
Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci/ Arcola Theatre.
Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi Grimeborne Festival i week - Aug 16 Director/Designer
★★★★ Well sung. It’s about as accessible as it gets – West End and Broadway. Amazingly powerful. Altogether wonderful. Bloody fantastic. (liamcalling twitter)
Nesbit’s The Railway Children Cookham outdoor. I week July 16 Director/Designer
Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors/ Chiltern Shakespeare 2 weeks . June 2016. Director/Designer
A hilarious and farcical journey through Victorian eyes. Well thought out, slap stick abounds. A Fast-moving romp. Chiltern News.
UK ROOCK CHALLENGE/Design Judge/ Stevenage . Herts Feb 16
Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci / The Arts Theatre. West End I week Jan Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi Leicester Square. Director/Designer
A complete delight, accompanied by some young BBC Piano finalist ensure a great success. Herts Ad
Menotti’s Old maid and the Thief - Opera Anywhere. 2014/2015 Tour including- Abbingdon Theatre. Waterperry Amphi Director and Designer
Uniquely and imaginatively reflected in Paula’s set design and direction. Oxford Times
Mighty Mega - English Touring Opera weekend workshop 2015 Discover Story Centre. Design Creation
Gay’s Beggars Opera. SACO. Herts. 1 week Oct 2015
Director/Designer
Frieda Loves Ya! - The Maltings Theatre
Producer Oct 2015
5 star. Grumpy Gay Critic Burlesque comedy
Leigh’s Abigail’s Party /Rada. London / 2 week Sept 2015
The Maltings Theatre. Herts./ The Barn. Welwyn
Director/Designer
Review: Party time hits the high notes. Paula has shown her pedigree and this does not falter. Herts Ad
Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island -The Grove. Odney outdoor. - 1 week - Aug 2015 Designer.
Three Wayfarers Opera/Unicorn Theatre. Oxford. 1 week Feb 15 Director/Designer. Orchestra and cast of 15
Review: The Three Wayfarers makes for splendid entertainment and is guaranteed to send the audience home with a smile. Stephen Connock MBE Chairman Albion Records
Murder in space/ St James Studio. 3 nights Feb 2015
Puccini /Menotti / White Bear Thr. London - 2 weeks Jan 2015 Sullivan and Norland/ Claire Dowie performs Adult Child /Dead Child Director/Designer/ Producer
Smashes opera’s cozy convention with a laugh- London theatre Bubble. 'Sublime singing, performed with gusto. It wraps Menotti's The Telephone around Arthur Sullivan's Cox and Box and a new play. First rate and compelling.’ Madeline Burton
No Cure for The Horse Chestnut / Finalist Kenneth Branagh Award/ 1 week Oct 20. Director/Designer
Claire Dowie performs H to H/ John Lennon’s wearing a Skirt. The Maltings. Hertfordshire.2014. Producer in collaboration with solo theatre
Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado / Opera Anywhere. Tour 2014 Colston Hall Bristol, Region. tour. Director/Designer
'Entertaining, plenty to enjoy with a cast of young professionals delivering Gilbert’s humour with evident relish.'
Evening of Opera Aria's and bite sized theatre /The Maltings Theatre. Hertfordshire. 3 nights June 2014 Director/Designer/Producer
Flash and Bloo Hoo By Jane Fookes/Maltings Theatre. 1 week April 2014. Director/Designer/Producer
Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte/ SACO/ I week/ March 2014
Designer
Excellent set design by Paula Chitty. John Manning. Herts Advertiser
CV cont. 2013. Menotti’s The Telephone and Sullivan’s Cox and Box, London (Director /Designer) Bedford’s Pantomime- Cinderella and the Soul Sisters, Hertfordshire (Director Designer) Sullivan’s Pirates od Penzanse - Opera Anywhere tour (Director/Designer) Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Hertfordshire (Director/Designer) Alan Acyborn’s Improbable fiction , London (Director/Designer) Bizet’s Carmen, Hertfordshire (Director/Designer)
2012 Sullivan’s The Mikado Opera Anywhere tour (Director/Designer) Sullivan’s Trial By Jury, Hertfordshire (director / Designer) Sethoy’s Scrambled Eggs, New writing – Kenneth Branagh Award (Director/Designer) Charlotte Jones’ Humble Boy, Maidenhead (Designer)
2011 Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors, Hertfordshire (Director/Designer) Assistant to Richard Jones on Il Trittico Royal Opera House, London. Lampe’s Dragon of Wantley. Hertfordshire (Director/Designer) Sullivan’s Yeoman of the Guard. Hertfordshire (Designer) Observer /assistant to Richard Jones Anna Nicole Royal Opera House. London
2010 Chekov’s Three Sister’s OVO. Hertfordshire (Designer) Pasatieri La Divina Hertfordshire (Director/Designer) Auburn’s Proof Maidenhead (Designer) Rossini’s Elixir of Love. Hertfordshire (Designer) O’Neil’s Hughie -Hertfordshire (Director/designer)
Training
To be updated