Paula Chitty

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.irrationaltheatre.co.uk) and staged theatre and opera productions at The Cockpit Theatre, Park 200, Courtyard Theatre, 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, librettists, 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 https://www.irrationaltheatre.co.uk/contact/

Home Time | Drayton Arms Theatre | Director | Nov 2024

John Knowles | Ed Coan | The Hope and Anchor | Zak Stinchcombe | Producer | Sept 2024

Lily and Bear| Musical Park Theatre 200 | Director | Designer | Adaptor | August 2024

Holst’s The Idea | The Cockpit | London | Director | Designer | June 2024

Holst’s The Idea | The Courtyard | London | Director | Designer | June 2024

★★★★ London Theatre 1 (2022) | Witty & taut direction – children’s tea party on acid
★★★★ Review gate (2022) A rare delight, staged with wit. Sung with relish Deserves to pop up all over the place

Freshwater Five | Second Tour to 14 Venues | Inc Mayflower Southampton
| The Arts Depo | London | Designer | May 2024
★★★★ Finger Biscuit | Creatively staged with arresting visuals

Holy Name | The Cockpit| London | Director | Designer | May 2024

Holy Name | The Courtyard| London | Director | Designer | May 2024

Fat Walters Band | The Courtyard| London / The Hub on Verulam. St Albans | Nov 2023

Billy Bragg Tribute The Courtyard| London / The Hub on Verulam. St Albans | Nov 2023

Lily and Bear | Lyric Hammersmith | London | Director| Designer |Adaptation | Oct 2023

Home Time | The Courtyard | London | Director | July 2023
★★★★ Audience Club 2023 |An intense, emotional and reflective monologue...Effective and symbolic use of props, lighting and sound.
★★★★ The Review Hub (2017) The evening’s most horrific story comes with an almighty emotional punch that carefully sidesteps the sentimental
and explores the effect of a shock tragedy on a single mother
★★★★ Younger Theatre (2017) | Cleverly suggested through movement and lighting. The play takes a shocking turn and becomes a tale of love, loss,
and all that comes with it.
★★★★ Theatre Box (2017) A harrowing piece about motherhood, shock and grief. mundane joys, de-gradations and celebrations that motherhood
entails.
Sardines 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. The structure is overlaid with beautifully written
dialogue.


Holst's The Idea| OPERA Programmed | Opera Holland Park | Designer| Director | 2023

The Wedding Speech | The Space | London | Designer | April 2023

Lily and Bear | Lyric Hammersmith | Designer| Director| Adaptation | April 2023

Freshwater Five| PLAY Landmark Theatre | Ilfracombe | April 2023

Freshwater Five| PLAY Theatre Royal | Plymouth | April 2023

Freshwater Five |PLAY Lighthouse | Poole | April 2023

Freshwater Five | Vaults Festival | Designer | March 2023
Vault festival chosen play

The Wedding Speech | Soho Theatre | Designer | March 2023

The Wedding Speech | Vaults Festival. | Designer | Feb 2023

The Wedding Speech | The Hope Theatre. | Designer | Nov 2022

The Wedding Speech | Camden People Theatre | Designer | Nov 2022

Lighting Technician Casual | Royal Opera House | London. Oct 2022 ongoing

Lily and Bear | Royal Albert Hall | Director| Designer| Adaptation | Oct 2022

Lily and Bear | Arts Depo | Director| Designer| Adaptation | June 2022

Action for the Homeless Concert | St Saviours | Director | Stage Manager | April 2022

Home Time | Old Red Lion | London | Director Lighting and sound. Feb 2022

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