Paula Chitty

Paula Chitty

Paula is a Freelance Director - Designer – Producer. She has, three times, very successfully, directed plays fo rThe Kenneth Branagh Drama Award .
She has directed and designed over 50 productions in London and on regional tour…from Mike Leigh to Shakespeare and Puccini to Menotti. She recently 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 accessible, colourful, original adaptations of operas, new writing and classics. For full CV see www.irrationaltheatre.co.uk

off beat and orignal
Genius in Boldness

Credits

Kenneth Branagh Award - The Court House . 1 week Oct 2019
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/Prodicer

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

★★★★ 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. reviewed by 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 . Herts 1 week Feb 2018
★★★★. 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

★★★★ This little play is a powerful one- Younger Theatre. Simply and cleverly suggested with movement and lighting – Theatre Box. Powerful performance. Movement and timimg were well directed – London Theatre1


Hometime / Kenneth Branagh Award/ 1 week Oct 2017.

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

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
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

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 The Maltings Theatre. 3 perfs Oct 16
No Cure by K Walker
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’sOld maid and the Thief - Opera Anywhere. 2014/2015 Tour incliding 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 / Kenneth Branagh Award/ 1 week Oct 20

Producer in collaboration wirth solo theatre
Claire Dowie's H to He theatre
John Lennon’s wearing a Skirt The Maltings. Hertfordshire.2014

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' sand 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