Led by Esalan Gates (★★★★★ and award-nominated theatre director), these hands-on workshops introduce directing tools drawn from leading practitioners including Katie Mitchell, Declan Donnellan, Mike Alfreds, Uta Hagen, and Anne Bogart. Each lab focuses on a different methodology, giving you a chance to discover new perspectives in a practical environment with professional actors, while building a toolkit of approaches you can take into your own practice.
Whether you're directing your first fringe show, collaborating as a theatre-maker, or building confidence in the rehearsal room, these sessions will give you the practical techniques and rehearsal strategies to support bold yet grounded work.
This isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room, but learning how to shape the work clearly, thoughtfully, and creatively. Come ready to explore, play, and reflect with others navigating the same questions.
What will we cover?
Across the series, we’ll explore:
- Approaches to text analysis and preparation from a range of directing practictioners
- Practical rehearsal room exercises and frameworks with professional actors
- Communicating with actors and collaborators
- Developing your own directing voice
- Tools for making work in fringe and studio theatre contexts
All sessions are practice-led, low-pressure, and collaborative, ideal for early-career artists, recent graduates, and theatre-makers stepping into directing.
Presented by Codex Theatre, breaking down complex ideas into gripping, relatable theatre.
Workshop Schedule:
Katie Mitchell Directing Lab – We 22 Oct 2025 (18:00–20:00) – F13
Declan Donnellan Directing Lab – We 29 Oct 2025 (18:00–20:00) – F13
Mike Alfreds Directing Lab – We 12 Nov 2025 (18:00–20:00) – F13
Movement Techniques for Directors Workshop – Thurs 27 Nov 2025 (18:00–20:00) – F13
Uta Hagen Directing Lab – We 3 Dec 2025 (18:00–20:00) – F13
Anne Bogart Directing Lab – We 10 Dec 2025 (18:00–20:00) – F13
