LAURA J HARRIS
DIRECTOR
Drawn to bold, emotionally truthful storytelling that places character, connection and transformation at its centre, Laura’s work spans theatre, short film, television development, new writing and classical texts, with a practice rooted in collaboration, curiosity and care.
Whether developing original work, reimagining familiar stories or guiding performers in finding greater depth and freedom, she creates rehearsal spaces where professional rigour intersects humanity and imagination.
DIRECTOR
I am a theatre and screen director working across classical text, new writing, devised performance and film.
My work is rooted in ensemble and collaboration, as I am always curious to see what happens when performers are given permission to play, interrogate, challenge, and take genuine ownership of the world we are creating together.
For me, directing is not about imposing a finished picture upon a company. It is about building the conditions in which something can be discovered.
Something truthful.
Something theatrical.
Something alive.
My practice moves between professional, community and youth performance, but the expectation remains the same: the work matters.
I have directed productions for and at venues including the National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Dell Open-Air Festival, The Lowry, Storyhouse, Sheffield Crucible, Liverpool Theatre Festival, Edinburgh Fringe and St George’s Hall, alongside site-specific, open-air and community work across the North West.
The Work
Classical text, made immediate.
Shakespeare has been a continuous thread through my directing practice.
What interests me most is being playful with these stories and discovering why they still demand to be told.
My productions have included Macbeth, Hamlet, Twelfth Night, Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet and The Tempest — reimagined everywhere from traditional theatres to gardens, churches, catacombs and open-air spaces.
The text is never a museum piece.
It belongs to the actors.
It belongs to the audience.
It belongs to the present.
Credits
Copyright©️ 2026 | Laura J Harris | Writer-Creator: Stage, Television, Film & Fiction