Helen Tennison

As a freelance director, Helen’s work spans classics, new writing, site specific, devised and physical theatre. She has worked across the UK, Europe and in the United States for venues including Shakespeare’s Globe, Arcola, Southwark Playhouse, The Oxford Playhouse, Theatre Royal Winchester and Soho Theatre.

Her productions of Shakespeare include Hamlet, produced by Midsummer Scene at the spectacular Fort Lovrijenac, Dubrovnik, Antony and Cleopatra (Creation Theatre), Love’s Labours Lost and A Midsummer Nights Dream (CSF), Hamlet, Measure for Measure, The Tempest (The Rosemary Branch), and Titus Andronicus (University of South Florida). Helen’s tenure as Artist in Residence at the University of South Florida saw the creation of the multi-media Ravens, a new work with women, race and identity in American history at its core.

Helen’s recent work includes a site specific adaptation of Alice in Wonderland (Creation Theatre), her own adaptation of Wuthering Heights (Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre), and a joint production, with the Yvonne Arnaud, of Sense and Sensibility. These works followed the success of Fay Weldon’s adaptation of ‘Madame Bovary’, Breakfast with Emma, directed by Helen for the Rosemary Branch Theatre. Both Sense and Sensibility and Madame Bovary were the subjects of multiple Off West End Award nominations. Recent readings include a piece featuring Penny Downie and a new work by Kate Kerrow for Women at RADA.

Helen is an experienced movement director and created numerous devised pieces whilst Artistic Director of Barefeat Physical Theatre. Whilst part of the Community Theatre team at The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Helen facilitated numerous outreach projects. She is currently an Artistic Director in charge of the Two Year Post Graduate Acting Course at Drama Studio London where her recent productions include The Provoked Wife, Lady Windermere’s Fan and My Beautiful Launderette.

This Christmas Helen will be directing a new adaptation of Cinderella by Kate Kerrow for Creation Theatre. With support from the Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis, she is currently developing a site responsive promenade piece for small audiences featuring sound and video installations by Matt Eaton and Eva Auster, inspired by Shakespeare’s The Rape of Lucrece.