Paul Smith
Director / Writer
Photograph: Credit Tom Arran
Film, TV & Theatre
Film, TV & Theatre
Paul is a multi award-winning theatre director who has worked as the artistic director of Middle Child since 2011. As artistic director he has overseen the company’s growth from its foundation to joining the Arts Council’s National Portfolio in 2018. The company is now an established force in Britain’s new writing scene, with Lyn Gardner saying “there is a disconnect between an industry predominantly based in metropolitan areas and those who feel unheard, those who never go to the theatre, who think it’s not for them, or who have no access. Middle Child is the kind of company that can bridge the gap. In 2021, Paul received the Olwen Wymark Award for exceptional encouragement of British playwriting.
Theatre
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
BABY, HE LOVES YOU 2024 | Middle Child | Written by Maureen Lennon |
RED RIDING HOOD (PANTO) 2023 | Middle Child | As Writer and Director |
THIS ONE'S FOR US 2023 | Absolutely Cultured | |
MODEST 2023 | Middle Child / Milk Presents / Kiln Theatre / Hull Truck Theatre | Written by Ellen Brammar |
ROBIN HOOD (PANTO) 2022 | Middle Child | As Writer and Director |
THERE SHOULD BE UNICORNS 2022 | Without Walls / Middle Child / London Greenwich & Docklands Festival / Freedom Festival / Brighton Festival / Hat Fair | Written by Luke Barnes |
RAPUNZEL (PANTO) 2021 | Middle Child | As Writer and Director |
WE USED TO BE CLOSER THAN THIS 2021 | Middle Child / Absolutely Cultured | Written by various writers including Tom Wells, Tabby Lamb, Luke Skilbeck and RashDash |
THE CANARY AND THE CROW 2020 | Middle Child / Arcola Theatre | Written by Daniel Ward |
THE LITTLE MERMAID (PANTO) 2019 | Middle Child | As Writer and Director |
SEAGULLS 2019 | Bolton Octagon | As Gig Theatre Consultant |
REBEL MUSIC 2019 | Birmingham Rep | As Dramaturg |
THE CANARY AND THE CROW 2019 | Middle Child / Paines Plough Roundabout | Written by Daniel Ward |
US AGAINST WHATEVER 2019 | Middle Child / Hull Truck Theatre / Liverpool Everyman | Written by Maureen Lennon |
BEAUTY & THE BEAST (PANTO) 2018 | Middle Child | As Writer and Director |
ALL WE EVER WANTED WAS EVERYTHING 2018 | Middle Child / Bush Theatre | Written by Luke Barnes |
ONE LIFE STAND 2018 | Middle Child / Paines Plough Roundabout | Written by Eve Nicol |
CINDERELLA (PANTO) 2017 | Middle Child | Written by Tom Wells |
I HATE ALONE 2017 | Middle Child | Written by Ellen Brammar |
PRONOUN 2017 | Hull Truck Theatre | Written by Evan Placey |
ALL WE EVER WANTED WAS EVERYTHING 2017 | Middle Child / Paines Plough Roundabout / Hull 2017 | Written by Luke Barnes |
DICK WHITTINGTON (PANTO) 2016 | Middle Child | Written by Tom Wells |
TEN STOREY LOVE SONG 2016 | Middle Child / Hull Truck Theatre / Pleasance | Written by Luke Barnes |
MERCURY FUR 2015 | Middle Child | Written by Philip Ridley |
DIVAS 2015 | Fine Mess Theatre | Written by Joel Samuels |
WEEKEND ROCKSTARS 2014 - 2015 | Middle Child / Hull Truck Theatre / Underbelly | Written by Luke Barnes |
SATURDAY NIGHT & SUNDAY MORNING 2013 | Middle Child | Adapted by Amanda Whittington |
APPLES 2012 | Middle Child / Hull Truck Theatre | Adapted by John Retallack |
Paul is an experienced facilitator and teacher, having led workshops and residencies at institutions including the Royal National Theatre, the Birmingham Rep, Bolton Octagon, Hull Truck Theatre, the Tron and at the National Studio Drama Festival (NSDF).
Reviews
★ ★ ★ ★ “Rollicking piece of gig theatre, bubbles over with charisma” – The Guardian on Modest
★ ★ ★ ★ “75 sweatily intense, adrenalin-pumping minutes, skilfully supervised by director Paul Smith….
setting fire to your expectations of what theatre can be” – The Telegraph on All We Ever Wanted Was Everything
★ ★ ★ ★ “Under Paul Smith’s direction the performances are electrically charged and the show addresses its themes with fierce intensity.” – The Stage on Us Against Whatever
★ ★ ★ ★ “Gig theatre is a sometimes superficially applied label, but here, director Paul Smith succeeds in making sure that
it’s completely core to the show’s timely message about identity – individually, socially and how we tell people’s
stories.” – Time Out on The Canary and the Crow
★ ★ ★ ★ “Paul Smith’s engrosslingly seamy production…few shows have captured the conflicting emotions evoked by dating apps and social media. None has done it as stylishly as this”
– The Scotsman on The Canary and the Crow
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “Suspenseful and always suspecting…it really doesn’t get any better than this”
– The Reviews Hub on Baby, He Loves You
★ ★ ★ ★ “Unashamedly joyous” – The Stage on There Should Be Unicorns
★ ★ ★ ★ “Gold dust for engaging young audiences in theatre” – A Younger Theatre on Weekend Rockstars
★ ★ ★ ★ “Brilliantly inventive” – The Scotsman on The Canary and the Crow
★ ★ ★ ★ “Delivers punch after punch…a hugely pleasurable watch” – WhatsOnStage on Modest
★ ★ ★ ★ “Paul Smith’s direction rejects any moment of stasis. The play spirals dynamically in its every beat, constantly in motion..” – A Younger Theatre on The Canary and the Crow
Training and Education
Hull University (Drama, First Class Degree)
LAMDA – Theatre Directing (1yr)
National Theatre Directing Course