Welcome to our Introduction to Directing workshop, written in collaboration with theatre director and Old Vic Education Associates Joseph Hancock and Roberta Zuric. Over the course of this workshop, you will discover what a director does, who they work with and you’ll explore some of the ways a director might prepare before their first day of rehearsals.

This workshop is broken down into sections, so you can complete it in your own time and at your own pace. If you get stuck and need any assistance you can contact us at education@oldvictheatre.com. Remember, this workshop isn’t about getting things right – it’s about your artistic ideas and your vision for a production. Good luck, and have fun.

Below is a gallery of images from past Old Vic productions directed by different directors. Take five minutes to think about:

• What can you tell about the director from the image of their show?
• Does the play feel contemporary, classic, abstract, naturalistic?
• Is there a lot of playing space for the actors, or does it limit them to performing in a specific way?

We’ve also included the names of the productions. Some of them are classic plays. As a research exercise, look up online other versions of some of the classic plays and compare the styles used in each production.