AbouT

Debbie writes and directs for stage and screen. They have been developing and directing new plays for 15 years, alongside their own writing and screen work, and are known for dynamic, high energy, heightened work, focussing on lgbtq+, disabled and working-class stories, with a love for dark, social satire.

They are currently Associate Director at National Theatre of Scotland and were formerly Interim Artistic Director and Showrunner at Stockroom, theatre’s first writers room. They trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and as Trainee Director at the Royal Court. She has recently joined the board of Theatre Uncut.

She has directed at theatres such as the Royal Court Theatre, the Young Vic, the Bush Theatre, Soho Theatre, the Royal Exchange (Manchester), the Tron Theatre (Glasgow), the Citizens Theatre (Glasgow), the Traverse Theatre (Edinburgh) and with companies such as Complicité, Clean Break, Sonia Friedman Productions and Paines Plough, including winning an Olivier as Associate Director for Best Revival of Constellations on the West End. She received the Genesis New Director’s Award, and an MGC Futures Bursary. As a writer, they have been commissioned by Cardboard Citizens for the More Than One Story project, were recently shortlisted for the Alpine Fellowship Playwriting Award, and are writing a new musical, developed by Northern Stage.

Debbie has recently directed a short produced by Film4 and 104 Films, co-written with Matilda Ibini, which screened at London Film Festival 2023. She completed Screen Skills “Step Up to Features” training, was Shadow Director on Shetland Season 6 & 7, and is writing a short film with the BFI x Elevate scheme. Debbie is now writing her first feature, with research supported by the Miles Ketley Memorial Fund.

Theatre credits include: Sound of the Underground, Pah-Lah (Royal Court) Exodus, Panopticon (National Theatre of Scotland); Salty Irina (Paines Plough); Faun (Cardboard Citizens and Theatre 503); The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart (Manchester Royal Exchange); Overflow (Bush Theatre); The Ugly One (Tron Theatre); Cuckoo (Soho Theatre), Little Miss Burden (Bunker), After Rhinoceros: The Red Pill (Royal Welsh College, the Gate); Things of Dry Hours (Young Vic); Girl Meets Boy (developed with National Theatre of Scotland and The Yard); Latir (Compañia Nacional de Teatro, Mexico) liberty, equality, fraternity (Tron/Traverse); Sucker (Old Vic New Voices); PANORAMA (Arches); Nights at the Circus (Theatre Paradok).and Associate on Constellations (Donmar – Olivier for Best Revival).

As Associate Director, credits include: Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour (National Theatre of Scotland); A Pacifist’s Guide to the War on Cancer (Complicité); Constellations (Donmar); Little on the Inside (Clean Break).

As Assistant Director, credits include: Teh Internet is Serious Business, How to Hold Your Breath, Birdland, The Nether, The Mistress Contract (Royal Court); The Maids, Sleeping Beauty (Citizens); A Doll’s House, Enquirer (National Theatre of Scotland).