I started directing plays through my teaching career. It quickly became one of my chief passions and now forms a major part of my daily existence. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with some wonderful co-directors and assistant directors over the years, and have been fortunate to learn from notable figures in the theatre world including John Caird, Adrian Noble, composer Bob Chilcott and many others.
I have directed in the region of forty plays, musicals, films and radio plays: each one has been memorable and I feel privileged to have worked with such energetic, committed and talented young people, many of whom have gone on to drama school.
The Covid years provided interesting challenges. As a school we experimented with first radio (in the form of an 8-part serial, When we meet again, then film, with ambitious productions of Romeo and Juliet and Les Miserables (password: Barricades).
Directing my own musicals has been a luxury that few writers or composer enjoy; there is a wisdom that says writers should not direct their own work, but to me it seems like a logical extension of the creative process. Most recently I was privileged to direct the world premiere of a new work by renowned choral composer Bib Chilcott and poet Charles Bennett. Directing Birdland was a novel experience due to the spacious expansive score, which allowed for a great deal of artistic interpretation. We paired it for the premiere at Oxford Playhouse with my latest musical, a collaboration with John Mann, Leave it to Puck! (password: Fairy). The premiere of these shows attracted much media attention, with a feature on BBC South.
Like most directors, my early experience of the stage was of playing minor roles in school shows, or playing in the pit for musicals. At university I enjoyed some bigger roles in shows, then began directing as a teacher before taking on the role of Director of Drama, which involves directing at least one production a term and overseeing a busy programme of up to fifteen productions each year.
Theatre Credits
| Leave it to Puck! Birdland The Lion King (Jr.) The Pirates of Penzance Les Misérables (film) The Tale of Troy (film) | Co-Writer and Director Director Director Director Director Director | 2022 2022 2022 2021 2021 2020 | Oxford Playhouse Oxford Playhouse Magdalen College School Magdalen College School Magdalen College School Magdalen College School |
| Romeo and Juliet | Director | 2020 | Magdalen College School |
| When We Meet Again (radio) | Co-writer and Director | 2020 | Magdalen College School |
| Arcadia | Producer | 2020 | Magdalen College School |
| What a knight! | Director | 2019 | Magdalen College School |
| Guys and Dolls | Director | 2019 | Magdalen College School |
| The Recruiting Officer | Director | 2019 | Magdalen College School |
| Treasure Island | Writer and Director | 2019 | Magdalen College School |
| Twelfth Night | Director | 2018 | Middle Temple Hall |
| Reflections | Writer and Director | 2018 | Magdalen College School |
| Swing Heil! | Writer and Director | 2018 | Old Fire Station, Oxford |
| Private Lives | Director | 2018 | Magdalen College School |
| Heavenly Old Waynfletes | Writer and Director | 2018 | Magdalen College School |
| Much Ado About Nothing | Director | 2018 | Magdalen College School |
| Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat | Co-Director | 2018 | Pegasus Theatre, Oxford |
| Journey’s End | Director | 2017 | Magdalen College School |
| The Runner | Composer | 2017 | Burton Taylor Studio/Edinburgh Fringe |
| Beauty and the Beast | Director | 2017 | Magdalen College School |
| Tom Brown’s schooldays | Writer and Director | 2016 | Magdalen College School |
| The Knight’s Tale | Arcite | 2016 | Oxford University Church |
| The Wind in the Willows | Composer | 2016 | Oxford Playhouse |
| King John | Director | 2016 | Burton Taylor Studio/Edinburgh Fringe |
| The Knight’s Tale | Writer and Director | 2016 | Tuscany tour |
| 1917 | Writer and Director | 2016 | Magdalen College School |
| Henry V | Director | 2015 | Magdalen College School |
| The Canterbury Tales | Writer and Director | 2015 | Burton Taylor Studio/Edinburgh Fringe |
| Alice in Wonderland | Composer | 2015 | Oxford Playhouse |
| Cabaret | Director | 2015 | Magdalen College School |
| The Long and the short and the tall | Director | 2014 | Burton Taylor Studio |
| Four Chekhov Farces | Producer | 2014 | Burton Taylor Studio |
| 42nd Street | Director | 2014 | Magdalen College School |
| Love in five acts | Director | 2013 | Magdalen College School |
| The Bluestocking | Writer and Director | 2013 | Magdalen College School |
| Charley’s Aunt | Producer | 2012 | Magdalen College School |
| The Odyssey | Writer and Director | 2011 | Magdalen College School |
| Ivor and I | Writer and Musical Director | 2011 | Magdalen College School |
| The Gentleman Usher | Producer | 2010 | Magdalen College School |
| Treasure Island | Writer and Director | 2009 | Magdalen College School |
| The Shaugran | Musical Director | 2008 | Ashton Theatre, Shrewsbury School |
| The Importance of Being Earnest | Musical Director | 2007 | Ashton Theatre, Shrewsbury School |
| Right ho, Jeeves | Writer and Musical Director | 2006 | Ashton Theatre, Shrewsbury School |
| Stalin the Musical | Ivan | 2004 | ADC Theatre, Cambridge |
| HMS Pinafore | Captain Corcoran | 2003 | Christ’s College, Cambridge |
| Little Shop of Horrors | Audrey II | 2003 | Magdalene College, Cambridge |
| Guys and Dolls | Nicely-Nicely Johnson | 2002 | Magdalene College, Cambridge |
| Grease | Sonny | 2001 | Magdalene College, Cambridge |
| Oklahoma | Company | 2000 | Electric Theatre, Guildford |
| Cabaret | Company | 1999 | Christ’s Hospital Theatre, Horsham |
| Fiddler on the Roof | Company | 1998 | Capital Theatre, Horsham |
| Carousel | Company | 1997 | Capital Theatre, Horsham |
Alex Thomas 