Chris Elwell

Director
1997 - Present

Chris Elwell
Director 1997 – present

Chris is the Director/CEO of Half Moon Theatre, London. He is a director/writer, trainer and theatre producer specialising in professional theatre for young audiences. He has a strong track record in the development and delivery of work with a particular emphasis upon inclusion particularly in the field of cultural and disability diversity, and socio-economic disfranchisement, drawing on his many years of applied theatre practice with marginalised communities. He has overseen the development of one of the UK’s most respected and influential theatre companies with a unique synergy between professional theatre and participatory programmes, as well as the renovation of the company’s beautiful now fit for purpose theatre.

Chris is the curator of Exchange for Change and Narratives of Empathy and Resilience, sector significant artform development programmes that challenge perceptions of the work produced in the young people’s sector. These extensive programmes particularly engage artists from non-theatre backgrounds (design, digital/new media, dance, spoken word etc.), those who are under-represented in the sector and emerging young people’s theatre companies. Much of this work tours nationally through Half Moon Presents, the company’s producing arm.

Chris has directed, written, adapted and devised over 60 pieces of work, many award-winning, across many age ranges at Half Moon from babies to teenage/young adult. A selection of his most recent credits include Ten in the Bed [2024], Hot Orange [2023], Daytime Deewane [2022], Party [2021], Dust [2020], and Crowded [2019], as well as in the past a cannon of work presented bi-lingually in English and BSL including: Baa Moo Yellow Dog [2009] (also adapted for TV in 2010), Icicle Bicycle, [2007] Igloo Hullabaloo [2006] and My Friend Snow [2005]. He is known for directing a series of spoken word theatre pieces, including The House That Jackson Built [2019] and Fairytales Gone Bad  [2016].

He started his career as a special needs and drama teacher in secondary schools in Liverpool and London in the 80s, and was previously Head of Community and Schools Programmes at the RSC, Head of Education at English National Ballet and a Lecturer in Applied Theatre and Education at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.

Chris was awarded a British Empire Medal for services to theatre and young people in the 2017 Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

 

 

Productions and Participation

Interview with Chris Elwell

Full interview. Chris Elwell talks about his time as Director of Half Moon Theatre on White Horse Road since 1997. Interviewed by Kavana Joyett.

Gallery

Interview snippets

Interviews about Chris Elwell

Alice Bigelow, who project managed the move to the White Horse Road building for Half Moon, talks about Chris Elwell’s immediate impact when he joined the company in 1997. Interviewed by Toni Tsaera.

Transcript

Press

Press