Joe Douglas is currently a freelance theatre director, writer, dramaturg and occasional performer. He graduated with a BA in Directing from Rose Bruford College, London.

He has worked predominantly in Scotland since 2007, when he won a place on the Regional Theatre Young Directors Scheme and became the first Trainee Director for the National Theatre of Scotland. He served his apprenticeship under the guidance of John Tiffany and Vicky Featherstone.

He was Co-Artistic Director, with Gareth Nicholls, of new-writing, touring company Utter (2011-2017), where he co-created Educating Ronnie (Edinburgh Festival & two national tours), Bloody Trams (Traverse) and Stand By (Edinburgh Festival & two national tours).

He was Associate Artistic Director of Dundee Rep (2016-17) where he directed the highly acclaimed new production of John McGrath’s The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil,which was reimagined for two sell out tours in 2016 and 2019 (with NTS and Live Theatre). The Cheviot was due to run at The Pavilion in Glasgow before embarking on a fourth tour in 2020, before the pandemic curtailed plans.

At Dundee Rep, he also directed Death of a Salesman (winner of Best Actor, Best Production and Best Ensemble at the Critics Awards for Theatre in Scotland 2017), George’s Marvellous Medicine, The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui, Spoiling and The BFG.

Joe was Artistic Director of the Live Theatre in Newcastle upon Tyne (2018-20), where he also directed Christmas Crackers, Clear White Light and Fed Up, with the extraordinary Live Youth Theatre. The pandemic forced a rethinking of priorities and he resigned, to be closer to family members in Scotland.

Joe collaborates regularly with activist and comedian Mark Thomas, with whom he has created The Red Shed, Showtime from the Frontline and Ouch! He also works regularly at A Play, a Pie and a Pint, where he has directed over ten productions. Most recently at PPP, Joe worked with Faisal Abu Alhayjaa to co-write and perform The Peace Piece, a satirical, faux-podcast hosted by the hideous ‘Boswell Duff’.

Other work as freelance director or co-director includes: The Arabian Nights (Lyceum), Dr Stirlingshire’s Discovery (Lung Ha/Grid Iron), My Friend Selma (Terra Incognita), Letters Home - Details (Grid Iron/Edinburgh International Book Festival), Dear Scotland, The Last Polar Bears, Our Teacher’s A Troll, Allotment (National Theatre of Scotland), Our House, Company (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland).

Joe was also Associate Director on three international tours of Black Watch (National Theatre of Scotland).

His work has won four Fringe First awards for Educating Ronnie (2012), Letters Home (2014), The Red Shed (2016) and Stand By (2017).

He has previously collaborated with Gary McNair, as director and dramaturg, on the five star rhyming masterpiece, McGonagall’s Chronicles. He is chuffed to be collaborating with Gary again on Dear Billy, for audiences across the country.