Rachel
O'Riordan

Rachel O’Riordan recently joined the Lyric Theatre in London as their Artistic Director and Joint Chief Executive. Prior to this she was Artistic Director of Cardiff’s Sherman Theatre, for whom she has directed The Cherry Orchard, Killology (& Royal Court Theatre, London); The Weir (& Tobacco Factory Theatres, Bristol); Bird (Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester); A Doll’s House; Iphigenia in Splott (UK tour/ National Theatre); Romeo & Juliet and Arabian Nights. Killology won an Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre and was the first co-production between a Welsh theatre and the Royal Court. Iphigenia in Splott won both the UK Theatre Awards ‘Best New Play’ and the James Tait Black prize for drama. It was the first production by a Welsh producing house to transfer to the National Theatre. Under Rachel’s leadership, Sherman Theatre became the first theatre in Wales to win The Stage Awards Regional Theatre of the Year title in 2018.

Rachel’s work has been performed internationally. In 2018 Rachel directed Come On Home at Abbey Theatre, Dublin. In 2017 Iphigenia in Splott was performed at New York’s Brits Off Broadway season and was the only production by a UK company to be selected to be part of FIND Festival at Berlin’s iconic Schaubühne. She has recently worked for the British Council in Kiev, developing new artists.

Before joining Sherman Theatre, Rachel was Artistic Director at Perth Theatre Scotland. She holds a PhD from the University of Ulster.