Francesca is a Welsh, working class theatre director. She is Artistic Director of the Sherman Theatre and was previously Associate Artistic Director of Theatr Clwyd. Later this year Francesca will make her Royal Court debut with Monument, a new play by Rhys Warrington.
REVIEWS FOR OUR TOWN (Welsh National Theatre/Rose Theatre Kingston)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Goodridge’s staging [...] leans into Wilder’s purposeful theatricality … a beautiful production of a great, wise play
Financial Times
★ ★ ★ ★
Beautifully directed by Francesca Goodridge, it’s a potent statement of intent with a spiritual frisson
The Telegraph
★ ★ ★ ★
Francesca Goodridge maps out the dawn contours of the town of Grovers Corners with a few beautifully deft strokes … a joyful, consoling work about the ties that unite us
Evening Standard
★ ★ ★ ★
unforcedly intense and deeply touching
The Times
★ ★ ★ ★
Francesca Goodridge’s assured production … It’s about life, in the most universal sense. And this production captures that expertly
The Independent
★ ★ ★ ★
Goodridge’s unobtrusive but tight direction manages the shift with grace
WhatsOnStage
★ ★ ★ ★
Full of tenderness and humanity
The Stage
Francesca creates multi discipline, non-naturalistic theatre that champions unheard voices. She is interested in extraordinary real-life stories from everyday people. She enjoys working with new writing and reimagined classics and her work usually incorporates music and movement.
She trained at the National Theatre Directors Course and the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. She was the first recipient of the 18-month Carne Traineeship for directors in Wales, mentored by Tamara Harvey, and prior to that was Trainee Director at The Other Room in Cardiff.
Francesca was selected for the inaugural Warner Brothers Discovery Access programme in partnership with Waterloo Road and the BBC, developing female directors for screen. Francesca was chosen as one of the Development Artists for the RSC being mentored by writer and director Robert Icke and renowned international theatre company Cheek by Jowl.
Upcoming productions include
Monument (Royal Court) and
Miss Wales, a new all-female musical which was a recipient of the National Theatre Studio's Generate Programme, selected for BEAM showcase 2023 and commissioned by Theatr Clwyd.
Selected credits include
Our Town (Welsh National Theatre/Rose Theatre Kingston);
Snake in the Grass (Theatr Clwyd/Bolton Octagon);
Worn Out (BYMT/The Lowry);
Nye (National Theatre/Welsh Millennium Centre. Revival Co-Director);
Rope, Sleeping Beauty: A Rock ’n’ Roll Panto, A Pretty Sh*tty Love, Truth or Dare, Once Upon a Christmas (Theatr Clwyd);
Faustus: That Damned Woman (Storyhouse Theatre);
The True Adventures of Marian and Robin Hood, The Brothers Grimm Presents 'Cinderella' (Barn Theatre);
Rapunzel: A Rock ’n’ Roll Panto (Liverpool Everyman);
Sorter (Swansea Grand Theatre);
The Crocodile (Cornerstone Theatre);
Adam and Eve and Steve (King’s Head Theatre);
Shout! The Mod Musical (Royal Court Liverpool);
Let The Right One In (Leeds City Varieties);
Constellations (RWCMD);
Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again, Philistines, Posh (LIPA);
The Future (National Youth Theatre of Wales);
Carousel (Mountview).
