Heidi Gledhill
Heidi Gledhill
Director
Heidi Gledhill is an awarding winning theatre director who has trained and directed in Italy, UK, and Australia. Heidi is excited by the physicality of theatre, the immediacy of the experience, and the celebration of Australian plays.
Biography
Heidi Gledhill, Queensland based award- winning theatre director and producer, is the founder and Artistic Director of production company Room to Play. Heidi has been Artistic Director of independent theatre venues, The Crypt in Sydney and Paddington Substation in Brisbane. Heidi Gledhill studied theatre at Macquarie University in Sydney and was granted a scholarship to work at La Sapienza Rome University in Italy, working alongside Nobel laureate and theatre-maker, Dario Fo.
Heidi’s directing credits include Ionesco’s The Bald Prima Donna, Brian Friel’s Afterplay, Tom Holloway’s Red Sky Morning and Dario Fo’s Mistero Buffo, supported by Queensland Theatre and presented at Billie Brown and The Hanging by Angela Betzien at Playlab Hotlines. Recently she directed Lally Katz’ The Eisteddfod and The Bull the Moon and The Coronet of Stars by Van Badham at Metro Arts. I AM KING I AM QUEEN was devised and directed for Anywhere Festival and toured to New Zealand and Sydney. As a lecturer at Australian Performing Arts Conservatory (APAC) she has translated and adapted, The Virtuous Burglar by Dario Fo together with students of APAC, directed David Ives, Its all in the Timing at the Brisbane Arts Multicultural Centre. She has been invited by Queensland Theatre to be on the assessment panel for Queensland Premier’s Drama Award. Her latest works include Beginning by David Eldridge and Van Badham's Banging Denmark. She is currently on the Board of Anywhere Theatre Festival and passionate about independent theatre in accessible and fascinating spaces.
Ad Astra Plays
Upcoming Plays
Past Plays
Other Theatre
2014 – The Bald Prima Donna by Eugene Ionesco, Melbourne Fringe Festival, Director
2015 – The Virtuous Burglar by Dario Fo, Anywhere Festival, Director
2016 – Afterplay by Brian Friel, Sydney Fringe Festival, Director
2016 – One was Nude and One Wore Tails, Anywhere Festival, Director
2017 – Mistero Buffo by Dario Fo. Queensland Theatre Independents, Director
2017 – Red Sky Morning by Tom Holloway, Newmarket Sheds, Actor
2017 – The Eisteddfod by Lally Katz, Metro Arts, Director
2018 – I Stand Here Ironing by Tillie Olsen, Anywhere Festival, Director
2018 – The Hanging, by Angela Betzien, Playlab Hotlines, Director
2020 – The Bull,The Moon and The Coronet of Stars by Van Badham, Metro Arts, Director
2021 – I AM KING, I AM QUEEN, West End, Director
2022 - All in the Timing by David Ives, Brisbane Multicultural Arts Centre, Director
Training
Frantic Assembly, London, physical theatre and devising techniques
University of Technology, Sydney,. Masters of Arts Management
Macquarie University, Sydney, Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Theatre
Recipient of DFAT Scholarship to work alongside Nobel Laureate, Dario Fo based at La Sapienza, Rome University, Italy.
Representation
Freelance
Reviews
‘Speaking in Tongues' is a masterclass in storytelling, layered dialogue, and human complexity. This Australian gem, known for its film adaptation Lantana, delves into the messiness of relationships and the blurred boundaries of trust and betrayal. Performed at Ad Astra under the direction of Heidi Gledhill, the production provides an immersive journey that requires focus and rewards the audience with an intricate tapestry of characters, plots, and emotions.’
It’s a play that invites introspection, and Gledhill’s direction ensures that every emotional beat hits its mark. 'Speaking in Tongues' is among the most engaging plays I’ve experience this year. It excels in subtlety, with performances that leave you reflecting on the fragile threads that bind us all.
Stage Buzz Brisbane | Read Review Here
Director, Heidi Gledhill has a cast of four very competent, diverse and experienced actors, who play nine roles. The four leads are well supported by the team of creatives lead by Stage manager Isabel Folland, who have all collaborated to create and highlight the special scenarios, atmosphere and nuance in each role.
Lilian Harrington - Absolute Theatre | Read Review Here
“Directed by Heidi Gledhill, The Hive Collective's premier production set the bar high for its future works. From Gledhill’s direction, to the poetic flavours of the text and the extraordinary performances by its two actors; the play moved, delighted and soared into the hearts of all audience members.
The prose is heavenly. The direction is divine. The acting is extraordinary. If you don't see this production, you will be kicking yourself. Or I will kick you. Figuratively of course, but the thought still applies. Bravo, Heidi Gledhill and the cast and creative team of The Bull, The Moon & The Coronet of Stars.
— Virag Dombay, Broadway World | Read full review
As a production and ensemble, Room to Play’s work is sharp, polished and engaging. Scenes are prone to making patrons shift uncomfortably in their seats - a nod to the commitment of all on stage and during the creative process.
Director, Heidi Gledhill, utilises the space with conviction. The actors are pushed to their limits to create a dark and comical fantasy that is relevant to current political and societal issues. Heidi has orchestrated action that superbly bounces around the stage and justifies her choices in movement by a character’s intent – it’s quite hypnotic to watch.
- Eric Scott, Absolute Theatre | Read full review
Director Heidi Gledhill honoured the farcical style and took it even further. The pace was tight, the punchlines were on point and this farce was done well, especially with a satisfying 60-minute run time. Movement, in particular, was a highlight of the show as the characters were always in action and on edge. True to Fo’s commedia dell’arte roots, the physical exaggerations of the characters ensured there was never a dull moment.
- Lachlan Driscoll, Theatre Haus | Read full review
Presented by Room to Play and directed by Heidi Gledhill, I Am King. I Am Queen is an intimate night at the theatre in which Roymata Holmes shared stories of his childhood leading up to his adulthood. These stories aren't always uplifting; some are filled with pain, longing and heartbreak. We follow his search to find himself, his sexuality and his calling in this world.
The audience is left cheering, giggling and wanting more. They're left yearning for more pieces of the puzzle, more facets of Holmes life that we've yet to explore.
- Virag Dombay, Broadway World | Read full review
Awards
2021 - Brisbane Powerhouse Award, Sydney Fringe Touring Award 2021