about
Anna Blackburn is an award-winning freelance director and actor based in London.
She was recently Assistant Director for How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? (Told By An Idiot & The Unicorn Theatre), directed by Paul Hunter. Previous to this, her directing credits include The Intrusion (UK Tour - Assistant Director), Julius Caesar (Hen & Chickens), This Changes Everything (Omnibus) and The Tempest (Drayton Arms) which was the winner of London Pub Theatre’s Special Commendation for Excellence. Her production of The Tempest was also selected as Alix Owen’s Critic’s Choice of the Year. Her production of Julius Caesar was longlisted for the 2025 London Pub Theatre Awards and is nominated for Best Director and Ensemble Performance at the Fringe First Awards 2025-2026.
She is Associate Director for Burnt Orange Theatre Company and frequently works across youth theatres, drama schools and professional companies as a director, actor and facilitator.
Anna has a First Class BA (Hons) degree in English from the University of Exeter and a First Class BA (Hons) degree in Acting from Fourth Monkey Actor Training Company (letter of equivalency).
directing c.v.
DIRECTOR
The Merchant of Venice - Fourth Monkey BA Accelerated Classical Season & Schools Tour - 2026
Julius Caesar - Rag and Bone Theatre - The Hen & Chickens - 2025
A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Fourth Monkey BA Shakespeare Project - 2024
The Tempest - Burnt Orange Theatre Rep Company - The Drayton Arms - 2024
CO-DIRECTOR
This Changes Everything - Burnt Orange Theatre Summer Production - Omnibus Theatre & Boston Manor Gardens - 2025
Reckoning - Burnt Orange Theatre Devised Summer Production - Omnibus Theatre - 2024
Fourth Monkey CertHE final devising project - 2023
Our Town - Fourth Monkey CertHE Contemporary Season - 2022
Macbeth - Burnt Orange Theatre Summer Production - The Drayton Arms - 2021
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? - Told By An Idiot & The Unicorn Theatre - The Unicorn Theatre - 2025
The Intrusion - Bric à Brac & Told By An Idiot - UK Tour (Leeds Playhouse, Mercury Theatre Colchester, East Point Pavilion Lowestoft, Newhampton Arts Centre Wolverhampton, Birmingham Rep, Dorothy Parkes Community Centre Smethwick, Storyhouse Chester, Unity Theatre Liverpool) - 2025
OTHER ROLES
Board Director and Associate Director - Burnt Orange Theatre (ongoing)
Rehearsal Director - Mary & Mietek - Katla Theatre - Reykjavik Fringe, July 2023
Associate Director - Persephone - Brighton Fringe, May 2023
Dramaturg - The Tower Theatre Writers Room Annual R&D (2022 - present), Vanity Fair (Moving Parts Summer tour 2025), Falling For (Liminal Space, Bridgehouse Theatre),
PRACTITIONER
Drama School Practitioner - BA and CertHE programmes - classical text, devising, audition technique, clown, amongst other disciplines
Lead Outreach Workshop Practitioner and Auditions Panellist - Fourth Monkey Actor Training Company
Co-Creator of the Burnt Orange Rep training programme for 16-21 year olds 2024, Facilitator Training Programme 2025 and several Masterclasses (intensive theatre-making programmes) and workshop programmes
Youth Theatre Facilitator - various youth companies including The National Youth Theatre, Perform, Jazz It Up Kids International Summer School, Speak Up Drama, Montage Theatre Arts, The Young Pretenders
LAMDA teacher
AWARDS & NOMINATIONS
London Pub Theatres Standing Ovation Nomination 2025 - Julius Caesar (Director)
Fringe Theatre Awards Best Ensemble and Best Director Nominations 2025 - Julius Caesar (Director)
London Pub Theatres Standing Ovation Special Award for Excellence Winner 2024 - Burnt Orange REP Company (Co-Creator of the programme and Director of one of the shows ‘The Tempest’)
Standing Ovation Best Ensemble Nomination 2024 - The Tempest (Director)
OffCom Commendation 2024 - The Tempest (Director)
London Pub Theatres Alix Owen’s Critic’s Choice of the Year 2024 - The Tempest (Director)
TRAINING & ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
First Aid, Child Safeguarding & PREVENT certificates
Enhanced DBS
Full clean UK Driving Licence
c.v. - acting
MY SPOTLIGHT PROFILE
RECENT CREDITS
Northanger Abbey - Catherine Morland (lead) - Moving Parts, Outdoor Summer Tour - dir. Simona Hughes - 2026
How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? - Superswing Understudy - Unicorn Theatre & Told By An Idiot - dir. Paul Hunter - 2025
Vanity Fair - Amelia Sedley (lead) - Moving Parts, Outdoor Summer Tour - dir. Simona Hughes - 2025
Pride & Prejudice* (*Sort Of) - Lydia / Mary / Mr Collins / Mrs Gardiner / Maid Anne - Vienna's English Theatre - dir. Adrienne Ferguson - 2024
REVIEWS
Daily Info (Vanity Fair) - 'Anna Blackburn gives a soft Amelia Sedley, weeping and magnetic. Her Foley work is delightful'
Die Presse [Pride & Prejudice* (*Sort Of)] - "...a number of younger sisters, deliciously and comically represented by Anna Blackburn"
Theatre Things (The Play with Speeches) - 'stand-out performance in particular from “auditionee” Anna Blackburn as the flirtatious Bambina...'
