I have been the Artistic Director of Pregnant Fish Theatre since 2011, acting as director, playwright and creative producer. Our work fuses contemporary performance practices with intimate storytelling to actively (re)insert narrative storytelling into theatre.
‘A real insight to the political thinking of millennials in today’s society [that] does justice to the young people who have contributed to its development’ - Theatre Weekly on Like Lions (2018)
‘Paves the way for a new kind of storytelling which will hopefully engage wider audiences in the future, particularly those who are not keen theatre-goers’ - The Spy in The Stalls on Like Lions (2018)
‘An incredible feat… leaves no stone unturned’ – London Theatre 1 on Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm? (2018)
‘Thoughtful and tender… Stories worth telling and music worth hearing’ – Wildfire on A Few Dented Branches (2013)
‘Pregnant Fish’s Dorian Gray is, in many ways, precisely what theatre should try to be: relevant to both company and audience and richly ambitious… This is also the kind of theatre that people should get used to seeing - tangible and human scaled’ – Empire of the Will on The Picture of Dorian Gray (2012)
‘A real insight to the political thinking of millennials in today’s society [that] does justice to the young people who have contributed to its development’ - Theatre Weekly on Like Lions (2018)
‘Paves the way for a new kind of storytelling which will hopefully engage wider audiences in the future, particularly those who are not keen theatre-goers’ - The Spy in The Stalls on Like Lions (2018)
‘An incredible feat… leaves no stone unturned’ – London Theatre 1 on Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm? (2018)
‘Thoughtful and tender… Stories worth telling and music worth hearing’ – Wildfire on A Few Dented Branches (2013)
‘Pregnant Fish’s Dorian Gray is, in many ways, precisely what theatre should try to be: relevant to both company and audience and richly ambitious… This is also the kind of theatre that people should get used to seeing - tangible and human scaled’ – Empire of the Will on The Picture of Dorian Gray (2012)
Selected Productions
Directed Student Productions
Theatre for Young Audiences
Testimonials
“Tom has a sensitive touch and an open-ness that enables him to create theatre that is organic, lyrical and immediate. Working with him is challenging, nurturing and a real pleasure.” - Patrick McHugh, Actor in Twentysomething & Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm?
“Tom was an experienced, creative and energetic director who got to the heart of the piece by understanding and embracing it, whilst adding conceptual ideas, as well as dramaturgical and comical input. His communication and ability for inspiring and teaching the cast is second to none. Everyone got along as a result of the atmosphere created in rehearsal. Tom's intuition and artistic vision propelled my show, enhanced it and changed the future of it for the better" - Jamie Long, Co-Composer of The Picture of Dorian Gray
“One of the most enjoyable things about working with Tom as a Director, is freedom within rules and direction. He doesn't dictate, he guides how he wants something to appear without forcing or implementing himself. I love how stylistic he is; with the simplistic set, lights and costume managing to enable the audience to really focus on the story and storytelling on set. The nature of the story was comical, but was really bought to life by fantastic word and character emphasis all guided by Tom.” - Danni Payne, Actor in Disappearing Wonderful
“Tom was an experienced, creative and energetic director who got to the heart of the piece by understanding and embracing it, whilst adding conceptual ideas, as well as dramaturgical and comical input. His communication and ability for inspiring and teaching the cast is second to none. Everyone got along as a result of the atmosphere created in rehearsal. Tom's intuition and artistic vision propelled my show, enhanced it and changed the future of it for the better" - Jamie Long, Co-Composer of The Picture of Dorian Gray
“One of the most enjoyable things about working with Tom as a Director, is freedom within rules and direction. He doesn't dictate, he guides how he wants something to appear without forcing or implementing himself. I love how stylistic he is; with the simplistic set, lights and costume managing to enable the audience to really focus on the story and storytelling on set. The nature of the story was comical, but was really bought to life by fantastic word and character emphasis all guided by Tom.” - Danni Payne, Actor in Disappearing Wonderful
© Tom Drayton 2021