Elin Schofield

Elin is an award-winning director, writer, and movement director, who is fast emerging as one of the UK’s most distinctive theatrical voices. From directing new writing, reimagining classics, or guiding large-scale ensemble productions, Elin’s impact lies in her ability to bring intimacy to the epic, and to make the political feel personal. Her productions are defined by their thoughtfulness, their rigour, and above all, their humanity.

A graduate of the University of Sheffield, she co-founded Footprint Theatre — an acclaimed small-scale touring company — and established the Young Company (18–25) at Sheffield Theatres. She trained on the National Theatre’s prestigious 2020 Directors’ Course led by Katie Mitchell, and has further honed her craft through Sheffield Theatres’ Bank Scheme and Company Three’s Making Work with Young People programme. 

Elin’s recent credits sit at the heart of the UK’s national theatre landscape — collaborating on some of its most acclaimed new work, including as Revival Director on James Graham’s Olivier Award-winning DEAR ENGLAND (National Theatre and UK Tour), as Revival Director for the West End transfer of TILL THE STARS COME DOWN (National Theatre/West End) and as Associate Director on the Olivier Award-winning musical STANDING AT THE SKY'S EDGE (National Theatre/Sheffield Theatres/West End). She has also collaborated extensively with international writer and director Alexander Zeldin, most recently on his Off-Broadway tour of LOVE.

Elin’s breakout moment came in 2022 when she directed SCISSORS, the final instalment in Chris Bush’s ambitious Rock, Paper, Scissors trilogy. Staged simultaneously across three Sheffield Theatres venues to celebrate the theatre’s 50th anniversary, her production stood out for its kinetic energy and emotional precision, earning her the UK Theatre Award for Best Director. Elin also directed Chris Bush's adaptation of Ibsen's A DOLL'S HOUSE at the Sheffield Crucible Theatre in Autumn 2024 and subsequently ROBIN HOOD AND THE CHRISTMAS HEIST, at the Rose Theatre Kingston, also by Chris Bush.

As a writer-director, Elin co-wrote and directed her debut play SCREWDRIVER, which premiered at the Lyric Hammersmith and Sheffield Theatres in 2020, and she has developed work through the Royal Court and Sheffield Theatres’ playwriting groups.

Selected directing credits: Till The Stars Come Down (West End – revival director), Dear England (NT – revival director), A Doll’s House (Sheffield Crucible), Scissors (Crucible Studio), The Queen’s Head (Battersea Arts Centre), Screwdriver (Lyric Hammersmith, Sheffield Theatres), This Is Not A Demo (Sheffield Young Company), Signals and Daniel (Footprint & UK tours).

Associate/assistant director credits: Dear England (National Theatre, West End), LOVE (Off-Broadway, dir. Alexander Zeldin), Standing At The Sky’s Edge (NT, Sheffield Theatres, West End – dir. Rob Hastie), The Narcissist (Chichester, dir. Josh Seymour), Talent (Sheffield Crucible, dir. Paul Foster), Stick Man (Leicester Square Theatre & tour, dir. Sally Cookson), hang (Crucible Studio, dir. Taio Lawson), Pop Music (Paines Plough & UK tour, dir. James Grieve).

Movement direction: Seagulls (Bolton Octagon, dir. Lotte Wakeham), The Changing Room (Crucible Studio), The Snow Queen and The Nutcracker (Theatr Clwyd, dir. Joe Bunce).