About

Wils is a theatre director whose extraordinary work has at its heart an interest in and exploration of the relationship between audience and performer, space, story and experience.

In her words “in the theatre I strive to create an unforgettable live experience which cannot be replicated in any other medium”.

Her productions have been recognised with a Drama Desk Award, Best Director Awards (Critics Awards for Theatre in Scotland and Welsh Theatre Awards), Herald Angel Award, Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards, and nominations for Olivier and UK Theatre Awards. Her work has toured internationally and been showcased at festivals across the world.

Having grown up in theatre creating work with site-specific company wilson+wilson, she continues to bring to her work a powerful love and particular sensitivity to space and physicality. The backbone and muscle of her work is collaboration with other people. She says ‘For me the real magic happens in the spaces between people, between artists, between the director and the actor, between performers, between the performers and the audience’. Music is important in her work, and she has collaborated with musicians including Gruff Rhys, Karine Polwart, Martin Green and Meilyr Jones.

She has directed for companies including the National Theatre, National Theatre of Scotland, National Theatre Wales, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, Manchester Royal Exchange , Edinburgh International Festival, Manchester International Festival, Bristol Old Vic, Northern Stage and Welsh National Opera.

Wils has been Associate Director at the Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh since 2015. She also works as a freelance director.

In 2021 she founded ghostbag in partnership with Eszter Marzalko, as a space to make original work in a variety of media. Their first project, crowd, a short film, co-written and directed by Wils and Eszter, is funded by Creative Scotland and due for release late 2023.

She is represented by Rachel Taylor at Casarotto Ramsay & Associates.