Esalan Gates is a freelance director, writer, and producer interested in telling stories that break down difficult ideas into relatable narratives, from economics to Shakespeare.
She has worked on multiple five-star shows and was a BroadwayWorld UK 2024 nominee. She is currently producing a UK tour of dark comedy one-man show, Maybe I Should Stop’. She is the Artistic Director of Codex Theatre, a new company interested in telling stories that break down difficult ideas into relatable narratives, and co-Artistic Director of To The Tooth Theatre, producing comedy with a bite.
Esalan has an MA in Theatre Directing from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts (2022), as well as a first class degree in English from Durham University (2021). She also works as a dramaturg and facilitator. Directing work includes ‘The Waiting Room’ (Camden People’s Theatre, 2024), ‘Maybe I Should Stop’ (Lion & Unicorn Theatre, 2024), ’From Ten Feet Up’ (Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, 2023), ‘Violet’s System’ (Norwich Theatre Royal, 2023), ‘Road S Traveled’ (Omnibus Theatre, 2022), ‘The Lovers’ (Assembly Rooms Theatre, 2021), ‘Twelfth Night’ (Trevelyan College, 2020), ’Northanger Abbey’ (Durham Castle, 2019) and ‘Going Underground’ (Edinburgh Festival Fringe, theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall 2016).
