Orla O'Loughlin is a British theatre director. In 2018, she became the vice principal and director of drama at Guildhall School of Music & Drama.
Education O'Loughlin trained at the National Theatre and National Theatre Studio. She has a B.A (Hons) in theatre and performance from Warwick University, an M.A (Dist) in advanced theatre practice from Central School of Speech and Drama and a PGCE in drama from the University of Reading.
Career O'Loughlin was artistic director of Pentabus Theatre from 2006 to 2012 and the international associate at The Royal Court.
From 2012 to 2018, O'Loughlin was the artistic director of the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. In her final year as theatre director, she won ten nominations in the Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland across six categories.
O'Loughlin has been the vice principal and director of drama at Guildhall School of Music & Drama since 2019. Alongside this role, she also works as a freelance theatre director.
The Observer listed O'Loughlin as one of the top 50 cultural leaders in the U.K and she was included in The List Hot 100 of Women in the Arts. She is a regular subject for print and digital media and has appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, The Today Programme and was the subject of the BBC Radio Documentary Stark Talk covering her life and work. O'Loughlin continues to deliver masterclasses and workshops across the world and has sat on a range of award panels including: James Tait Black Award for Drama, Windham Campbell and the Linbury Prize.
Directing credits YearProductionCompany/venue2007KebabDublin International Festival, Royal Court TheatreThe Hound of the BaskervilleWest Yorkshire Playhouse, national tour, West End2011Relatively Speaking, Blithe Spirit, Black ComedyWatermill TheatreFor OnceHampstead Theatre, national tour2012How Much is your Iron?Young Vic2014Clean and A Respectable Widow takes to VulgarityTraverse Theatre, Oran Mor, Theatre 59E59, NYCSpoilingTraverse Theatre, Theatre Royal Stratford East2015SwallowTraverse Theatre2016MilkTraverse TheatreGrain in the BloodTraverse Theatre2017Meet Me at DawnTraverse TheatreLocker Room TalkTraverse Theatre, Latitude Festival, Abbey Theatre, Scottish Parliament, tour2018What Girls Are Made OfTraverse Theatre, Tramway, international tourMouthpieceTraverse Theatre, Soho TheatreThe Artist Man and the Mother WomanTraverse Theatre2023The Time MachineNational tour2024Enough of HimNot presented 2025A Play, a Pint and a PieTraverse TheatreWallaceTraverse2026CiaraTraverse Theatre, Citizens TheatreOriginsPleasance, Theatre Severn, national tourSmall Talk: Big Picture Royal Court Theatre, ICA, BBC World ServiceShuffleMerry Hill Shopping CentreUnderlandClearwell CavesA Dulditch AngelNational tourThe Fire RaisersBAC
Awards Her work has received Fringe Firsts, including Swallow in 2015, Herald Angels and Critics Awards for Theatre in Scotland and she is previous winner of the James Menzies Kitchin Directors Award and recipient of the Carlton Bursary at the Donmar Warehouse.
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