Tightrope was established in 2017 by writer-director Philippa Lawford. Since then, we have staged new work in London and across the UK.
Our plays have won awards including a runner-up prize for the ATG Playwrights’ Prize, an OFFIE Short Run Commendation (IKARIA), and an OFFIE nomination for Best Duo Performance (COLD WATER).
We make intimate, powerful theatre.
THE TEAM
Philippa Lawford is the Artistic Director and founder of Tightrope Theatre. She established Tightrope while a student at Oxford University and she now lives in brixton with her identical twin sister and also works as a freelance director, facilitator and and script reader.
as an associate/assistant, Philippa has worked at chicago Shakespeare theatre (Henry v, 2024), theatre royal bath (by royal appointment, uk tour, 2025) the arcola (after sex, 2024) and jermyn street theatre (saviour, 2022). Philippa is on the literary team at the park theatre and she runs a playwrights’ residency in Cheshire at Clonter opera theatre and a regular scratch night in London.
Philippa trained on an MSt in writing for performance at Cambridge university and the John burgess playwriting course. her debut play, IKARIA, won one of 5 runner-up awards for the Ambassador Theatre Group Playwrights’ Prize 2022, in association with Platform Presents and Time Out, and was nominated for the Susan smith blackburn prize. her second play, cold water, was staged by little engine theater in New York city for a sold out production in march 2025, directed by Michael Herwitz.
Philippa is a dual uk/us citizen. she is represented by Julia Tyrrell management in the uk and by sam barickman and Emily dunetz at caa in the us.
philippa lawford
Izzy Parriss is associate director at tightrope theatre.
Her directing credits include After Sex (Arcola Theatre, 2024), Scratch (Old Red Lion Theatre, and Lion and Unicorn Theatre, 2023) and Dear Little Loz (Edinburgh Fringe, 2022). izzy is artistic director of izzy Parriss productions.
Her associate directing credits include Hedda (dir. Matthew Dunster, Theatre Royal Bath, 2025), Cold Water (dir. Philippa Lawford, Park Theatre, 2024), Ikaria (dir. Philippa Lawford, Park Theatre and National Tour, 2022/2023).
Izzy has been assistant director to Benedict Esdale (The Rover, Old Red Lion Theatre, 2025), Lindsay Posner (Man of Mode, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, 2022) and Edward Hall (Ordinary World, Ambassador Theatre Group, Duran Duran musical workshop, 2022).