Natalie wrote and directed her first play, Is That Baby What (2010), whilst studying towards an MA in English Literature at the University of Aberdeen. She graduated in 2012 with the George Bruce Prize for Creative Writing, the Seafield Medal for English Literature and the Margaret Doughtery Essay Prize. Natalie is part of the Traverse Young Writers and has had several short plays showcased at the Traverse. These include Do You Know Where Your Daughter Is? (2013), Sour (2014) and Dogface (2014). A reading of Natalie’s newest play All That Is (2015), will be presented at the Galway International Festival by Druid.
0131 629 0292
info@strangetown.org.uk
Meet more of the Team
Dan Webb
Assistant Director - Friday 8-10s
Dan Webb is an Actor who recently graduated with a BA Honours Degree in Dance and Drama from Edinburgh College. He enjoys devising and creating pieces of work that put smiles on the faces of his audience, and is always looking for new avenues to bring happiness to people through Drama.
Sophia Irvine-Fortescue
Sophia is the Workshop Assistant for the Friday 5-7s Intro to Drama and Friday 8-12s Theatre Skills classes.
Anna Whealing
Anna is a highlands-born writer, theatre-maker and producer. She has worked with community groups, volunteers, children, artists and industry members. Anna has produced award-winning short films and documentries, run workshops for emerging writers, created several new-writing audio series, organised scratch nights for performance artists in Glasgow and dabbled in stage managment. Basically, she’ll say yes to everything and loves a challange! Anna is currently a creative trainee on textLAB, a writers programme run by Scottish Youth Theatre and Playwrights Studio Scotland. She has acted as Assistant Director for A Play, A Pie and A Pint and Mull Theatre.
Pollyanna Esse
Pollyanna has worked with Strange Town for 2 years assisting various workshops. She graduated from Edinburgh University in 2022 with a Fine Art degree and is now training to be an Art Physiotherapist.
She has worked in theatre throughout her life and found her love for directing and producing in her final year of her undergraduate degree. In 2022, she wrote and directed her own Fringe show, going on to work for a New York based Theatre company. There she produced a programme for young and emerging playwrights as well as taking their show to Fringe in 2023. Some of the playwrights she mentored have now been commission to write for multiple theatres in New York. She has always had a love for arts education and giving people the space and opportunity to express themselves.
She has worked for Edinburgh International Festival for the past 2 years as their Digital Content Officer. So she has an strong organisation head too as well as being a creative at heart!
She recently set up Ophelia Hare Arts, where she aims to develop creative experiences that challenge the barriers of pay for early career creatives. She believes that no matter who you are, you should have access to the arts and experience the freedom of expression.
Ellie Duncan
Ellie is a Scottish theatre-maker, facilitator and performer, who graduated with a First Class BA (Hons) in Drama and Dance with Kingston University and Edinburgh College in 2023.
Ellie has been involved in the industry from a very young age and has experience and training in both Film and Stage. Ellie is fascinated about moments of history and implementing that into her work. In 2023, she wrote and co-directed her own show ‘The Fool’ which was set in the regency era and performed in The Voodoo Rooms.
Ellie enjoys exploring theatre through improvisation and play and strives to create work that activates the voice of young people, whilst having a lot of fun in the process.
Adam Butler
Originally from Edinburgh, Adam has recently moved back from Glasgow where he spent four years training and developing his craft.
Adam holds a BA Acting degree from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Since graduating, Adam has worked as an actor, director, producer, and tutor.
His current and previous tutoring work includes the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Rose Bruford College, Edinburgh Acting School, and Edinburgh Council’s Adult Education Course. His latest directing credit was A Midsummer Night’s Dream, performed in June 2024 at the Church Hill Theatre.
Adam is a supportive and approachable tutor, and looks to help students discover their full potential.
