Neil Bettles

Award Nominations

2022 - WhatsOnStage Award for Best Sound Design for Blood Harmony at the Traverse Theatre

2020 - Off West End IDEA Award and Finalist for Best Sound for Petrichor

2019 - Off West End Award nomination for Best Director for The Unreturning


As Artistic Director of ThickSkin Neil has directed work that has toured the UK and to New York and Brazil. Winning numerous awards at the Edinburgh Fringe including a Fringe First for How Not To Drown in 2019​. As an experienced workshop leader and teacher he has led workshops and masterclasses all over the world in devising and physical theatre.​

Neil is Associate Movement Director on the multi-award winning Harry Potter And The Cursed Child working on the shows in London, New York, Melbourne, San Fransisco and Hamburg.


Bedknobs and Broomsticks - UK Tour
Visually, Bedknobs and Broomsticks is a delight from start to finish. Neil Bettles’ flowing choreography complements the taut direction of Candice Edmunds and Jamie Harrison. The magic – including Eglantyne’s first foray into broomstick flying and the flying beadstead – is, well, magical, supporting the story well.
— ★★★★★ - The Reviews Hub
How Not to Drown - Edinburgh Fringe
Urgent, fast-paced, seemingly never pausing for breath, How Not to Drown is a real-life boy’s own adventure, an appeal for compassion towards refugees, and an interrogation of nationality and identity...
But this bold, confident work, directed with somewhat breathless energy by Neil Bettles for theatre company ThickSkin, pulls it off brilliantly...It’s a touchingly bittersweet, thought-provoking close to a ripping yarn very much for our times.
— ★★★★ The Arts Desk

Gallery


2023

Production

Company

How Not To Drown UK Tour, Dir. & Chor. Neil Bettles
Assassins Chichester Festival Theatre, Dir. Polly Findlay, Chor. Neil Bettles
Great Expectations The Royal Exchange, Dir. Pooja Ghai, Movement Dir. Neil Bettles

2022

Production

Company

Private Peaceful Nottingham Playhouse & UK Tour, Dir. Elle While, Movement Dir. Neil Bettles
James IV: Queen of the Fight Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Dir. Laurie Sansom, Movement Dir. Neil Bettles

2021

Production

Company

Bedknobs and Broomsticks UK Tour, Dir. Candice Edmunds, Choreographer & Movement Dir. Neil Bettles

2020

Production

Company

Petrichor ThickSkin, Dirs & Chors. Jonnie Riordan & Jess Williams, Music & Sound Des. Neil Bettles

2019

Production

Company

How Not to Drown Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh Festival, Dir & Co-Chor. Neil Bettles, Co-Chor. Jonnie Riordan
The Unreturning UK Tour & Theatre Royal Stratford East, Dir. Neil Bettles

2018

Production

Company

We Are Here La Mama, New York, Dir. Steven Hoggett, Associate Dir. Neil Bettles
Carmen Opera Wuppertal, Germany, Chor. Neil Bettles