TOTNES FRINGE DIRECTORS

Danielle McIlven is a theatre director , educator and Director of the Festival's legal entity. Withh almost two decades of experience working across the UK and internationally. She trained at Birkbeck, University of London, completing an MFA in Theatre Directing, and was resident assistant director at Glasgow’s Citizens Theatre. Her directing work spans new writing, devised performance, and community-led projects, and she has held roles including associate director at The Space Arts Centre in London. Danielle has delivered theatre projects with young people in schools, youth theatres, and alternative education settings, as well as with refugee and Traveller communities. She has led international work in Bosnia, Kolkata and Beijing. Now based in Totnes- where she grew up- she founded Moveable Type Theatre Company and is a teaching fellow in Acting and Drama at the University of Plymouth.

Susie Hudson has held a number of senior roles across Project Management, Marketing, and Fundraising. She is a Director of the Festivals legal entity and a member of the operations team behind Totnes Fringe Festival, focusing on strategy, systems, operations, marketing and digital. She brings a commercial perspective to the festival’s growth, with a focus on building something that is both creatively ambitious and practically sustainable. Her theatrical ambitions were largely satisfied by understudying for Starlight Express. She has an MBA from Exeter and is a fellow of the CMI.

With a drama degree and years of acting experience, Lucy Matthews has a deep love for theatre in all its forms. Transitioning into a career in PR, she authored a best-selling book on how entrepreneurs can leverage PR to stand out, be heard, and attract clients. She helps  the Totnes Fringe secure sponsors and works on PR and marketing initiatives for the festival, combining her passion for the arts with her expertise in PR.

Playwright, actor, and theatre-maker trained at RADA. Rosie Race is a Soho Writers Lab alumnus, where she wrote Filthy Animal, which was shortlisted for the Tony Craze Award 2024. She is currently commissioned by Middle Child, Exeter Northcott, and is a mentored writer with Paines Plough. Associate Artist of Theatre Royal Plymouth, Documental, and Theatre Alibi, she has been passionate about bringing theatre to Totnes for 15 years, from devising performance with women and non-binary people on themes of grief, directing and co-producing the much loved Rotherfold Bull and founding Theatre Loco, a pop-up venue bringing award-winning work to the industrial estate every week for three months.

Ceni Wyatt trained at the Scottish Royal Conservatoire and works as both an actress and director. A long-standing and much-valued member of Dartington Playgoers, she brings energy, experience and real commitment to every project she’s part of. A founding member of Totnes Fringe, Ceni is someone who gets things done. She has played a central role in shaping the festival, working across venue management, fundraising, artist liaison and programming. She combines practical delivery with a deep understanding of theatre-making, and is known for her ability to hold both the creative and logistical sides of a production in balance.

Whether on stage, behind the scenes or driving a project forward, she brings focus, generosity and a clear sense of purpose.

With decades of experience in media post-production, Tim McGill reconnected with his first love—performance—after moving to Devon 20 years ago. He’s been busy with theatre, music & film projects in the region ever since. He debuted Anybody Can Jump at the inaugural Play, Pint & Pasty at the Barrel House Ballroom in 2022 and has performed it annually since. Tim’s media work included collaborations with Tate’s Time-Based Media Department, supporting fine artists such as Aleksandra Mir (producing Antarctica the Play) and Turner Prize nominee Hilary Lloyd. The result of this experience is that Tim is fluent in both art and tech—and serves as our Festival Tech Lead.

Claire is the Festivals Volunteer Coordinator. She enjoys working towards a shared goal and seeing the success that brings. Her organisational and people skills are put to good use managing the 100+ volunteers the festival has recruited for the 2026 Festival. 

Claire had a long career in social service and is semi-retired, she lives locally with her long term partner, she enjoys volunteering in the charity sector and exploring new places.