RHYS CHANT
DIRECTOR & THEATRE MAKER
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Rhys Chant is a Director, Theatre-Maker and Researcher creating work at the intersection of people, politics and community. Their theatre explores identity, relationships, belonging and the pressures that shape collective experience. Working across original writing, documentary theatre, short-film and live performance. Rhys combines research with a strong interest in theatrical form, seeking to create work that is engaging, questioning and emotionally immediate. Whether working with young performers, developing original writing or directing the work of others, Rhys seeks to make theatre that is human, playful, challenging and alive to the complexities of lived experience.
As a director, their work includes Fishville at The Minerva, Chichester; Things A Bright Young Queer Can Do at The Source; DNA and Death Over Pancakes at Groundlings; Back In The Day at The Tramshed, Dulwich; My Dearest Boy as part of the Beatz in the City Festival; and A Deceit of Dying Flowers at Chichester Fringe.
Rhys is currently developing and touring Things A Bright Young Queer Can Do, a research-performance project examining the lived experiences of young queer people in contemporary Britain. The piece combines testimonial theatre-making, ensemble narrative, and vignette-style storytelling to craft an eclectic “state of the nation” production. Developed through workshops and interviews, the work captures the complexity, resilience, and joy of queer youth today.
Rhys is also a Trustee of the Chichester Festival Theatre.
RHYS CHANT
(THEY/THEM)
THEATRE
FILM & DIGITAL
REVIEWS & TESTMONALS
TRISTAN DULLFORCE - ACTOR
Working with Rhys as a director is both intellectually engaging and creatively energising. They have a strong command of narrative, supporting the actor to connect with the wider world of the text, drawing out the political, social and economic tensions that sit beneath the text and drive the story forward. In rehearsal, characters never feel isolated from their context; instead, there is a real sense of what shapes a character, what drives them forward, and the urgency behind the stakes of a play and you develop a momentum to propel yourself forward with a clarity routed in a well researched reality.
FISHVILLE - AUDIENCE MEMBER, JESS
"The young cast brought great energy and sensitivity to the story, capturing both the humour and the more reflective moments of the text. Rhys Chant’s direction allowed the characters and relationships to feel natural and grounded, creating a production that was engaging and thoughtful. The use of movement gave the ensemble a texture and depth that was gripping and connected instinctively to the idea of the sea, delivering Rhys' signature use of imagery and tableau in a vivid and imaginative way.
A compelling piece of youth theatre that balances imagination with emotional honesty."
THINGS A BRIGHT YOUNG QUEER CAN DO - OPHELIA ARTS
Centring queer experience with honesty, vulnerability, and care, the power of this eclectic testimonial piece lies in its universality. While rooted in LGBTQ+ stories, the play ultimately explores something far broader: the journey of becoming who we are.
Rhys' process is marked by emotional honesty and restraint, allowing voices and experiences to exist without over-dramatization. The result is theatre that invites reflection, connecting deeply with audiences regardless of background.
Short yet poignant, Bright Young Queer is thoughtful, moving, and quietly hopeful — a reminder that the process of growing into ourselves, at any stage of life, is something shared by all.