Writers & Directors: Q&A with Julia Grogan and Rachel Lemon

There are few relationships in theatre more important than that between a playwright and a director. In this Q&A, find out what makes a successful creative partnership – from actor and writer Julia Grogan and director Rachel Lemon, both of award-winning theatre company Dirty Hare.

This event takes place in the Barretts Bar.

Julia Grogan

Julia’s debut play Playfight won the ETPEP Award 2020, and was shortlisted for the Papatango Award, the Theatre Uncut Award and the Women’s Prize for Playwriting. The show sold out at Edinburgh Fringe 2024 and a 2025 Soho Theatre run to great critical acclaim. Julia is currently developing an original TV series with Dinner Party Productions and NBCUniversal, a comedy pilot with Hat Trick Productions, and a new musical for the RSC. Julia was also in the writers’ room for an Amazon Prime series.

Rachel Lemon

Rachel Lemon is a theatre director and co-founder of the Dirty Hare collective, one of The Stage’s Top Breakthrough Theatre Makers and “Fringe Five” of 2023. Their critically acclaimed breakthrough hit Gunter, directed and co-created by Rachel, recently transferred to the Royal Court to 5-star reviews (Financial Times, Broadway World), following a sold-out run at Summerhall in 2023 for the Edinburgh Festival. During the Festival it was awarded Playbill’s Pick of the Fringe, The Scotsman’s Fringe First Award and Lyn Gardner’s Pick of the Fringe 2023. As a freelance director, Rachel’s other credits include A Little Inquest into What We’re All Doing Here (BAC, Shoreditch Town Hall, Edinburgh Southside); Belly Up (Turbine Theatre) and Bottom (Soho Theatre, Bristol Old Vic, Summerhall). Rachel is a recent graduate of the National Theatre’s Directors Course.