Papertrail was established by founding director Bridget Keehan in 2014. Since then the company has created performances on beaches, on buses, in shipping containers and prisons. Our process is driven by curiosity. We want to get to know the people in a particular place and find the story that needs to be listened to.
Each production blends brilliant writing with adventurous staging and involves communities in the creation of the work. We want our work to reach as many people as possible and actively seek to remove barriers to participation.
In 2024, ten years since its formation, Papertrail shifted to a model of co-artistic leadership and the company is now led by founding director, Bridget Keehan and former associate artist, Jonny Cotsen.
Aside from productions the company also runs an associate artist scheme, providing mentoring and artistic development opportunities for both emerging and mid-career artists.
In 2025 the company established a new training strand, Creative Stages, which enables theatre creatives to gain skills in embedding creative access into their work. Creative Stages also offers performance training for Registered Sign Language Interpreters.
Papertrail is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee.
Creative Team
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Read about Bridget Keehan
Bridget left school at fifteen and worked as a waitress, chambermaid and timeshare tout before finding her way to theatre in her mid-twenties. She subsequently trained as a stage director Eugenio Barba, Elen Bowman, Katie Mitchell and Ian Rickson. Bridget Keehan
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Read about Jonny Cotsen
Co-Creative Director Jonny Cotsen is a qualified Art teacher but left his teaching career to develop himself as a performance artist and creative consultant for inclusion in the arts. Jonny is a keen advocate for better access in the Arts. Jonny performed ‘Louder Is Not Always Clearer’ which was produced, directed and co-written by Mr and Mrs Clark. ‘Louder Is Not Always Clearer’ has toured extensively across the UK and Europe and enjoyed a successful run at Edinburgh Fringe in 2019. It was developed into a short film by On Par Productions and Mr and Mrs Clark. It was shown by… Jonny Cotsen
Staff Members
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Alexandra Lort Phillips
Read about Alexandra Lort PhillipsAlexandra has worked as a freelance manager and producer in culture and community settings in Wales and Scotland since 2014. In Edinburgh she worked for Capital Theatres, the Royal Lyceum Theatre and Edinburgh International Book Festival, as well as producing new shows with her company Yard Heads International. From 2003 she worked in youth justice for nine years in London before studying for a masters in conflict, restorative justice and international disputes, investigating gender-based violence. In 2024 she was a founding director of Palestine House, and she is currently chair of recovery charity B-3 and trustee of the Tall Ships (Wales)… Alexandra Lort Phillips
Associate Artists
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Catherine Dyson
Read about Catherine DysonAssociate Artist Catherine is a writer and performer. Recent writing work includes The Luminous (RedCape Theatre, UK tour, writer and performer), Peter Pan (Sherman Theatre), The Egg Man (BBC Radio 4), Bitcoin Boi (Riverfront Theatre), On Track (RedCape Theatre, UK tour), Believers (South Street Arts Centre Sitelines Festival), Thunder Road (RedCape Theatre, UK tour) and Transporter (Theatr Iolo, UK and Kolkata tour, writer and performer). Work in development includes The Last Picture (selected for the RSC’s 37 Plays Project, in development with York Theatre Royal, English Touring Theatre and An Tobar and Mull Theatre) and I Will Still Be Dreaming… Catherine Dyson
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Samantha O’Rourke
Read about Samantha O’RourkeSamantha O’Rourke is a BAFTA nominated disabled queer northern writer-director based in North Wales. Recent screen projects include BAFTA qualifying short film ‘Jelly’ – Ffilm Cymru/BBC Wales/Mad as Birds & original comedy drama ‘Mincemeat’ for Channel 4/Blacklight, which was nominated for 3 BAFTA Cymru’s including Breakthrough for Sam. She was Writer on Attachment for Liverpool’s Everyman Playhouse and part of artist led project Future Forms at the Donmar Warehouse. Other theatre credits include Theatr Clwyd, Volcano Theatre, Boundless Theatre and Dirty Protest. Her play Our Town Needs a Nando’s was recently staged at the Everyman Playhouse in Liverpool. She is currently… Samantha O’Rourke
Trustees
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Ali de Souza
Read about Ali de SouzaAli de Souza is an educator, actor-trainer and theatre and screen director from Coupar Angus, Perthshire via Santos, Brazil where his mother was born and raised. Before joining the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama as Head of Drama (Performance), Ali was the Director of Drama at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School from 2022. He holds undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in psychology (University of Dundee), acting (Bristol Old Vic Theatre School) and screen directing (Queen Margaret University). He has worked extensively as an actor and director in both theatre and film for over 35 years with many companies throughout the… Ali de Souza
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Branwen Davies
Read about Branwen DaviesBranwen is a playwright, theatre maker and dramaturg and currently runs the Urdd Youth Theatre. Branwen was previously the Literary Manager at the Sherman Theatre and is passionate about new writing and discovering and empowering new voices for the stage Recent theatre work includes translating Fleabag for Theatr Clwyd and dramaturgical work for Theatr Iolo and Taking Flight Theatre Company. Branwen is a guest lecturer at the RWCMD and has also collaborated with Illumine Theatre, Papertrail, Os Nad Nawr, Dirty Protest, Mess Up The Mess, Sherman Theatre, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru and WAVDA.
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Dr. Amanda Rogers
Read about Dr. Amanda RogersAmanda is Associate Professor in Human Geography and the Geohumanities based at Swansea University. Previously she worked as a stage manager, director and assistant producer, and more recently has helped commission dance films, curate photography exhibitions and produce arts festivals in Southeast Asia. Her research is interdisciplinary but is committed to equality and participation in the arts – particularly for marginal groups. She has previously campaigned for greater racial diversity on stage and screen, but more recently has been doing work that advocates for using the arts to help expand discussions in civil society (in contexts where this is restricted) and… Dr. Amanda Rogers
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Kate Williams
Read about Kate WilliamsKate originally trained as a musician and now works as a freelance business consultant supporting arts and voluntary sector organisations with strategic planning, fundraising and financial management. She regular works with arts and health charity People Speak Up. Previously, Kate was the General Manager for Theatre na nÓg. She has also managed Northamptonshire’s rural touring scheme with New Perspectives Theatre Company, been Theatre Manager of Corn Exchange Newbury and programmer for Bridport Arts Centre.
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Nia Gandhi
Read about Nia GandhiNia Gandhi is an actor, writer and producer from South Wales. As an actor she has appeared in Enola Holmes 2 (Netflix/Legendary Pictures), Casualty (BBC), Jane Eyre (Stephen Joseph Theatre/New Vic) Splinter (Sherman Theatre) and The Medici (BBC Audio). She has worked bilingually with Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru on Pijin/Pigeon and Cwmni Frân Wen on Corn Gwlad and has worked with Kali Theatre at Birmingham Rep, Theatr Clwyd and National Theatre Wales. As a writer she has worked with Dirty Protest on their shorts night Wales is Drowning and at the Sherman Theatre as part of Scene/Change. She has recently started working… Nia Gandhi
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Suzanne Carter
Read about Suzanne CarterChair of Papertrail, Suzanne has been working in arts, cultural and events marketing for over 25 years. She trained as a journalist at University of Wales, Cardiff. She has worked with local authorities, charities, small and large cultural organisations. She now works as freelance as a Marketing and Communications Consultant and has supported in the last few years Sherman Theatre, National Dance Company Wales, Citrus Arts, UPROAR, Adverse Camber, The Other Room and People Speak Up. Suzanne is Chartered Institute of Marketing registered.