About
Nicky is a freelance theatre director and writer, specialising in classic adaptations for stage and accessible, fun Shakespeare. Her style is interactive with a strong emphasis on humour, accessibility and storytelling. She works carefully and thoughtfully with performers to encourage them to bring something of themselves to each role and to develop their relationship with the audience.
“The connection between audience and performer is complete, with everyone joining in the fun.” - London Pub Theatres
She uses creative design to ensure her productions are a feast for the senses. Even on a minimal budget, everything serves multiple purposes.
“The set and costumes are deceptively simple, including some very clever design. No space is wasted, with every small box, window and handle used to convey the story.” - Broadway World
She specialises in small cast, multi-role productions so clarity and relationship with the audience is key, bringing them with us on every twist and turn. Costumes are bold and colourful, sweeping the audience into the era and costume changes often happen in plain sight.
“With a magician’s sleight of hand, one actor draws the audience’s attention with a monologue whilst the other changes, before our very eyes, into another character” - Reviews Hub
Nicky was a finalist for Best Director at the OffWestEnd Awards 2022 for her production of The Comedy of Errors. She also received Best Director nominations for Taming of the Shrew (2022) and Romeo and Juliet (2023). Her productions of Vanity Fair (2024), Taming of the Shrew (2022), As You Like It (2021) and Romeo and Juliet (2019) all received Best Performance Ensemble Offie nominations.
“That was one of the happiest evenings of Shakespeare I’ve known!” - Gyles Brandreth
Vanity Fair
Adapted and directed in 2024.
OffWest Award nomination: Best Ensemble
"It is a breathless feat of agility and adaptation...a clever and deftly performed production. Another theatrical pleasure from a rather unique company” - Broadway World 4*
Cast: Princess Donnough, Ben Galpin, Thomas Judd, Felicity Sparks
"Funny, thrilling and fabulous costumes and set. Regency society with all its twists and turns in a story of social climbing, love and loss. A really great night out!" - 5* Mel, Audience
"Fabulous! Full of energy and wit. The story was excellently abridged and easy to follow. The acting was convincing in every particular - despite the many characters being conveyed by a cast of only four (and a few co-opted audience members)!" - 5* Madeleine, Audience
"Vanity Fair was excellent! A whirlwind tour-de-force of entertainment at its best." - 5* Nigel, Audience
Directed 2022.
OffWestEnd Award nomination: Best Ensemble
"Is there a more versatile theatre company in the land? I doubt it. Their versatile troupe is bursting with energy, heart & talent. Fast, funny, freewheeling, fabulous - and ultimately very moving. My kind of Shakespeare: 5 stars!" - Gyles Brandreth
Cast: Darrel Bailey, Laura Cooper-Jones, Vicky Gaskin, Christian Graham, Laura Harling, Shadia King.
The Comedy of Errors
"Funniest Shakespeare I’ve ever seen. And including members of the audience as characters worked brilliantly." - 5* Mary, audience member
"Most accessible Shakespeare I have ever seen. The cast were excellent, so full of energy and extremely quick witted. Perfect summer's evening night out. Would go again in a heartbeat." - 5* Jen, audience member
"Playful yet still true to the text. Comedy improvisation whilst interacting with the audience was inspired and true to the spirit of the Elizabethan original." - 5* Audience member
A Christmas Carol
Adapted & directed 2016 - 2024.
"Because people are so intimately familiar with the tale, originality and inventiveness are essential to make any production stand out. In this version, directed by Nicky Diss, you will find both." Reviews Hub 4*
Casts have included: Jessica Alade, Ben Galpin, Vicky Gaskin, Annie Gregson, Laura Harling, Thomas Judd, Bryony Livesey, Laura Smithers, Lilian Tsang, Jo Wickham.
"From 17 to 62, we all enjoyed this show. Great use of costume and props really showed off the talents of the cast who all seemed to relish their task." - 5* Laura, audience member
"My Husband always loves to see A Christmas Carol prior to Christmas and this was one of the best productions we have seen over the years. The actors are exceptional, using great props to assist with telling this awesome story and there was a fabulous array of costume changes along the way. It was nothing less than magnificent and a great way to kick off Christmas!" - 5* Terri, audience member
"It was true to the text of A Christmas Carol, with the odd hilarious deviation, and these actors were truly amazing, switching characters so professionally you always knew exactly what was going on. It was festive, fun, superbly performed by incredible actors and an absolute delight to watch." - 5* Audience member
Directing Credits
Adapted & Directed
2017 - 2024 A Christmas Carol, Open Bar
2024 Vanity Fair, Open Bar
2023 Sense and Sensibility, Open Bar
2021 The Wild Swans and Cinderella, Drama Studio London
2021 Cinderella, Drama Studio London
2019 The Hound of the Baskervilles, Open Book Theatre
2018 Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Open Book Theatre
2016 Treasure Island, Open Book Theatre
2016 A Christmas Carol, Open Book Theatre
2015 The Wind in the Willows, Open Book Theatre
Directed
2025 Catch of the Day, The Dot Collective
2024 Much Ado About Nothing, Open Bar
2024 The Tempest, Open Bar
2023 Romeo and Juliet, Open Bar
2023 Twelfth Night, Open Bar
2022 Comedy of Errors, Open Bar
2022 Taming of the Shrew, Open Bar
2021 As You Like it, Open Bar
2021 Love's Labour's Lost, Open Bar
2020 The Tempest, Open Bar
2019 The Merry Wives of Windsor, Open Bar
2019 Romeo and Juliet, Open Bar
2018 A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Open Bar
2018 Much Ado About Nothing, Open Bar
2017 The Comedy of Errors, Open Bar
2017 The Ugly Duckling and Other Stories, Red Table Theatre, UK Theatre Tour
2016 The Tempest Thick As Thieves, UK Theatre Tour
2016 Twelfth Night Thick As Thieves, The Hope Theatre
2015 The Tempest Thick As Thieves, The Hope Theatre
Gallery
Reviews and Awards
Reviews
“Nicky Diss…has taken a very familiar story and injected much vitality and warmth into it, with her snappy production carried off delightfully by all concerned.” -ReviewsHub “A charming and throughly entertaining show” -Broadway World Romeo and Juliet, 2023 “A Dickensian production that is both original and one that successfully conjures up the elusive ‘Christmas spirit’” -ReviewsHub A Christmas Carol, 2024 "Full of Gumption, pace and enthusiasm" - 5 Stars - West End Wilma The Tempest, 2024
Awards
Audience feedback
“What a fantastic event. Never have I enjoyed Shakespeare so much! We’d seen Twelfth Night by the Open Bar a week previously and loved it so much, booked for Romeo and Juliet. It was highly entertaining – loved the audience participation, bawdy humour and occasional asides. The set was fantastic and the actors all full of energy. Very well done and thank you!” Romeo and Juliet, 2023. “An amazing evening. The actors were so talented and enthusiastic. A very entertaining portrayal of Sense and Sensibility. They captured the humour and the sadness and gave it a temporary twist with ad libs and songs. The pub setting was wonderful!" Sense and Sensibility, 2023. “An excellent performance by four talented actors. Clever use of a limited space/stage and some very funny additions to Shakespeare’s already witty play. Something this good wouldn’t happen without great backstage and creative input – everything came together for a most enjoyable couple of hours.” Twelfth Night, 2023. “My Husband always loves to see A Christmas Carol prior to Christmas and this was one of the best productions we have seen over the years. The actors are exceptional, using great props to assist with telling this awesome story and there was a fabulous array of costume changes along the way. The actors included lots of audience participation and carol singing during the performance and they made the entire show enthralling and a whole lot of fun. It was nothing less than magnificent and a great way to kick off Christmas! Thank you.” A Christmas Carol, 2024
Offie special award for Open Bar (2024). 'Vanity Fair' (2024): Offie nomination for Best Ensemble. 'Sense and Sensibility' (2023) Offie win for Best Supporting Performance. 'Comedy of Errors' (2022): Offie finalist for Best Director. The Taming of the Shrew (2022): Offie nominations for Best Director and Best Ensemble. 'As You Like It' (2021) and ‘Romeo and Juliet’ (2019): Offie nominations for Best Ensemble.