Amy Leach (born 14 April 1981) is a British theatre director. She was first Associate Director (2017–2022) and then Deputy Artistic Director (2022–2025) of Leeds Playhouse. She is an Olivier Award-nominated and UK Theatre Award-winning director, recognized for her commitment to creatively accessible theatre.
Early life and career Leach grew up in Darwen, Lancashire. As a teenager, she attended the youth theatre at the Bolton Octagon Theatre. On graduating from Durham University, she co-founded the theatre company for young people, en masse, with playwright and composer Oliver Birch.
en masse toured nationally and internationally between 2003 and 2011. For that company, Leach directed and produced UK tours of Spaceship ’87, The Echo Chamber, The Ignatius Trail, The Shelter, The Iceberg, We All Fall Down and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, a co-production with the Dukes Theatre, Lancaster.
Later career Leach directed Animal Farm, a co-production with Leeds Playhouse, Theatre Royal Stratford East and Nottingham Playhouse which was nominated for Best Production in Affiliate Theatre at the Olivier Awards 2025 and won Best Play Revival at the UK Theatre Awards 2025.
At Leeds Playhouse (formerly West Yorkshire Playhouse) Leach has directed Mr Snow, Lord of the Flies, Macbeth, Don't You Know It's Going to Be Alright, There Are No Beginnings, Hamlet, A Christmas Carol, Road, Talking Heads, Queen of Chapeltown, Romeo & Juliet, Kes & The Night Before Christmas. Her production of Oliver Twist for Leeds Playhouse and Ramps on the Moon was recorded for NT at Home. Leach has also directed work at a range of UK theatres including Hull Truck, Sherman Theatre Cardiff and Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester.
References
"A Christmas Carol review' The Stage, December 2025 "Behind the scenes on Olivier Award-nominated Animal Farm" BBC News, April 2025 "Animal Farm review – muddy, sweaty production updates Orwell’s classic with astounding results" The Guardian, February 2025 "Animal Farm review — a vivid revival shows how Orwell’s classic still resonates" February 2025, The Times "Lord of the Flies review – school staple is bang up to date for world on the brink" The Guardian, March 2023 "Macbeth review – a wicked thriller this way comes" The Guardian, March 2022 "Oliver Twist for all the senses: Leeds makes Dickens fully accessible" The Guardian, February 2020 "Director Amy Leach: 'Integrated access is not an add-on tool – I think about it as a creative layer'" The Stage, February 2020 "There Are No Beginnings, Leeds Playhouse, review: a quietly gripping two hours in the shadow of the Yorkshire Ripper" The Telegraph, October 2019 "Leeds Playhouse and Ramps on The Moon to Stage New Adaptation of Oliver Twist", Ramps on the Moon, June 2019. "Hamlet review – this fresh prince is fully and gloriously female" The Guardian, March 2019 thestage.co.uk The Stage, March 2019 thestage.co.uk The Stage, December 2017 "Amy Leach Appointed as New Associate Director of West Yorkshire Playhouse", Leeds Playhouse, March 2017. "Romeo and Juliet review – hot, hormonal inner-city tragedy". The Guardian, March 2017. "The Borrowers" The Stage, Nov 2016 "Dr Korczak's Example" The Guardian, June 2008