Peter O’Connor-Smart is a director and writer, originating from Berkshire, who makes theatre rooted in adventure, play, and the shared magic of collective storytelling. He is drawn to bold, expansive narratives that incorporate music, movement, and heightened theatrical devices, creating work that invites audiences to laugh, cry, and gasp together. His work has been presented at the Edinburgh Fringe, Katzpace, the Roundhouse and Act II Festival. Peter is currently Resident Assistant Director at Polka Theatre and will graduate from Birkbeck’s MFA in Theatre Directing during his time as an Elemental Artist.

Peter commented: “I’m thrilled to have been selected as one of the Watermill’s 2026 Elemental Artists. Growing up near Newbury, the Watermill has long been a theatre I’ve felt a fond connection to; a well-timed school trip there as a teenager was a formative experience in shaping my desire to become a theatre maker. I’m excited to begin a new relationship with a theatre operating at the height of its creative ambitions, whose work brings musicality, craft, and imagination to both classic texts and new writing — something that feels incredibly aligned with my own practice. I’m particularly keen to develop my craft by learning from its artists, audiences, and community, and to contribute to a place that makes such generous, imaginative theatre."