Polly Teale

Polly Teale is an Acting Tutor (Reflective Practice) in the Drama Department at Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Former Artistic Director of Shared Experience theatre company, she directed and wrote award-winning productions including the Bronte trilogy (Bronte, Jane Eyre, After Mrs Rochester), which earned her Best Director Evening Standard Awards and Time Out Best West End Production accolades. Her plays, such as Mine, Speechless, and Mermaid, are published by Nick Hern Books and feature on school curricula globally.

Holding an MA in Arts Psychotherapy (Distinction) from the Institute for the Arts in Therapy and Education, Teale integrates psychological insights into drama education to foster creative freedom, resilience, and empathy. She emphasizes embodied character exploration through understanding personal history, cultural context, and systemic influences.

Her work extends beyond academia: she has collaborated with the NHS supporting survivors of sexual abuse, homeless groups, refugees, and prisoners. Currently, she trains educators through Trauma Informed Schools UK and teaches therapists-in-training at the Institute for the Arts in Therapy and Education.