CLEMENCE WILLIAMS

​Director / Composer

Clemence is a director, composer and sound designer for theatre and opera. Since graduating from NIDA, Clemence has directed, composed and designed sound for both independent and main stages in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, St Petersburg and Edinburgh.  Clemence has directed LA VOIX HUMAINE by Francis Poulenc and QUATRE INSTANTS by Kaija Saariaho both for Sydney Chamber Opera.

 Clemence's recent work includes sound design and composition for THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY for Sydney Theatre Company and Michael Cassel Group, which toured to London's West End and New York's Broadway to critical acclaim.  For DORIAN, Clemence received a Tony Award® nomination for Best Sound Design of a Play, and a Sydney Theatre Award nomination for Best Sound Design of a Mainstage Production. Clemence has also been nomimated for a Sydney Theatre Award for Best Original Score for A CHEERY SOUL (Sydney Theatre Company), and Best Sound Design of an Independent Production for THE WOLVES (Red Line Productions). Clemence won the APRA AMCOS Art Music Award for Best Live Performance COMMUTE which she directed for Sydney Chamber Opera.  In 2022, she was granted the Gloria Fellowship. 

As a director, Clemence’s work includes: THE MAGIC FLUTE (NIDA/Sydney Conservatorium); BREAKING GLASS (COMMUTE, THE INVISIBLE BIRD) for Sydney Chamber Opera; CHORUS for Red Line Productions, FINDR, a new musical which premiered at Eternity Theatre; CHAMBER POT OPERA (creator, sold out seasons in Sydney, Adelaide, Edinburgh Fringe; and St Petersburg’s Summer Festival of Arts, Access Point, one of the largest site-specific art events in Europe, and Sydney Opera House); UNFINISHED WORKS (Seymour Centre); THE CHERRY ORCHARD (New Theatre); and TRANSIENCE (KXT).  

Clemence was associate director for Dean Bryant on FUN HOME with Sydney Theatre Company and Melbourne Theatre Company.  She was assistant director for Imara Savage on SAINT JOAN (Sydney Theatre Company) and LA PASSION DE SIMONE (Sydney Chamber Opera/ Sydney Festival); and for Patrick Nolan on NOTES FROM THE UNDERGROUND (Sydney Chamber Opera). 

As composer and sound designer, Clemence’s work includes: for Sydney Theatre Company, INTO THE SHIMMERING WORLD, OIL, THE TENANT OF WINDFELL HALL, DEATH OF A SALESMAN, GRAND HORIZONS, BLITHE SPIRIT, THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY, BANGING DENMARK, LETHAL INDIFFERENCE (composer and sound designer), DRACULA, STRANGE CASE OF DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE, PLAYING BEATIE BOW, A CHEERY SOUL (composer); for Melbourne Theatre Company, TORCH THE PLACE, HEISENBERG, ARBUS AND WEST; for Bell Shakespeare, ROMEO AND JULIET; for Belvoir, THE WOLVES; for Ensemble Theatre, A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE; for Griffin Theatre Company, FLAT EARTHERS THE MUSICAL (musical dramaturg), BLAQUE SHOWGIRLS; for Red Line Productions, PAPER DOLL, CHORUS, WIND IN THE UNDERGROUND; for New Theatre, CHAPEL PERILOUS; for Old 505, LITTLE BORDERS; for KXT, A GIRL IS A HALF-FORMED THING; for fortyfivedownstairs, FALLEN; and for Griffin’s Batch Festival, BLUEBERRY PLAY. 

Clemence holds a Master of Fine Arts (Directing) at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) and a Bachelor of Music from the Sydney Conservatorium, majoring in classical voice.  While she was studying, she was Director of Verge, Australia’s largest student-run arts festival. 

Clemence regularly develops and stages readings of new work including: Neil Levi’s KIN at Sydney Theatre Company for the Patrick White Award; Tee O’Neil’s GR8 SKIN at Festival Fetale; and Tasnim Hossain’s 44 HOMES at Australian Theatre for Young People. Clemence is currently developing two new operas.