Clara Simpson trained at Dublin Theatre School and at La Classe Libre, Cours Florent, Paris. She began working in French theatre with director Olivier Py. She was an associate artist of the Theatre National Poplulaire for over 15 years, and has performed on many of the main stages in Paris. Her last role at the TNP was as ‘Gruach’ in David Greig’s Dunsinane . Her solo-piece Kitchen Blues, written for her by playwright-poet Jean-Pierre Siméon was performed in Avignon OFF 2018 at Le Train Bleu, and toured until 2023.
In Ireland she has worked at the Abbey, Peacock and Project. She was awarded an Irish Times Theatre Award for her role in Lolita, and in 2010 she performed ‘Winnie’ in Happy Days, both directed by Annie Ryan. Recent work with Irish companies include You Belong To Me written by Rory Nolan and directed by Lynne Parker; After with Liv O’Donoghue, and extensive international touring in Chekhov ’s First Play and Lippy with Dead Centre.
Her Pas moi/Not l by Samuel Beckett premiered in Paris and has featured at the Happy Days Festival in Enniskillen (2018, 2019, 2022), at the Brickbox Theatre Worcester and the Alliance Française in Cartagena, Colombia (2023), and is set to play in Liverpool and Paris as part of the Unbound festival (2024).
Most recent screen credits include ‘Catherine’ in the French tv series Parlement (2024); ‘Maddy’ in the French feature Ma Vie Ma Gueule directed by Sophie Fillières, (2023); and ‘Sandra’ in the French tv film L ’Impasse directed by Delphine Lemoine (2022)
