Blending theatre, composition, and video games with Shaye Poulton Richards
A composer, lyricist, and librettist, Shaye Poulton Richards tells stories that explore the whimsical and physical aspects of day-to-day life. A composition alum of Trinity Laban, she was awarded the Innovation Award to develop her virtual reality song cycle, Upon a Mother’s Death. The project delved into empathy and grief in a 360 degree immersive setting. Shaye creates intimate and sincere music theatre, blending a mix of contemporary folk and contemporary classical sonic worlds. She co-wrote Precipice, a show that premiered at New Diorama Theatre in 2025, and took an original chamber musical for a 12-show run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Lies All The Way Down, supported by the PRS Foundation in 2023. We caught up with Shaye to find out more about her diverse creative career and what inspires her to create.
Tell us about what your career looks like now.
I work in the intersection between theatre and video games. Over the last six years, I’ve been in the video games industry as a game designer on INT./NIGHT’s ‘As Dusk Falls’ and other titles. In 2023, my one-act chamber musical Lies All The Way Down premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe, and I’m now working in XR (extended reality), blending both disciplines together.
You were artist in residence for the Richmond-upon-Thames Borough. Tell us more about this experience.
Being an Artist-in-Residence for my London Borough was an absolute privilege which allowed me time and space to explore new concepts I had been mulling over for a while. Being a working artist is all about balancing the realities of living with your creativity, and I was lucky enough to have the support of my local council to make things all that bit more real with rehearsal space and mentorship. It made me appreciate how important it is to build a career support network locally.
What initially drew you to composition?
I was in a family band when I was a kid, so writing music and performing had always been a massive part of my life! But it wasn’t until I was 18 that I realised I wanted to professionally author those stories myself rather than perform them, and that’s what soon led me to applying to Trinity Laban.
What was the best thing about your time at Trinity Laban?
Trinity Laban was a playground that allowed me to explore different interests musically before specialising towards the end of my degree. It gave me space to make mistakes, learn, and try something new, all while bringing everything to life in tangible ways. The connection and cross collaboration between departments, especially musical theatre, was a massive part of my education and paved the path for my future endeavours.
What advice would you give prospective students?
Trust that little voice in your head that’s leading to your most authentic self.
Challenge yourself intellectually.
Focus on enjoying the journey over the destination, because you can’t premeditate how you’ll feel when something is over.