Michelle arrived at the Globe an Olivier Award-winning actress and a leading Shakespearean actor, and has worked extensively across theatre, TV and radio. 

Before becoming Artistic Director, she played the Princess of France in Love’s Labour’s Lost, Rosalind in As You Like It and Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Globe, and directed some of The Complete Walks films in 2016. 

Her other Shakespearean roles include Helena in All’s Well That Ends Well, Luciana in The Comedy of Errors (National Theatre), Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, Rosaline in Love’s Labour’s Lost, Perdita in The Winter’s Tale, Philemon in Pericles (RSC), Henry V (Regent’s Park) and Celia in As You Like It (Young Vic; New Vic, Newcastle-under-Lyme). 

Her other theatre credits include An Oak Tree (Young Vic); Privacy and The Man Who Had All the Luck (Donmar Warehouse, winning a Manchester Evening Standard Award); Cleansed, 50 Years of the National Theatre, London Assurance and England People Very Nice (National Theatre); The Crucible (RSC and West End); Before the Party (Almeida); In the Republic of Happiness and Tribes (Royal Court, winning an Offie and an Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress for Tribes); Light Shining in Buckinghamshire (Arcola); War on Terror, Two Cigarettes and 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover (Bush); The Promise (New Wimbledon Theatre); Beautiful Thing (Sound Theatre); Burial at Thebes (Nottingham Playhouse); and Blithe Spirit (Peter Hall Company, UK tour and Savoy Theatre). 

On TV she has appeared in Marcella (series 2), The Café (series 1, and series 2 as writer and performer) and Extras. Her film work includes Five Truths for the V&A. Her writing includes My Mark and Becoming (as writer and performer, Donmar Warehouse) and Sudden Loss of Dignity (Bush Theatre). She has worked across BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4, and is a regular panellist and speaker. 

Michelle is an Honorary Fellow of Cardiff University, Patron of Front Room Theatre and The Blakehay Theatre, and a Trustee of Pentabus Theatre Company.