in 2013, she performed at the national theatre in its production of simon stephens' "port". writing in "the guardian", maddy costa noted: "as rachael […], she grew from a mouthy 11-year-old to a downtrodden but resilient 24-year-old – and in the process transformed from a relative unknown to a star in the making". her performance won her the critics' circle's jack tinker award for most promising newcomer (other than a playwright). she returned to the national theatre, playing jo in its 2014 production of shelagh delaney's "a taste of honey".