Sean Holmes
Encyclopedia
Sean Holmes is a British theatre director and, from spring 2009, artistic director of London’s Lyric Hammersmith
.
in text and performance. He began his career as a trainee director at the Orange Tree Theatre
in Richmond in 1993.http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2002/jul/06/rsc.whoswhoinbritishtheatre
, directing Julius Caesar
, Measure for Measure
, Richard III
, The Roman Actor, A New Way to Please You and the Filter
theatre company co-production of Twelfth Night.
He has directed plays at the Donmar Warehouse
, the Old Vic
, the Royal Court
and other London theatres, including The Entertainer
, The English Game, The Man Who Had All the Luck, The Price, Look Back in Anger
, Moonlight and Magnolias and Pornography.
He was an associate director of the Oxford Stage Company (now Headlong
theatre company) from 2001 to 2006.
He directed the new stage adaptation of Treasure Island
, starring Keith Allen, which opened at the West End’s Theatre Royal Haymarket in November 2008. He directed a revival of Joe Orton
’s Loot
, starring Matt Di Angelo
, at the Tricycle Theatre
from December 2008.
In October 2008, it was announced that Holmes would take over from David Farr as artistic director of the Lyric Hammersmith
in spring 2009. At the time of his appointment, the chairman of the theatre's board, Sandy Orr, said: "Everyone knows that Sean is one of today’s outstanding theatre directors."
In 2011, the Lyric Hammersmith
won the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre for Holmes' production of Sarah Kane
's Blasted
.
In autumn 2011, he will direct the first London production in 27 years of Edward Bond
's Saved
at the Lyric Hammersmith
.
Lyric Hammersmith
The Lyric Theatre, also known as the Lyric Hammersmith, is a theatre on King Street, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, which takes pride in its original, "groundbreaking" productions....
.
Early career
Sean Holmes took a masters degree at King's College, London and the Royal Academy of Dramatic ArtRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art is a drama school located in London, United Kingdom. It is generally regarded as one of the most renowned drama schools in the world, and is one of the oldest drama schools in the United Kingdom, having been founded in 1904.RADA is an affiliate school of the...
in text and performance. He began his career as a trainee director at the Orange Tree Theatre
Orange Tree Theatre
The Orange Tree Theatre is a 172-seat theatre at 1 Clarence Street, Richmond in south west London, built specifically as a theatre in the round....
in Richmond in 1993.http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2002/jul/06/rsc.whoswhoinbritishtheatre
Theatre directing
Holmes has worked with the Royal Shakespeare CompanyRoyal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
, directing Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar (play)
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, also known simply as Julius Caesar, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1599. It portrays the 44 BC conspiracy against...
, Measure for Measure
Measure for Measure
Measure for Measure is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1603 or 1604. It was classified as comedy, but its mood defies those expectations. As a result and for a variety of reasons, some critics have labelled it as one of Shakespeare's problem plays...
, Richard III
Richard III (play)
Richard III is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1591. It depicts the Machiavellian rise to power and subsequent short reign of Richard III of England. The play is grouped among the histories in the First Folio and is most often classified...
, The Roman Actor, A New Way to Please You and the Filter
Filter Theatre
Filter Theatre is a British theatre company, specialising in the re-interpretation of class works, such as Three Sisters .-External links:*...
theatre company co-production of Twelfth Night.
He has directed plays at the Donmar Warehouse
Donmar Warehouse
Donmar Warehouse is a small not-for-profit theatre in the Covent Garden area of London, with a capacity of 251.-About:Under the artistic leadership of Michael Grandage, the theatre has presented some of London’s most memorable award-winning theatrical experiences, as well as garnered critical...
, the Old Vic
Old Vic
The Old Vic is a theatre located just south-east of Waterloo Station in London on the corner of The Cut and Waterloo Road. Established in 1818 as the Royal Coburg Theatre, it was taken over by Emma Cons in 1880 when it was known formally as the Royal Victoria Hall. In 1898, a niece of Cons, Lilian...
, the Royal Court
Royal Court Theatre
The Royal Court Theatre is a non-commercial theatre on Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is noted for its contributions to modern theatre...
and other London theatres, including The Entertainer
The Entertainer (play)
The Entertainer is a three act play by John Osborne, first produced in 1957. His first play, Look Back in Anger, had attracted mixed notices but a great deal of publicity. Having depicted an "angry young man" in the earlier play, Osborne wrote, at Laurence Olivier's request,about an angry middle...
, The English Game, The Man Who Had All the Luck, The Price, Look Back in Anger
Look Back in Anger
Look Back in Anger is a John Osborne play—made into films in 1959, 1980, and 1989 -- about a love triangle involving an intelligent but disaffected young man , his upper-middle-class, impassive wife , and her haughty best friend . Cliff, an amiable Welsh lodger, attempts to keep the peace...
, Moonlight and Magnolias and Pornography.
He was an associate director of the Oxford Stage Company (now Headlong
Headlong (group)
Headlong is a British theatre company noted for reworking plays of the past and commissioning new work. It was previously called Anvil Productions and then the Oxford Stage Company...
theatre company) from 2001 to 2006.
He directed the new stage adaptation of Treasure Island
Treasure Island
Treasure Island is an adventure novel by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, narrating a tale of "pirates and buried gold". First published as a book on May 23, 1883, it was originally serialized in the children's magazine Young Folks between 1881–82 under the title Treasure Island; or, the...
, starring Keith Allen, which opened at the West End’s Theatre Royal Haymarket in November 2008. He directed a revival of Joe Orton
Joe Orton
John Kingsley Orton was an English playwright.In a short but prolific career lasting from 1964 until his death, he shocked, outraged and amused audiences with his scandalous black comedies...
’s Loot
Loot (play)
Loot is a two-act play by the English playwright Joe Orton. The play is a dark farce that satirises the Roman Catholic Church, social attitudes to death, and the integrity of the police force....
, starring Matt Di Angelo
Matt Di Angelo
Matt Di Angelo in London, England is an English actor and singer.He is mostly known for playing fictional character Deano Wicks in the popular British soap EastEnders, and for his current role of Sean Kennedy in the BBC series Hustle.-Education:He attended Southgate School, and started studying...
, at the Tricycle Theatre
Tricycle Theatre
The Tricycle Theatre is located on Kilburn High Road in Kilburn in the London Borough of Brent, England. During the last 30 years, the Tricycle has been presenting plays reflecting the cultural diversity of its community; in particular Black, Irish, Jewish, Asian and South African works, as well as...
from December 2008.
In October 2008, it was announced that Holmes would take over from David Farr as artistic director of the Lyric Hammersmith
Lyric Hammersmith
The Lyric Theatre, also known as the Lyric Hammersmith, is a theatre on King Street, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, which takes pride in its original, "groundbreaking" productions....
in spring 2009. At the time of his appointment, the chairman of the theatre's board, Sandy Orr, said: "Everyone knows that Sean is one of today’s outstanding theatre directors."
In 2011, the Lyric Hammersmith
Lyric Hammersmith
The Lyric Theatre, also known as the Lyric Hammersmith, is a theatre on King Street, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, which takes pride in its original, "groundbreaking" productions....
won the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre for Holmes' production of Sarah Kane
Sarah Kane
Sarah Kane was an English playwright. Her plays deal with themes of redemptive love, sexual desire, pain, torture — both physical and psychological — and death. They are characterised by a poetic intensity, pared-down language, exploration of theatrical form and, in her earlier work, the use of...
's Blasted
Blasted
Blasted is the first play by British author Sarah Kane. It was first performed in 1995 at the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs in London. This performance was highly controversial and the play was fiercely attacked by most newspaper critics, many of whom regarded it as a rather immature attempt to...
.
In autumn 2011, he will direct the first London production in 27 years of Edward Bond
Edward Bond
Edward Bond is an English playwright, theatre director, poet, theorist and screenwriter. He is the author of some fifty plays, among them Saved , the production of which was instrumental in the abolition of theatre censorship in the UK...
's Saved
Saved (play)
Saved is a play written by Edward Bond, and was first produced at the Royal Court Theatre in November 1965. It was originally enacted privately, under "club" auspices, since the play was initially censored due largely to the infamous 'stoning of a baby' scene.The play itself is set in London during...
at the Lyric Hammersmith
Lyric Hammersmith
The Lyric Theatre, also known as the Lyric Hammersmith, is a theatre on King Street, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, which takes pride in its original, "groundbreaking" productions....
.