Thea Sharrock

Thea Sharrock (born 1976) is an award-winning English theatre director. In 2001, when at age 24 she became artistic director of London's Southwark Playhouse, she was the youngest artistic director in British theatre. [British Theatre Guide interview 2003 [http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/otherresources/interviews/TheaSharrock.htm] ]

Her production of "Cloud Nine" played at the Almeida Theatre from 31 October to 8 December 2007. In 2008, she directed "Happy Now?" at the National Theatre, [National Theatre archive [http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/Happy%20Now+31797.twl] ,] before taking her 2007 West End revival of "Equus" to New York in 2008 with Daniel Radcliffe making his Broadway debut.

Background

Sharrock was born to two journalists in London, England, but spent part of her childhood living in Kenya. She attended the Anna Scher Theatre School from the age of nine.

After her secondary education, Sharrock spent a gap year working in theatre. She first worked in administration at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg (where she was also allowed to assistant direct on one production), before returning to the UK, where she worked as a PA at the NT studio.

She then read Philosophy and French at Corpus Christi, Oxford. While a student there, she was president of OUDS.

Sharrock is married to production manager Paul 'Handers' Handley, with whom she has a son, Mischa. [Evening Standard interview January 2008 [http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/theatre/article-23432325-details/Thea+Sharrock+is+a+National+star/article.do] ]

Career

After graduating from Oxford, Sharrock took the directors course at the Royal National Theatre, and worked as an assistant director on a number of productions at London Theatres and on tour.

In the summer of 2000, she won the James Menzies Kitchin Trust Award (JMK Trust Award), which allowed her to mount a production of "Top Girls" at the Battersea Arts Centre. The show was a success and toured the UK twice, before a brief run at a West End theatre.

She began her three year tenure at the Southwark Playhouse in January 2001. In addition to work at the Playhouse, she served as an associate director on the long-running West End production of "Art", directed works for the Royal National Theatre and English Touring Theatre, and began her association with the Peter Hall Company.

Sharrock left the Southwark Playhouse in late 2003, and became artistic director at the Gate Theatre in August 2004. She left this post in 2006, and had been widely tipped to take over at the Royal Court Theatre [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1694237,00.html] , although the post eventually went to Dominic Cooke.

She served on the selection panel for the 2005 Linbury Biennial Prize for Stage Design, and is now a JMK Award trustee.

Theatre credits

*"Arabian Nights" adapted by Dominic Cooke, Young Vic & UK tour (assistant director) 1998
*"Speed-the-Plow" by David Mamet, UK tour (assistant director) 2000; New Ambassadors, March 2000; Duke of York's, June 2000
*"Top Girls" by Caryl Churchill BAC 2 and tour, July 2000
*"Art" by Yasmina Reza, Wyndham's Theatre (associate director), 2001
*"The Sleeper’s Den" by Peter Gill, Southwark Playhouse, June 2001
*"Trip’s Cinch" by Phyllis Nagy, Southwark Playhouse, September 2002
*"Mongoose" by Peter Harness, Southwark Playhouse, April 2003
*"Free" (showcase) National Theatre, Lyttelton, 2003
*"The Fight For Barbara" by D. H. Lawrence, Theatre Royal, Bath, July 2003
*"Betrayal" by Harold Pinter, Theatre Royal, Bath (associate director), July 2003
*"The Deep Blue Sea" by Terence Rattigan, (starring Harriet Walter) Theatre Royal, Bath & UK tour 2003
*"Design For Living" by Noël Coward, Theatre Royal, Bath (associate director) 2003
*"A Doll's House" by Henrik Ibsen, Southwark Playhouse, 2003
*"Don Juan" by Moliere translated by Simon Nye, Theatre Royal, Bath, 2004
*"Blithe Spirit" by Noël Coward, Theatre Royal, Bath & Savoy Theatre, 2004 [http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/blithespiritsavoy-rev.htm]
*"Tejas Verdes" by Fermin Cabal, translated by Robert Shaw, Gate Theatre, January 2005 [http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/6088/tejas-verdes]
*"The Emperor Jones" by Eugene O'Neill, Gate Theatre, November 2005 [http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/10568/the-emperor-jones]
*"Private Lives" by Noël Coward, Theatre Royal, Bath, July 2005
*"Heroes" by Gerald Sibleyras, translated by Tom Stoppard. Wyndham’s Theatre, October 2005 [http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/heroes-rev.htm]
*"In Celebration of Harold Pinter", Gate Theatre (co-director), March 2006 [http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/12119/in-celebration-of-harold-pinter-a-kind-of]
*"Comedy With Coward" (masterclass) LAMDA, 2006
*"A Voyage Round My Father" by John Mortimer, Donmar Warehouse, June 2006 [http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/voyagefather-rev.htm] ; Wyndham's Theatre, September 2006
*"The Chairs" by Eugene Ionesco translated by Martin Crimp, Gate Theatre, November 2006 [http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/15036/the-chairs]
*"Equus" by Peter Shaffer, Gielgud Theatre, February 2007 [http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/equus-rev.htm]
*"Heroes" Geffen Playhouse, Los Angeles - April 2007 [http://www.curtainup.com/heroesla.html]
*"The Emperor Jones" by Eugene O'Neill, National Theatre, Olivier, August 2007 [http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/18100/the-emperor-jones]
*"Happy Now?" by Lucinda Coxon, National Theatre, Cottesloe, January 2008 [http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/happynow-rev.htm]

Radio credits

*"A Voyage Round My Father" John Mortimer – 2007 – BBC Radio Four
*"The Homecoming" Harold Pinter – 2007 – BBC Radio 3

References

*Theatre Record and its annual Indexes

External links

*ibdb name|id=478549|name=Thea Sharrock