Matthew Warchus
Matthew Warchus | |
---|---|
Bristol University | |
Occupations |
|
Notable work | Simpatico The Lord of the Rings Pride Matilda the Musical |
Title | Artistic Director of The Old Vic (2015–present) |
Spouse | Lauren Ward |
Children | 3 |
Awards |
Matthew Warchus (born 24 October 1966) is an English theatre director, filmmaker and dramaturg.[1][2] He has been the Artistic Director of London's The Old Vic since September 2015.[3]
Early life and education
Warchus grew up in
Career
Warchus has directed for the
]Productions include
His 1997 productions of
Warchus directed
In 2007 he directed
During the 2009 Broadway season, Warchus directed two productions. One was the critically lauded, 2009 Tony Award winner for Best Revival of a Play transfer of his Old Vic production of The Norman Conquests, for which he won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play. The other was the 2009 Tony Award winner for Best Play, Yasmina Reza's God of Carnage, for which Warchus won the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play.[7]
In 2010, Warchus directed the acclaimed
Warchus's production of
His film Pride was selected to be screened as part of the Directors' Fortnight section of the 2014 Cannes Film Festival,[9] where it won the Queer Palm award on 23 May 2014.
A film adaptation of
Artistic director of The Old Vic (2015 to present)
In May 2014 Warchus was appointed Artistic Director of The Old Vic in London,[10] succeeding Kevin Spacey.
His first season began in September 2015 directing a new play, Future Conditional by Tamsin Oglesby, starring Rob Brydon. In 2016 he also directed The Master Builder by Henrik Ibsen starring Ralph Fiennes, The Caretaker by Harold Pinter starring Timothy Spall, Daniel Mays and George Mackay, and the world premiere of the new musical Groundhog Day with book by Danny Rubin and music and lyrics by Tim Minchin.[11] The musical ran for 8 weeks from July to September 2016 before transferring to the August Wilson Theatre on Broadway from April to September 2017. The musical later returned to the Old Vic from May to August 2023 before playing at the Princess Theatre, Melbourne from January to April 2024.
His second season saw him direct the 20th anniversary revival of
For the 2017 Christmas season, Warchus directed a new adaptation of A Christmas Carol by Jack Thorne starring Rhys Ifans as Scrooge which has since returned to the Old Vic every year due to its popular demand starring Stephen Tompkinson, Paterson Joseph, Stephen Mangan, Owen Teale and Christopher Eccleston as Scrooge. It has also played the Lyceum Theatre, Broadway for the 2019 season a US tour in 2021 and the Comedy Theatre, Melbourne in 2022 and 2023.
In 2019 he directed a revival of
In 2020, Warchus was planned to direct
During the
In summer 2024, Warchus will direct The Constituent, a new political drama by Joe Penhall starring James Corden and Anna Maxwell Martin.
In January 2025, Warchus will co-direct with Hofesh Shechter a new adaptation of Oedipus by Ella Hickson starring Rami Malek and Indira Varma.
Personal life
Warchus is married to American actress Lauren Ward, who played the role of Miss Honey in the Stratford-upon-Avon, London, and Broadway productions of Matilda the Musical.[12] Ward and Warchus met when he directed her in the 2001 revival of Follies on Broadway.[13] They have three children.[14]
Filmography
- Simpatico (1999) (director, screenwriter, co-producer)
- Pride (2014) (director)
- Matilda the Musical (2022) (director)
Theatre credits
Awards and nominations
Olivier Awards
Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1996 | Best Director | Volpone and Henry V | Nominated |
1997 | Art | Nominated | |
1998 | Hamlet | Nominated | |
2012 | Matilda | Won | |
2017 | Groundhog Day | Nominated |
Tony Awards
Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1998
|
Best Direction of a Play | Art | Nominated |
2000
|
True West | Nominated | |
2008
|
Boeing-Boeing | Nominated | |
2009
|
The Norman Conquests | Nominated | |
God of Carnage | Won | ||
2013
|
Best Direction of a Musical | Matilda | Nominated |
2017
|
Groundhog Day | Nominated |
Drama Desk Awards
Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2001 | Outstanding Director of a Play | The Unexpected Man | Nominated |
2008 | Boeing-Boeing | Nominated | |
2009 | The Norman Conquests | Won | |
2013 | Outstanding Director of a Musical | Matilda | Nominated |
Outer Critics Circle Awards
Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1998 | Outstanding Director of a Play | Art | Nominated |
2009 | The Norman Conquests | Won | |
2017 | Outstanding Director of a Play | Groundhog Day | Nominated |
British Independent Film Awards
Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2014 | Best Director | Pride | Nominated |
References
- ^ Profile of Matthew Warchus in The New York Times
- ^ "Matthew Warchus Biography (1966-)". filmreference.com.
- ^ The Old Vic's new artistic director Matthew Warchus on succeeding Kevin Spacey, Fiona Mountford, Evening Standard, London, 1 September 2015. Retrieved: 6 October 2016.
- ^ Maxwell, Dominic (26 January 2024). "Matthew Warchus: meet the young man in charge of the Old Vic". Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ Wolf, Matt. "THEATER; A Miniaturist Fitting a Gem Into a Smaller New Setting". NY Times. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ Koltès, Bernard-Marie. "University of Bristol Drama Department puts on Roberto Zucco". www.bbc.co.uk. BBC. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ IBDb profile Archived 9 February 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Olivier Winner Bertie Carvel to Reprise Role as Evil Headmistress Miss Trunchbull in Matilda on Broadway". Broadway.com.
- Screendaily. Screen International.
- ^ "Matthew Warchus to replace Kevin Spacey at the Old Vic". The Stage. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
- ^ "Groundhog Day musical: Tim Minchin to write lyrics with Matilda collaborators also attached". independent.co.uk. The Independent. 6 April 2015. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
- ^ Billington, Michael (10 December 2010). "Matilda – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ Wolf, Matt. "THEATER; Wanted: American Actors With a Taste for Fish and Chips". NY Times. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ Healy, Patrick (22 July 2009). "After the Tony, Two Musical Encores". NY Times. Retrieved 26 January 2024.