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Jamie Lloyd (director)

Jamie Lloyd (born 1980 in Poole, Dorset)[1] is a British director, best known for his work with his eponymous theatre company The Jamie Lloyd Company.[2][3][4] He is known for his modern minimalism and expressionist directorial style.[5][6][7][8] He is a proponent of affordable theatre for young and diverse audiences, and has been praised as "redefining West End theatre".[9] The Daily Telegraph critic Dominic Cavendish wrote of Lloyd, "Few directors have Lloyd’s ability to transport us to the upper echelons of theatrical pleasure."[10]

Jamie Lloyd
Born
Jamie Lloyd

Poole, Dorset
OccupationDirector
Years active1985–present

Memorable productions include the West End and Broadway revival of Betrayal (2019) with Tom Hiddleston and Zawe Ashton, the West End production of The Seagull (2020-2021) with Emilia Clarke, the Brooklyn Academy of Music's production of Cyrano de Bergerac (2022) with James McAvoy, and the Broadway revival of A Doll's House (2023) with Jessica Chastain. In the past year, he has produced the acclaimed reimagining of Sunset Boulevard with Nicole Scherzinger, the winner of seven Olivier Awards, and Romeo and Juliet with Tom Holland and Francesca Amewudah-Rivers.

Early life and education

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Jamie Lloyd was born in Poole, Dorset in 1980.[11] Lloyd had been studying at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts before deciding he wanted to direct.[12]

Career

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2006–2012

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Lloyd's first main house production was Harold Pinter's The Caretaker at the Sheffield Crucible, which started a fruitful relationship with the playwright.[13] Lloyd has been heralded as a major Pinter interpreter.[14] He directed a Pinter double-bill in the West End - The Lover and The Collection - in 2008 before Michael Grandage appointed him as an associate director of the Donmar Warehouse.[15]

Lloyd was the associate director of the Donmar Warehouse[16] from 2008 to 2011, where his 2008 production of Piaf transferred to the West End and to Buenos Aires and his 2010 production of Passion won the Evening Standard Award for Best Musical.[17] He was also an Associate Artist at theatre company Headlong,[18] for whom he directed an anarchic production of Oscar Wilde's Salome.[19] In 2008 he directed The Pride at the Royal Court, for which he won the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre.[20] Seen as a 'wunderkind of London theatre',[13] he was named a Rising Star by the Daily Telegraph in 2009.[21]

2013–2018

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In 2013, The Jamie Lloyd Company was launched with the Ambassador Theatre Group.[22] With this company, he presented a season of work in 2013 as artistic director at Trafalgar Studios.[23] The first season featured three productions: a revival of The Pride (which also went on a short UK tour), The Hothouse starring Simon Russell Beale and John Simm, and Macbeth, starring James McAvoy and Claire Foy, which received an Olivier nomination for Best Revival. A second Trafalgar Transformed season opened in July 2014 with Richard III starring Martin Freeman, East is East, and The Ruling Class, again starring James McAvoy.[24] Lloyd directed the musical Assassins at the Menier Chocolate Factory in 2014 and was nominated for the Evening Standard award for Best Director.[citation needed] Lloyd has worked frequently with McAvoy since 2009, a relationship that began with a production of Richard Greenberg's Three Days of Rain at the Apollo Theatre. More recently, McAvoy starred in a radio version of Heart of Darkness, which Lloyd directed and adapted for BBC Radio 4. He completed a run of the Olivier Award-winning Cyrano de Bergerac with Lloyd in February 2020.[25][26]

In 2015, Lloyd directed Harold Pinter's The Homecoming starring Gemma Chan and John Simm. The following year he directed a new adaptation of The Maids by Jean Genet, starring Uzo Aduba, Zawe Ashton, and Laura Carmichael, both at Trafalgar Studios.[15] This was followed by Doctor Faustus in the Duke of York's Theatre starring Kit Harington.[27][15] Every ticket for Monday performances of The Jamie Lloyd Company were priced at £15.[28] In 2018, Lloyd announced 'Pinter at the Pinter' a revolutionary sixth month long season of all of Harold Pinter's one act and short plays staged on the tenth anniversary of his death at The Harold Pinter Theatre. In the season, Lloyd directed: One for the Road; A New World Order; Mountain Language; the newly discovered The Pres and an Officer; The Lover; The Collection; Landscape; A Kind of Alaska; Monologue; Party Time; Celebration; The Dumb Waiter; and A Slight Ache, amongst many of Pinter's poems and speeches.

2019–present

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Lloyd directed a production of Evita in Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in 2019, which received two Olivier Award nominations, including one for Best Musical Revival. This production also won Lloyd the Whatsonstage Award for Best Director and was due to transfer to the Barbican Theatre in 2020 before the closure of British theatres due to COVID-19.[29] In 2012 Lloyd directed a critically acclaimed, 'turbo-charged'[30] production of She Stoops to Conquer at the National Theatre, and The Duchess of Malfi at The Old Vic starring Eve Best.[31] In 2013 he directed The Commitments in the Palace Theatre, West End (which then went on a UK Tour),[32] followed by Urinetown at the St. James Theatre, which transferred to the Apollo Theatre in the West End.[33]

The Pinter at the Pinter season culminated with a revival of Betrayal starring Tom Hiddleston, Zawe Ashton, and Charlie Cox. The production received rave reviews with critic Matt Wolf remarking that the production "represents a benchmark achievement for everyone involved, and shows Pinter’s 1978 play in a revealing, even radical, new light." This production transferred to the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on Broadway for a limited run from August 2019. Lloyd was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play at the 2020 Tony Awards, along with Hiddleston who was nominated for Best Actor in a Play and the production received a nomination for Best Revival of a Play. Lloyd was also nominated for the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Director; the production received an Outer Critics Circle nomination for Outstanding Revival of a Play, and the same nomination from the Drama League Awards.[34][35] Ben Brantley in The New York Times called it 'one of those rare shows I seem destined to think about forever.'[36][37][38]

In 2019, Lloyd announced that he would be directing and producing a season of three plays at the Playhouse Theatre with The Jamie Lloyd Company. The season consisted of Cyrano de Bergerac with James McAvoy in a new version by Martin Crimp, The Seagull starring Emilia Clarke in a version by Anya Reiss, and A Doll's House starring Jessica Chastain. His production of Cyrano de Bergerac earned five Olivier Award nominations, including one for Best Director for Lloyd, Best Actor for McAvoy, and won Best Revival.[39][40] He also won the Critic's Circle Award jointly for his productions of Betrayal, Evita and Cyrano, and was nominated for a South Bank Sky Arts Award for Cyrano de Bergerac.[41][42] Cyrano also was due to transfer to New York in 2020, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music before American theatres closed due to COVID-19. As part of the Playhouse Season, the Jamie Lloyd Company committed to a wide-ranging outreach programme, giving 15,000 tickets away for free to each production to first time theatre goers, and with a further 15,000 £15 seats to young and low-income audience members.[43]

Lloyd directed a Broadway revival of the Henrik Ibsen play A Doll's House starring Jessica Chastain and Arian Moayed at the Hudson Theatre in New York. The production ran from March 9 through June 10. For his work he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play.[44] That same year he directed a revival of the musical Sunset Boulevard starring Nicole Scherzinger as Norma Desmond at the Savoy Theatre in the West End. The production ran from September 18 to January 6.[45] Lloyd also directed the Lucy Prebble play The Effect both for the National Theatre in 2023 and The Shed in 2024.[46] In 2024, it was announced that Lloyd's next production for West End was Romeo and Juliet, with Tom Holland playing Romeo. The 12-week limited run began in May.[47]

Upcoming projects

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In September 2024, his production of Sunset Boulevard transferred to the St. James Theatre on Broadway with Nicole Scherzinger reprising her role as Norma Desmond.

On 30 July 2024, it was announced that Lloyd would direct a Shakespeare season at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, returning Shakespeare's work to the venue for the first time since 1957. The season will begin with The Tempest, starring Sigourney Weaver as Prospero, from December 7 to February 1, before including Much Ado About Nothing, starring Tom Hiddleston as Benedick and Hayley Atwell as Beatrice, from February 10 to April 5.[48]

Recognition and style

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In 2014, Lloyd was named the 20th Most Powerful Person in British Theatre by The Stage in its annual Stage 100 list. He was the youngest director to break into the list since Sam Mendes.[49] Following this, in 2020, Lloyd was named the 9th most influential person in British Theatre in the prestigious Stage 100 list. He was the highest placed director on the list. The Guardian noted him as being known for his "bold and minimalist productions".[50]

Credits

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The Jamie Lloyd Company

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Broadway

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Other work

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Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Nominee Result Ref.
2020 Tony Awards Best Direction of a Play Betrayal Nominated [57]
2023 A Doll's House Nominated
2008 Laurence Olivier Awards Best Musical Revival Piaf Nominated
Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre The Pride Won
2009 Best Revival Three Days of Rain Nominated
2010 Best Musical Revival Passion Nominated
2013 Best Revival Macbeth Nominated
2020 Best Revival Cyrano de Bergerac Won
Best Director Nominated
Best Musical Revival Evita Nominated
2024 Best Director Sunset Boulevard Won
Best Musical Revival Won
2010 Evening Standard Award Best Musical Revival Passion Nominated
2019 Best Musical Revival Evita Won
2019 Best Director Betrayal Nominated
2023 Best Director Sunset Boulevard Won
2020 Drama League Award Outstanding Revival of a Play Betrayal Nominated
2022 Outstanding Direction of a Play Cyrano de Bergerac Nominated [58]
2020 Outer Critics Circle Award Best Director Evita, Betrayal, and Cyrano de Bergerac Nominated
2020 South Bank Sky Arts Award Cyrano de Bergerac Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "Portrait of the artist: Jamie Lloyd, director". www.theguardian.com. 12 September 2011. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  2. ^ "Portrait of the artist: Jamie Lloyd, director". The Guardian. 12 September 2011.
  3. ^ Curtis, Nick (23 February 2016). "Jamie Lloyd: 'If you want a more diverse audience, that has to be reflected on the stage'". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  4. ^ "Olivier Awards 2020 with Mastercard - Theatre's Biggest Night".
  5. ^ O'Hanlon, Don (8 June 2016). "Interview with The Maids director Jamie Lloyd". London Theatre Guide. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  6. ^ Cavendish, Dominic. "Assassins, Menier Chocolate Factory, review: 'darkly entertaining'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  7. ^ Hewis, Ben. "Jamie Lloyd: "Theatre shouldn't be just a good night out"". Whatsonstage. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  8. ^ Curtis, Nick (2 October 2014). "Jamie Lloyd: The Playmaker". The Evening Standard. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  9. ^ Curtis, Nick (2 October 2014). "Jamie Lloyd: the Playmaker". Evening Standard. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  10. ^ Cavendish, Dominic. "The Ruling Class, Trafalgar Studios, review: 'McAvoy's performance is one of the year's must-sees'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
  11. ^ "Portrait of the artist: Jamie Lloyd, director". www.theguardian.com. 12 September 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  12. ^ "With working-class candour, Jamie Lloyd is making theatrical waves on both sides of the Atlantic". The Independent. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  13. ^ a b Curtis, Nick (2 October 2014). "Jamie Lloyd: The Playmaker". The Evening Standard. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  14. ^ Cheesman, Neil (18 September 2015). "Jamie Lloyd to direct The Homecoming by Harold Pinter". LondonTheatre1. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  15. ^ a b c Hewis, Ben. "Jamie Lloyd: "Theatre shouldn't be just a good night out"". Whatsonstage. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  16. ^ "Staff". Donmar Warehouse. Archived from the original on 15 December 2010. Retrieved 2 March 2011.
  17. ^ "Evening Standard Theatre Awards celebrate a year of high emotion on stage". thisislondon.co.uk. 29 November 2010. Archived from the original on 1 January 2012.
  18. ^ "About us". headlongtheatre.co.uk. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011.
  19. ^ "Salome". Headlong. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  20. ^ "The Pride at The Royal Court Theatre". royalcourttheatre.com.
  21. ^ Interview by Mark Monahan 11:37AM GMT 31 December 2008 (31 December 2008). "Stars who will shine in 2009 - Theatre: Jamie Lloyd". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2 March 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ "ATG announces the launch of Jamie Lloyd productions". ATGTickets.com. 13 August 2012.
  23. ^ "Error - The Jamie Lloyd Company".
  24. ^ Monahan, Mark (4 April 2014). "Martin Freeman to play Richard III in London's West End". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  25. ^ Fullerton, Huw. "James McAvoy: We shouldn't do away with the BBC – even if it could be better at diversity". The Radio Times. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  26. ^ Benedict, David (11 February 2009). "Review: Three Days of Rain". Variety. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  27. ^ "DOCTOR FAUSTUS". The Jamie Lloyd Company. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  28. ^ "ABOUT THE JAMIE LLOYD COMPANY". The Jamie Lloyd Company. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  29. ^ "& Juliet wins six prizes at WhatsOnStage awards". TheGuardian.com. March 2020.
  30. ^ Walker, Tim. "She Stoops to Conquer, at National Theatre, Seven magazine review". The Telegraph. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  31. ^ Billington, Michael (28 March 2012). "Duchess of Malfi: review". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  32. ^ "The Commitments". The Commitments on Tour. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  33. ^ Billington, Michael (11 March 2014). "Urinetown – review: the Spend-a-Penny Opera that's a welcome relief". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  34. ^ "Drama League announces 2020 winners". 18 June 2020.
  35. ^ "Moulin Rouge! Tops 2020 Outer Critics Circle Award Honors".
  36. ^ Brantley, Ben (6 September 2019). "Review: Tom Hiddleston in a Love Triangle Undone by 'Betrayal'". The New York Times.
  37. ^ Paulson, Michael (27 June 2019). "Tom Hiddleston to Star in Broadway Revival of 'Betrayal'". The New York Times.
  38. ^ "Tony Awards 2020: Full List of Nominations". 15 October 2020.
  39. ^ "Olivier Awards 2020: Full list of nominations". 3 March 2020.
  40. ^ "Sharon D Clarke and Andrew Scott win top acting prizes at Oliviers". 25 October 2020.
  41. ^ "Cyrano de Bergerac, Life of Pi and Standing at the Sky's Edge nominated for South Bank Sky Arts Awards | WhatsOnStage".
  42. ^ "Critics' Circle Theatre Awards 2020 Winners Announced". 11 February 2020.
  43. ^ "James McAvoy to play Cyrano de Bergerac in new Jamie Lloyd West End season".
  44. ^ "A Doll's House (Broadway, 2023)". Playbill. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  45. ^ "Dates Set for Jamie Lloyd-Directed West End Sunset Boulevard Revival". Playbill. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  46. ^ "The Effect". National Theatre. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  47. ^ Lang, Brent (6 February 2024). "Tom Holland Starring in London West End Revival of 'Romeo and Juliet'". Variety. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  48. ^ Bamigboye, Baz (30 July 2024). "Breaking Baz: Sigourney Weaver Conjures Spells For West End Debut As Prospero, Joining Tom Hiddleston & Hayley Atwell In A Season Of Shakespeare Directed By 'Sunset Boulevard's' Jamie Lloyd At Theatre Royal Drury Lane This Winter". Deadline. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  49. ^ "Stage 100 power list hails theatre director Jamie Lloyd as 'new Sam Mendes'". The Independent.
  50. ^ "On my radar: Jamie Lloyd's cultural highlights". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  51. ^ "The Maids - Projects - The Jamie Lloyd Company".
  52. ^ "The Homecoming - Projects - The Jamie Lloyd Company". Archived from the original on 19 August 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
  53. ^ "Jamie Lloyd on Twitter".
  54. ^ "Doctor Faustus". Best of Theatre. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  55. ^ "St James confirms UK premiere of Urinetown". whatsonstage.com. Whats on Stage. 16 September 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  56. ^ "Roddy Doyle's "The Commitments" finally made into musical". Reuters. Reuters. 23 April 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
  57. ^ Libbey, Peter (15 October 2020). "Full List of the 2020 Tony Award Nominees". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  58. ^ "2022 Drama League Awards | Drama League Awards". 25 April 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
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