Akhila Krishnan
Video & Projection Designer
Agent
Assistant
Biography
Akhila Krishnan is an award-winning designer & creative director working at intersection of live experience, technology, moving image and storytelling.
Originally trained in design and film at the Royal College of Art and the National Institute of Design in India, Akhila’s current practice explores the possibilities that technology offers to take story-telling beyond the screen, bringing it into lived spaces via shared experiences.
She was recently nominated for The Stage Award for Innovation (shared with Zoe Spurr and the company of The BFG) for her work on the show. Akhila was also the 2024-2025 Interdisciplinary Fellow at the RSC.
truly beautiful video projections from Akhila Krishnan, which vary from a whimsical Parisian skyline to fields of mustard seed in Mumbai
The Stage on Come Fall in Love: The DDLJ Musical (Manchester Opera House)
Akhila Krishnan’s epic video design
WhatsOnStage on Hamlet (Royal Shakespeare Company)
Akhila Krishnan’s videos conjure a myriad of atmospheric seas and skies
The Stage on The Wreckers (Glyndebourne)
Credits
Theatre
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
HAMLET 2026 |
Royal Shakespeare Company (UK Tour) |
Video Designer |
|
THE BFG 2025 |
Royal Shakespeare Company (Royal Shakespeare Theatre)/Chichester Festival Theatre |
Video Designer |
|
KYOTO 2025 |
Lincoln Center |
Video Designer |
|
GRACE PERVADES 2025 |
Theatre Royal Bath |
Video Designer |
|
COME FALL IN LOVE - THE DDLJ MUSICAL 2025 |
Manchester Opera House |
Video Designer |
|
SHANGHAI DOLLS 2025 |
Kiln Theatre |
Video Designer |
|
HAMLET 2025 |
Royal Shakespeare Company (Royal Shakespeare Theatre) |
Video Designer |
|
KYOTO 2025 |
@sohoplace/Royal Shakespeare Company (Swan Theatre) |
Video Designer |
|
DR STRANGELOVE 2024 |
Noel Coward Theatre/Playful Productions |
Video Designer |
|
WITHNAIL AND I 2024 |
Birmingham Rep |
Video Designer |
|
GRENFELL: IN THE WORDS OF SURVIVORS 2024 |
St Ann's Warehouse, New York |
Video Designer |
|
SINATRA 2023 |
Birmingham Rep |
Video Designer |
|
NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 2023 |
Pittsburgh CLO |
Video Designer |
|
GRENFELL: IN THE WORDS OF SURVIVORS 2023 |
National Theatre (Dorfman) |
Video Designer |
|
ASSASSINS 2023 |
Chichester Festival Theatre |
Video Designer |
|
MANDELA 2022 |
Young Vic (Main House) |
Video Designer |
|
COME FALL IN LOVE - THE DDLJ MUSICAL 2022 |
Old Globe, San Diego |
Video Designer |
|
CHASING HARES 2022 |
Young Vic (Main House) |
Video Designer |
|
OUR GENERATION 2022 |
National Theatre (Dorfman)/Chichester Festival Theatre |
Video Designer |
|
WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT? 2021 |
Birmingham Rep |
Video Designer |
|
THE TWO CHARACTER PLAY 2021 |
Hampstead Theatre |
Video Designer |
|
OLIVER TWIST 2020 |
Leeds Playhouse / Ramps on the Moon / UK Tour |
Projection Designer |
|
WHILE YOU ARE HERE 2019 |
Dance East/The Place |
Production Designer |
|
MAGGOT MOON 2019 |
Unicorn Theatre |
Projection Designer |
|
THE DISPUTE 2014 |
HiBrow Productions/Odeon Live Broadcast/Edinburgh Fringe |
Video Designer |
|
BRITTEN CANTICLES: STILL FALLS THE RAIN 2013 |
Brighton Festival/Aldeburgh |
Assistant Video Designer and Researcher |
In Development
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
THE BFG 2026 |
Esplanade Theatre Singapore/Royal Shakespeare Company |
Video Designer |
|
GRACE PERVADES 2026 |
Theatre Royal Haymarket |
Video Designer |
|
THE TEMPEST 2026 |
Royal Shakespeare Company (Royal Shakespeare Theatre) |
Video Designer |
|
SINATRA: THE MUSICAL 2026 |
Aldwych Theatre |
Video Designer |
Opera
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
JOCASTA'S LINE 2025 |
Den Norsk Opera & Ballet |
Video Design |
|
O FLOWER OF FIRE 2024 |
Staatsoper Hannover |
Video Designer |
|
THE HANDMAID'S TALE 2024 |
English National Opera |
Revival Production |
|
THE RHINEGOLD 2023 |
English National Opera/Metropolitan Opera |
Video Designer |
|
SAMSON ET DALILA 2022 |
Royal Opera House |
Video Designer |
|
DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG 2022 |
Vienna State Opera |
Video Designer |
|
THE WRECKERS 2022 |
Glyndebourne Festival |
Video Designer |
|
THE HANDMAID'S TALE 2022 |
English National Opera |
Video Designer |
|
SYLLABLE 2022 |
Theatre O/Trinity Laban |
Video Designer |
|
THE VALKYRIE 2021 |
English National Opera/Metropolitan Opera |
Video Designer |
|
8BIT 2021 |
Royal Opera House |
Artist Commission |
|
THE KNIFE OF DAWN 2020 |
Royal Opera House |
Video Designer |
|
GARDEN MUSIC 2011 |
Academy of St. Martins in the Fields |
Visual Artist |
|
AGAIN THE ROOM WAS PLUNGED INTO SILENCE 2010 |
Barbican Centre/MAP Project |
Visual Artist in collaboration with Rachael Perrin |
Associate Credits
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
SHADOW FACTORY 2018 |
Nuffield Southampton Theatres |
Video Designer (for 59 |
|
BLOOM 2017 |
Edinburgh International Festival |
Senior Designer (for 59 Productions) |
|
AN AMERICAN IN PARIS 2017 |
Dominion Theatre |
Associate Video Designer (for 59 |
|
SUKANYA 2017 |
Royal Opera House/Curve Alchemy Festival (Southbank) |
Lead Designer (for 59 Productions) |
|
BRIGADOON 2017 |
New York City Center |
Video Designer (for 59 Productions) |
|
MARNIE 2017 |
English National Opera/Metropolitan Opera |
Senior Designer (for 59 Productions) |
|
OSLO 2017 |
National Theatre/Harold Pinter Theatre |
UK Associate Video Designer |
|
THE NUTCRACKER 2016 |
Joffrey Ballet |
Creative Associate (for 59 Productions) |
|
AN AMERICAN IN PARIS 2016 |
Royal Variety Show |
Creative Associate (for 59 |
|
DEEP TIME 2016 |
Edinburgh International Festival |
Creative Associate & Line |
|
BOEING CENTENARY EVENT 2016 |
Boeing |
Line Producer (for 59 |
|
IN THE GOLDEN HOUR: WHEELDON TRIPLE BILL 2016 |
Royal Opera House |
Creative Associate (for 59 |
|
LIGHT FALLS 2015 |
World Science Festival |
Senior Assistant Designer |
|
SAY NO TO COAL 2015 |
Oxfam |
Senior Assistant Producer (for |
|
AN AMERICAN IN PARIS 2015 |
Palace Theatre, New York |
Senior Assistant Video Designer |
|
THE SHINING 2015 |
Minnesota Opera |
Creative Associate (for 59 |
|
THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE 2015 |
Liverpool Playhouse |
Creative Associate (for 59 |
|
LIGHTING THE SAILS 2014 |
Vivid Festival/Sydney Opera House |
Senior Assistant Designer & Line |
|
GREAT BRITAIN 2014 |
National Theatre/Harold Pinter Theatre |
Senior Assistant Video Designer |
|
THE DISPUTE 2014 |
Edinburgh Fringe/Odeon Live Broadcast/HiBrow Productions |
Video Designer (for 59 |
|
DIGITAL REVOLUTION 2014 |
Barbican |
Line Producer (for 59 |
|
AN AMERICAN IN PARIS 2014 |
Chatelet Theatre, Paris |
Senior Assistant Video Designer |
|
TWO BOYS 2013 |
English National Opera/Metropolitan Opera |
Senior Assistant Video Designer |
|
PERFECT AMERICAN 2013 |
Teatro Real, Madrid/English National Opera |
Assistant Video Designer (for 59 |
|
INTRODUCING THE BAROQUE 2013 |
Historic Royal Palaces |
Assistant Designer (for 59 |
|
NIGHT TRAIN 2013 |
Schauspiel Köln |
Assistant Video Designer (for 59 |
|
EMIL & THE DETECTIVES 2013 |
National Theatre |
Senior Assistant Video Designer |
|
ISLES OF WONDER (OLYMPIC OPENING CEREMONY) 2012 |
Danny Boyle/IOC |
Assistant Designer (for 59 |
Other
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
THE SOUND OF COLOUR: ARRIVALS 2024 |
ArtHouse Jersey |
Artist Commission |
|
POSTCARDS FROM OTHER WORLDS 2022 |
Storyfutures Academy |
Creative Lead |
|
SOUND OF COLOUR 2021 |
ArtHouse Jersey |
Artist Commission |
|
MAMMA MIA: THE PARTY 2019 |
O2 Arena |
Associate Video Designer |
|
UP NEXT GALA 2019 |
National Theatre |
Video Designer |
|
MA VLAST 2018 |
Czech Philharmonic |
Senior Video Designer |
|
METROPOLITAN OPERA'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY GALA 2017 |
Metropolitan Opera/59 Productions |
Associate Project Director |
|
BY ME: WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE 2017 |
Shakespeare 400/Somerset House |
Creative Associate |
|
CHINA THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS: MET BALL 2015 2015 |
Vogue/Anna Wintour/59 Productions |
Creative Associate |
|
GLOBAL GOALS LAUNCH 2015 |
United Nations/59 Productions |
Line Producer and Senior |
|
HARMONIUM 2015 |
Edinburgh International Festival (Opening Event)/59 Productions |
Line Producer |
|
SHAKESPEARE: GREATEST LIVING PLAYWRIGHT 2014 |
V&A Museum |
Video Designer |
Film
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
LIFESONGS 2021 |
Guildhall School of Music and Drama |
Film Director & Editor |
|
POD 2020 |
Guildhall School of Music and Drama |
Live Broadcast Director |
|
EARTH FROM SPACE 2015 |
United Nations/59 Productions |
Assistant Producer |
|
BROADCAST TITLE STINGS FOR OLYMPIC OPENING CEREMONY 2012 |
International Olympic Committee/59 Productions |
Art Director in collaboration with Molly Einchcomb |
Factual Entertainment
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
BAREFOOT ENRICHE 2019 |
Barefoot College/Positive Negatives |
Director & Designer |
|
TRANSFORM 2019 |
Peace Research Institute/Positive Negatives |
Director |
|
GRENFELL: OUR HOME 2018 |
Channel 4/ Parable Productions/59 Productions |
Lead Designer (for 59 Productions) |
|
STEVE REICH: CLAPPING MUSIC 2015 |
Touchpress/London Sinfonietta |
Senior Assistant Designer & DIT |
