Colin Grenfell
Lighting Designer
Biography
Colin has been lighting shows and performances for over 20 years, beginning his career with the Improbable Theatre Company. His first productions were 70 HILL LANE and ANIMO and these marked the start of a long collaboration; designing the lighting for shows touring the UK and around the world, including THEATRE OF BLOOD (National theatre), THE HANGING MAN (West Yorkshire Playhouse) LIFEGAME (National Theatre, UK Tour, La Jolla Playhouse, Off Broadway, Brisbane, US Tours) SPIRIT (Royal Court, UK, US Tours, Sydney Opera House,New York Theatre Workshop. For the National Theatre of Scotland, BLACK WATCH, THE BACCHAE, 365, and MEN SHOULD WEEP, THE ELEPHANT MAN, A DOLL’S HOUSE, THE RISE AND FALL OF LITTLE VOICE, STEEL MAGNOLIAS, EQUUS (Dundee Rep), PANDAS (Traverse Theatre), BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, HANSEL AND GRETEL (Citizens Theatre) and numerous shows on the fringe for the festival. Colin has been a regular lighting designer at Opera Holland Park, lighting 30 operas there in the last ten years. Other work includes THE CARETAKER (Everyman Liverpool, West End, Adelaide Festival, US Tour) THE VILLAGE SOCIAL (National Theatre of Wales), RIFLEMIND, ALEX (West End), THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY, WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING (Almeida Theatre), THIEF OF BAGHDAD (Royal Opera House).
Colin won the Wales Theatre Awards 2017 Best Lighting Award for Theatr Clwyd’s CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF.
Credits
Theatre
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT 2025 |
Sylvian Productions |
Traverse Theatre, and Scotland Tour |
|
TWO SISTERS 2024 |
Royal Lyceum Edinburgh, Malmo |
Dir. David Greig |
|
LA BOHEME 2024 |
Longborough Festival Opera |
Dir. Sarah Fahie |
|
ESCAPED ALONE 2024 |
Tron Theatre |
Dir. Joanna Bowman |
|
TREASURE ISLAND 2024 |
Royal Lyceum Edinburgh | |
|
WOLFIE 2023 |
Tron Theatre |
Dir. Joanna Bowman |
|
ADULTS 2023 |
Traverse Theatre |
Dir. Roxana Silbert |
|
EDUCATING RITA 2023 |
Perth Theatre |
Dir. Martin McCormick |
|
THE TIME MACHINE 2023 |
Original Theatre |
New Wolsley Theatre, Ipswich |
|
LEOPARDS 2022 |
Rose Theatre, Kingston |
Dir. Chris Haydon |
|
MEDEA 2022 |
National Theatre of Scotland |
Edinburgh International Festival |
|
CINDERELLA 2022 |
Dundee Rep Theatre |
Dir. Jemima Levick |
|
THIS IS PARADISE 2022 |
Traverse Theatre |
Dir. Michael John O’Neill |
|
Oh When The Saints! 2022 |
Perth Theatre |
Dir. Michael McCormick |
|
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE *SORT OF 2021 |
David Pugh Ltd |
West End, Criterion Theatre |
|
CHRISTMAS DINNER 2021 |
Royal Lyceum Edinburgh | |
|
RODELINDA 2021 |
Royal College of Music |
Dir. Jo Davies |
|
STILL 2021 |
Traverse Theatre |
Dir. Gareth Nicholls |
|
THE KING OF HELL'S PALACE 2019 |
Hampstead Theatre |
Dir. Michael Boyd |
|
MACBETH 2019 |
Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester |
Dir. Christopher Haydon |
|
TAO OF GLASS 2019 |
Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester |
Co-Directors: Phelim McDermott and Kirsty Housley |
|
ON THE EXHALE 2018 |
China Plate & Audible in association with New Theatre Royal Portsmouth |
Dir. Christopher Haydon |
|
THE CHERRY ORCHARD 2018 |
Bristol Old Vic & Manchester Royal Exchange |
Dir. Michael Boyd |
|
CHRISTMAS EVE 2018 |
Theatre Royal Bath |
Dir. Laurence Boswell |
|
TROUBLE IN MIND 2017 |
Print Room at the Coronet/Theatre Royal Bath |
Dir Laurence Boswell |
|
THE MENTOR 2017 |
Theatre Royal Bath and Nica Burns |
Dir: Laurence Boswell. Ustinov Studio, Theatre Royal Bath and Vaudeville Theatre, West End |
|
UNTOLD STORIES 2016 |
The Watermill |
Dir: Tom Attenborough |
|
THE MOTHER 2016 |
Theatre Royal Bath |
presented by the Tricycle Theatre |
|
FOREVER YOURS, MARIE LOU 2016 |
Theatre Royal, Bath | |
|
CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF 2016 |
Theatr Clywd |
Dir: Robert Hastie |
|
BRAVE NEW WORLD 2015 |
Royal and Derngate, Northampton |
Dir: James Dacre |
|
THE TEMPEST 2015 |
Northern Stage Company |
Dir: Phelim McDermott |
|
THE MOTHER 2015 |
Theatre Royal Bath |
Dir Laurence Boswell |
|
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 2015 |
Oneofus/Improbable/Adelaide Festival 2015 |
Dir: Phelim McDermott |
|
THE TYPIST 2015 |
Kam-Ri Dance Theatre |
Co-Directors: Kerieva McCormick & Ben Harrison |
|
LOVE, LOSS AND CHIANTI 2015 |
Chichester Festival Theatre, Minerva Theatre |
Dir: Jason Morrell |
|
THE DEVIL MASTERS 2014 |
Traverse Theatre |
Dir: Orla O’Loughlin |
|
DEBUSSY PELLEAS ET MELISANDE 2014 |
Philharmonia Orchestra |
Conductor: Esa-Pekka Salonen |
|
THE CRUCIBLE 2014 |
West Yorkshire Playhouse |
Dir: James Brining |
|
SPOILING 2014 |
Traverse Theatre |
Dir: Orla O’Loughlin |
|
LETTERS HOME 2014 |
Grid Iron | |
|
NORMA/ADRIANA LECOUVRER 2014 |
Opera Holland Park | |
|
STEVIE 2014 |
Chichester Festival Theatre, Minerva Theatre |
Dir: Christopher Morahan |
|
THE ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO 2014 |
Guildhall School of Music and Drama |
by Jonathan Dove |
|
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 2013 |
Improbable/UK Tour/Young Vic |
Dir. Phelim McDermott |
|
The Selfish Giant 2013 |
Edinburgh Festival Theatre |
Wee Stories Theatre |
|
IDEAL WORLD SEASON 2013 |
Watford Palace Theatre |
3 new plays |
|
I GIOIELLI DELLA MADONNA 2013 |
Opera Holland Park |
Dir. Martin Lloyd-Evans |
|
L'ELISIR D'AMORE 2013 |
Opera Holland Park |
Dir. Pia Furtado |
|
THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE 2013 |
Scottish Opera/D'Oyly Carte |
Dir. Martin Lloyd-Evans |
|
BLUE REMEMBERED HILLS 2013 |
Northern Stage/UK Tour |
Dir. Psyche Stott |
|
THURSDAY 2013 |
Brink/ETT |
Dir. Chris Drummond |
|
AMERICAN JUSTICE 2013 |
Arts Theatre |
Dir. Lisa Forrell |
|
THE SNOW QUEEN 2012 |
Dundee Rep |
Dir. Jemima Levick |
|
BLACK WATCH 2012 |
National Theatre of Scotland |
USA & South Korea Tour |
|
MILL LAVVIES/SHE TOWN 2012 |
Dundee Rep |
Dir. Andrew Panton/Jemima Levick |
|
MONKEY BARS 2012 |
Chris Goode and Company |
Dir. Chris Goode. Traverse Edinburgh/Unicorn Theatre, London/National Tour. Fringe First Award. |
|
COSI FAN TUTTE 2012 |
Opera Holland Park |
Dir. Harry Fehr |
|
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR 2012 |
Opera Holland Park |
Dir. Olivia Fuchs |
|
GIANNI SCHICCHI/ZANETTO 2012 |
Opera Holland Park |
Dir. Martin Lloyd-Evans |
|
THE STEAMIE 2012 |
Neil Laidlaw Productions |
Dir. Tony Roper |
|
THE CARETAKER 2012 |
His Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide/The Curran, San Francisco/The Southern, Columbus/BAM |
Dir. Christopher Morahan |
|
HORSE PISS FOR BLOOD 2012 |
Plymouth Drum |
Dir. Simon Stokes |
|
STEEL MAGNOLIAS 2012 |
Dundee Rep |
Dir. Jemima Levick |
|
HANSEL AND GRETEL 2011 |
Glasgow Citizens' |
Dir. Guy Hollands |
|
THE VILLAGE SOCIAL 2011 |
National Theatre Wales |
Created by Dafydd James and Ben Lewis |
|
MEN SHOULD WEEP 2011 |
National Theatre of Scotland |
Dir. Graham McLaren. Citizens Glasgow and Tour. |
|
TARTUFFE 2011 |
ETT |
Dir. Gemma Bodinetz |
|
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO 2011 |
Opera Holland Park |
Dir. Liam Steele |
|
LA RONDINE 2011 |
Opera Holland Park |
Dir. Tom Hawkes |
|
RITA/IOLANTA 2011 |
Guildhall School of Music and Drama | |
|
MACBETH 2011 |
Liverpool Everyman |
Dir. Gemma Bodinetz |
|
PANDAS 2011 |
Traverse |
Dir. Rebecca Gatward |
|
PICCARD IN SPACE 2011 |
Southbank Centre |
Dir. Jude Kelly |
|
A DOLL'S HOUSE 2011 |
Dundee Rep |
Dir. Jemima Levick |
|
FAITH AND COLD READING 2011 |
Live Theatre |
Dir. Jonathan Moore |
|
BLACK WATCH 2010 |
National Theatre of Scotland |
National Tour |
|
FALSTAFF 2010 |
Mid-Wales Opera | |
|
NO IDEA 2010 |
Improbable Theatre/Young Vic | |
|
THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY 2010 |
Almeida Theatre |
Dir. Jenny Worton |
|
FIDELIO 2010 |
Opera Hollland Park | |
|
DON GIOVANNI 2010 |
Opera Holland Park | |
|
CARMEN 2010 |
Opera Holland Park | |
|
PELLÉAS ET MÉLISANDE 2010 |
Opera Holland Park | |
|
CANARY 2010 |
Liverpool Everyman/Hampstead Theatre |
Dir. Hettie McDonald |
|
THE GLASS MENAGERIE 2010 |
Salisbury Playhouse/Shared Experience |
Dir. Polly Teale |
|
EQUUS 2010 |
Dundee Rep | |
|
THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE 2010 |
Edinburgh Lyceum |
Dir. Tony Cownie |
|
I AM YUSUF AND THIS IS MY BROTHER 2010 |
Young Vic |
Dir. Amir Nizar Zuabi |
|
THE CARETAKER 2010 |
Trafalgar Studios |
Dir. Christopher Morahan |
|
THE CARETAKER 2009 |
Liverpool Everyman Theatre |
Dir. Christopher Morahan |
|
WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING 2009 |
Almeida |
Dir. Michael Attenborough |
|
FUNNY 2009 |
Reeling & Writhing / Edinburgh Fringe Festival |
Dir. Katherine Morley |
|
LA BOHEME 2009 |
Opera Holland Park |
Dir. Elaine Kidd |
|
KATA KABANOVA 2009 |
Opera Holland Park |
Dir. Olivia Fuchs |
|
QUEEN BEE 2009 |
New Writing North |
Dir. Wils Wilson |
|
UN BALLO IN MASCHERA 2009 |
Opera Holland Park |
Dir. Martin Lloyd Evans |
|
ORPHEUS IN THE UNDERWORLD 2009 |
Opera Holland Park |
Dir. Tom Hawkes |
|
PANIC 2009 |
Improbable Theatre | |
|
BABY BABY 2009 |
Stellar Quines Theatre Company |
Dir. Jemima Levick |
|
THE THIEF OF BAGHDAD 2008 |
Royal Opera House |
Dir. Will Tuckett |
|
RIFLEMIND 2008 |
Trafalgar Studios |
Dir. Philip Seymour Hoffman |
|
PANIC 2008 |
Improbable Theatre | |
|
LA VIE PARISIENNE 2008 |
Guildhall | |
|
SINGLE SPIES by Alan Bennett 2008 |
Theatre Royal Bath | |
|
365 2008 |
National Theatre of Scotland | |
|
OUT OF TIME 2008 |
Dublin Festival, Madrid | |
|
TOUCHED by Stephen Lowe 2008 |
Salisbury Playhouse |
Dir. Rebecca Gatward |
|
IL TROVATORE/LA FILLE DU REGIMENT 2008 |
Opera Holland Park |
Dir. Will Kerley |
|
MINE 2008 |
Hampstead Theatre |
Written & Directed by Polly Teale |
|
CASANOVA 2007 |
Told By an Idiot/West Yorkshire Playhouse | |
|
ANIMO 2007 |
Minneapolis WAC | |
|
COSI FAN TUTTI / RIGOLETTO / QUEEN OF SPADES / MERRY WIDOW 2007 |
Opera Holland Park | |
|
SILVER BIRCH HOUSE 2007 |
Arcola Theatre |
Dir. Mehmet Ergen |
|
BLACK WATCH 2007 |
US and World Tour |
Dir. John Tiffany |
|
THE BACCHAE 2007 |
Edinburgh International Festival for the National Theatre of Scotland |
Dir. John Tiffany |
|
ALEX 2007 |
Arts Theatre |
Dir. Phelim McDermott |
|
BLACK WATCH 2007 |
National Theatre of Scotland/UK Tour |
Dir. John Tiffany |
|
TOM'S MIDNIGHT GARDEN 2007 |
Library Theatre, Manchester |
Dir. Roger Haines |
|
LAKME and IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA 2007 |
Opera Holland Park | |
|
ENJOY 2007 |
Watford Palace Theatre |
Dir. Christopher Luscombe |
|
A CHRISTMAS CAROL 2007 |
Chickenshed Theatre Co. | |
|
SOAP 2007 |
Royal and Derngate, Northampton |
Dir. Laurie Sansom |
|
CAPRICCIO 2007 |
Guildhall | |
|
RABBIT 2006 |
Old Red Lion and Trafalgar Studios, West End |
Dir. Nina Raine |
|
THE ATHEIST 2007 |
Theatre 503 |
Dir. Ari Edelson |
|
2GRAVES 2006 |
The Arts Theatre |
Dir. Yvonne McDevitt |
|
TANGLE 2006 |
UK tour |
devised by Unlimited Theatre |
|
UNPROTECTED 2006 |
The Traverse Theatre |
Dir. Nina Raine |
|
BLACK WATCH 2006 |
National Theatre of Scotland at The Traverse Theatre |
Dir. John Tiffany |
|
70 HILL LANE 1996 |
Improbable Theatre/UK Tour | |
|
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM 2003 |
British Youth Opera |
Dir. Martin Lloyd Evans |
|
ALADDIN AND THE ENCHANTED LAMP 2005 |
Bristol Old Vic |
Dir. Alita Collins |
|
BETWEEN THE NOTES 2002 |
Battersea Arts Centre |
Dir. Niall Ashdown |
|
BODY TALK 1997 |
The Royal Court |
Dir. Stephen Daldry |
|
BOTTLE 2000 |
Battersea Arts Centre |
Dir. Guy Dartnall |
|
BYE BYE BIRDIE 2005 |
Guildhall School of Music & Drama |
Dir. Martin Connor |
|
CENDRILLON 2006 |
RSAMD | |
|
CHARADES 2001 |
Battersea Arts Centre |
Dir. Tom Morris |
|
CHARLIE LAVENDER 2001 |
Southwark Playhouse |
Dir. Jo Davies |
|
COMA 1997 |
Improbable Theatre/UK Tour | |
|
CONSUMING SONGS 2002 |
Battersea Arts Centre |
Dir. Guy Dartnall |
|
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT IN DALSTON 2001 |
The Arcola |
Dir. David Farr |
|
DOG 2000 |
Battersea Arts Centre |
Dir. John Hegley |
|
EUGENE ONEGIN & ANDREA CHENIER 2005 |
Opera Holland Park | |
|
FALSTAFF 2005 |
RSAMD |
Dir. Martin Lloyd-Evans |
|
FIDELIO 2006 |
Opera Theatre Company, Dublin |
Dir. Annelise Miskimmon |
|
HEAVENLY 2002 |
The Soho Theatre |
Frantic Assembly |
|
KES 2004 |
The Royal Exchange Manchester |
Dir. Sarah Frankcom |
|
KINETIC CONCERT 2001 |
Battersea Arts Centre |
Dir. David Lasserson |
|
KOSHER HARRY 2002 |
The Royal Court |
Dir. Kathy Burke |
|
LA BOHEME 2004 |
English Touring Opera | |
|
LADIES & GENTLEMEN WHERE AM I?/WOULD SAY SOMETHING 2001 |
Battersea Arts Centre |
Dir. Guy Dartnall. Winner of TIME OUT Best Fringe Show Award |
|
LIFE IN THE FOLDS 2002 |
Out of Inc/Battersea Arts Centre | |
|
LIFEGAME 2004 |
Improbable Theatre/National Theatre | |
|
LIFEGAME 1998 |
Improbable Theatre - Lyric Hammersmith, off-Broadway | |
|
MAPS OF DESIRE 2002 |
Wonderful Beast/Southwark Playhouse | |
|
MARIE LUISE 2004 |
The Gate Theatre |
Dir. Erica Whyman |
|
MISSING REEL 2002 |
West Yorkshire Playhouse |
Dir. Toby Jones & Ed Kemp |
|
MY DAD'S A BIRDMAN 2003 |
The Young Vic Studio |
Dir. Josie Rourke |
|
OLD KING COLE 2004 |
The Unicorn Theatre at the Cochrane |
Dir. Rebecca Gatward |
|
PASSIONS 2000 |
Battersea Arts Centre |
Dir. Tom Morris |
|
PLAYING THE VICTIM 2003 |
Told by an Idiot |
Dir. Richard Wilson. Premiered at The Traverse Theatre. |
|
PRESENCE 2005 |
Theatre Royal, Plymouth | |
|
PROMISED LAND 2006 |
Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury | |
|
ROMANIA'S BABY 1994 |
New End Theatre |
Dir. Michael Wicherek |
|
SEPARATE TABLES 2006 |
Royal Exchange, Manchester |
Dir. Sarah Frankcom |
|
SPIRIT 2005 |
Theater Workshop, New York |
Improbable Theatre revival |
|
STIFF 2001 |
Spymonkey/UK Tour | |
|
THE EVOCATION OF PAPA MAS 2006 |
UK Tour |
devised by Told By An Idiot |
|
THE HANGING MAN 2003 |
West Yorkshire Playhouse/Lyric Hammersmith |
Improbable Theatre. Winner of the TMA Award for Best Design |
|
THE MAGIC FLUTE 2003 |
British Youth Opera |
Dir. Chris Cowell |
|
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 2004 |
RSAMD |
Dir. Martin Lloyd-Evans |
|
THE PROVOK'D WIFE 1994 |
New End Theatre |
Dir. John Best |
|
THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA 2004 |
The Guildhall School of Music & Drama |
Dir. Martin Lloyd-Evans |
|
THE TWO FACES OF MITCHELL & WEBB 2006 |
UK Tour | |
|
THE UNTHINKABLE 2004 |
The Crucible Theatre Sheffield |
Dir. Josie Rourke |
|
THEATRE OF BLOOD 2005 |
The National Theatre |
Improbable Theatre |
|
TICK TICK...BOOM! 2005 |
Menier Chocolate Factory |
Dir. Scott Schwartz |
|
TO THE ISLAND WITH THE GOOSE 2001 |
The Purcell Rooms |
Dir. Tom Morris |
|
TRAVELS WITH MY VIRGINITY 2005 |
Battersea Arts Centre |
Dir. Guy Dartnall |
|
UNPROTECTED 2006 |
Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse |
Dir. Nina Raine |
|
YIKES! 2006 |
The Unicorn Theatre |
