Jack Knowles

Lighting Designer

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Heads of Department

Assistant: Isobel Davis (Maternity Cover)

Heads of Department

Jack trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama.  He won the 2024 Olivier Award for Best Lighting Design and WhatsOnStage Award for Best Lighting Design for Sunset Boulevard and the Knight of Illumination Award for Barber Shop Chronicles

brilliantly lit by Jack Knowles
New York Times on Sunset Boulevard (Savoy Theatre/Jamie Lloyd Company)

the design elements ... and the blazing lighting by Jack Knowles, are all of a dynamic piece
Washington Post on Sunset Boulevard 

Jack Knowles’s evocatively noirish lighting
Sunday Times on Sunset Boulevard

It’s eerie, especially under Jack Knowles’s superbly ghostly lighting
The Independent on London Tide (National Theatre) 

as day turns to night, Jack Knowles' lighting design shows a man prepared to wear out his own eyes rather than give money to the electricity company
WhatsOnStage on Long Day's Journey Into Night (Wyndham's Theatre)

One of the most inventive lighting designers around
The Stage

In Development

ProductionCompanyNotes
2024

St James Theatre

Broadway transfer
Dir. Jamie Lloyd
Des. Soutra Gilmour

2024

Royal Exchange Theatre

Dir. Josh Seymour
Des. Grace Smart

2025

UK Tour/Simon Friend Entertainment

Dir. Loveday Ingram
Des. Adam Wiltshire

2025

Royal Shakespeare Company (Royal Shakespeare Theatre)

Dir. Rupert Goold
Des. Es Devlin

Theatre

ProductionCompanyNotes
2024

Venice Biennale

Dir. Sophie Hunter
Des. Samuel Wyer

2024

Manchester Opera House/Theatre Royal Glasgow/Adama Entertainment

Dir. Nick Winston
Des. Soutra Gilmour (set) & Ryan Dawson Laight (costume)

2024

Criterion Theatre

West End transfer
Dir. Tim Jackson
Des. Soutra Gilmour

2024

Barrymore Theatre/Noël Coward Theatre/Almeida Theatre/Sonia Friedman Productions

Dir. Rupert Goold
Des. Miriam Buether
Critics' Circle Award for Best New Play
Nominated for Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Broadway Play
Nominated for Drama League Award for Outstanding Production of a Play
Nominated for Olivier Award for Best New Play

2024

National Theatre (Lyttelton)

Dir. Ian Rickson
Des. Bunny Christie

2024

Wyndham’s Theatre

Dir. Jeremy Herrin
Des. Lizzie Clachan

2024

Internationaal Theater Amsterdam

Dir. Rebecca Frecknall
Des. Chloe Lamford

2023

Kiln Theatre

Dir. Tim Jackson
Des. Soutra Gilmour

2023

Savoy Theatre/The Jamie Lloyd Company/ATG

Dir. Jamie Lloyd
Des. Soutra Gilmour
Olivier Award for Best Lighting Design
WhatsOnStage Award for Best Lighting Design
Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival
Nominated for WhatsOnStage Award for Best Musical

2023

Salisbury Playhouse

Dir. Loveday Ingram
Des. Adam Wiltshire

2023

Grand Opera House, Belfast/Irish Arts Center, New York

Dir. Des Kennedy
Des. Grace Smart

2023

Donmar Warehouse

Dir. Michael Longhurst
Des. Hildegard Bechtler

2023

Hampstead Theatre Downstairs

Dir. James Macdonald
Des. Zoë Hurwitz

2023

National Theatre (Dorfman)

Dir. Rachel O'Riordan
Des. Hayley Grindle

2023

Gillian Lynne Theatre/UK Tour/Birmingham Rep/Elliott and Harper Productions

Dir. Michael Fentiman
Des. Tom Paris

2022

Hampstead Theatre

Dir. Bijan Sheibani
Des. Samal Blak

2022

Noël Coward Theatre

Dir. Jeremy Herrin
Des. Bunny Christie
Evening Standard Award for Best New Play
Nominated for WhatsOnStage Award for Best New Play

2022

Teatro Colón

Dir. Sophie Hunter
Des. Samuel Wyer

2022

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

Dir. Max Webster
Des. Leslie Travers

2022

Nevill Holt Opera

Dir. Mathilda du Tillieul McNicol
Des. Basia Bińkowska

2022

Schauspiel Stuttgart

Dir. Michael Talke
Des. Oliver Helf

2022

Sheffield Crucible

Dir. Anthony Lau
Des. Georgia Lowe

2022

ATG/UK Tour

Dir. Loveday Ingram
Des. Morgan Large

2021

Almeida Theatre

Dir. Rupert Goold
Des. Miriam Buether
Critics Circle Award for Best Musical
Nominated for WhatsOnStage Award for Best Lighting Design
Nominated for Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival, Evening Standard Award for Best Musical and WhatsOnStage Award for Best Musical Revival

2021

Studio 54/Roundabout Theatre Company

Broadway transfer
Dir. Michael Longhurst
Des. Fly Davis
Nominated for Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical
Nominated for Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical
Nominated for Drama League Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical
Nominated for Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical

2021

Prince of Wales Theatre

Dir. Michael Fentiman
Des. Madeleine Girling

2021

Royal and Derngate/ETT

Dir. Michael Oakley
Des. Hayley Grindle

2021

Nottingham Playhouse/Leeds Playhouse

Dir. Adam Penford
Des. Frankie Bradshaw

2021

Schauspiel Stuttgart

Dir. Sophia Bodamer
Des. Oliver Helf

2020

Almeida Theatre

Dir. Rebeca Frecknall
Des. Tom Scutt

2020

Gothenburg Opera

Dir. Max Webster
Des. Fly Davis

2019

Almeida Theatre

Dir. Rebecca Frecknall
Des. Chloe Lamford

2019

Royal Exchange Theatre

Dir. Sarah Frankcom
Des. Naomi Dawson

2019

Royal Court Downstairs

Dir. James Macdonald
Des. Miriam Buether
Nominated for Evening Standard Award for Best Play

2019

Royal Court Downstairs

Dir. John Tiffany
Des. Grace Smart

2019

Royal Shakespeare Company (Swan Theatre)

Dir. Prasanna Puwanarajah
Des. James Cotterill

2019

Almeida Theatre

Dir. Rebecca Frecknall
Des. Hildegard Bechtler

2019

National Theatre (Lyttelton)

Dir. Lyndsey Turner
Des. Ian MacNeil

2019

Almeida Theatre

Dir. Rupert Goold
Des. Miriam Buether

2019

Nottingham Playhouse/Northern Stage

Revival of 2018 production
Dir. Adam Penford
Des. Morgan Large

2018

Chichester Festival Theatre/Hampstead Theatre/Playhouse Theatre

Dir. Michael Longhurst
Des. Fly Davis
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ The Times, Evening Standard, WhatsOnStage
Nominated for Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival
Nominated for UK Theatre Award for Best Musical Production,

2018

Royal Exchange Theatre

Dir. Raz Shaw
Des. Ben Stones

2018

Royal Exchange Theatre

Dir. Sarah Frankcom
Des. Leslie Travers

2018

Sheffield Crucible

Dir. Rebecca Frecknall
Des. Madeleine Girling

2018

Lyric Theatre Belfast

Dir. Des Kennedy
Des. Grace Smart

2018

Traverse 2/Royal Exchange Studio

Dir. Raz Shaw
Des. Naomi Kuyck-Cohen

2018

Vaudeville Theatre/Classic Spring

Dir. Michael Fentiman
Des. Madeleine Girling

2018

London Sinfonietta

Dir. Lucy Bailey
Des. Mike Britton

2018

Almeida Theatre

Dir. Natalie Abrahami
Des. Miriam Buether

2018

Royal Exchange Theatre

Dir. Sarah Frankcom
Des. Naomi Dawson

2018

World Tour

Dir. George Perrin
Des. James Turner

2018

Royal Court Downstairs

Dir. Hamish Pirie
Des. Cai Dyfan

2018

Home MCR

Dir. Bijan Sheibani
Des. Samal Blak

2018

Nottingham Playhouse

Dir. Adam Penford
Des. Morgan Large

2018

Ambassadors Theatre/National Theatre (Dorfman)

Dir. Polly Findlay
Des. Fly Davis
West End transfer

2017

Oily Cart/UK Tour

Dir. Tim Webb
Des. Claire de Loon

2017

Bush Theatre/Royal Exchange Theatre

Dir. Jude Christian
Des. Fly Davis

2017

Royal Exchange Studio

Dir. Raz Shaw
Des. Naomi Kuyck-Cohen

2017

Royal Exchange Theatre

Dir. Sarah Frankcom
Des. Fly Davis

2017

Donmar Warehouse

Dir. Adam Penford
Des. Robert Jones

2017

Royal Exchange Theatre

Dir. Jo Davies
Des. Leslie Travers

2017

Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg

Dir. Katie Mitchell
Des. Alex Eales

2017 - 2019

National Theatre (Dorfman)/West Yorkshire Playhouse/Australian Tour/US Tour/UK Tour/Roundhouse/Fuel

Dir. Bijan Sheibani
Des. Rae Smith
Winner, ADB Award for Plays at the 2018 Knight of Illumination Awards

2017

Headlong

Dir. Jeremy Herrin
Des. Chiara Stephenson

2017

Headlong

Dir. Sam Pritchard
Des. Alex Lowde

2017

ATC/Orange Tree

Dir. Ramin Gray
Des. Lizzie Clachan

2016 - 2017

Polka Theatre/UK Tour

Dir. Michael Fentiman
Des. Madeleine Girling

2015 - 2016

European, Australian, American and UK Tours

Dir. Edward Stambollouian
Des. James Turner
Recorded as a YouTube Red Original Movie

2016

Mercury Theatre Colchester

Dir. Pia Furtado
Des. Camilla Clarke

2016

Royal Exchange Theatre

Dir. Sarah Frankcom
Des. Fly Davis

2016

Almeida Theatre

Dir. Michael Longhurst
Des. Jon Bauser

2016

Theatre Royal Stratford East/Royal Academy of Music

Dir. Michael Fentiman
Des. Adrian Gee

2016

Watermill Theatre

Dir. Adam Penford
Des. Richard Kent

2014 - 2016

Salzburger Festspiele/Schaubühne Berlin/Barbican Theatre

Dir. Katie Mitchell
Des. Lizzie Clachan

2016

Arcola Theatre

Dir. Lucy Bailey
Des. Robert Innes Hopkins

2016

Almeida Theatre

Dir. Sacha Wares
Des. Miriam Buether

2016

National Theatre (Dorfman)

Dir. Katie Mitchell
Des. Alex Eales

2016

Liverpool Everyman/Peepolykus/UK Tour

Dir. Gemma Bodinetz
Des. Conor Murphy

2016

Royal Exchange Theatre

Dir. Raz Shaw
Des. Hannah Clarke
Nominated for Best Production, Manchester Theatre Awards 2016

2015

Liverpool Playhouse/Sonia Friedman Productions/Hammer

Dir. Melly Still
Des. Miriam Buether

2015

Oily Cart/UK Tour

Dir. Tim Webb
Des. Claire de Loon
Shortlisted for 2015 Off-West End Award for Best Production for Young People (Ages 0-7)

2015

Deafinitely Theatre/Park Theatre

Dir. Paula Garfield
Des. Paul Burgess

2015

Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg

Dir. Katie Mitchell
Des. Alex Eales

2015

Oily Cart/UK Tour

Dir. Tim Webb
Des. Claire de Loon

2015

International Beckett Festival

Dir. Sophie Hunter
Des. Kirstie McLeod

2015

Royal Exchange Theatre

Dir. Sarah Frankcom
Des. Lizzie Clachan

2015

National Theatre (Dorfman)

Dir. Emily Lim
Des. Emma Morris

2015

Hampstead Theatre Downstairs

Dir. Charlotte Gwinner
Des. Signe Beckmann

2015

Old Vic Community Company

Dir. Alexander Ferris
Des. Sean Turner

2015

Almeida Theatre

Dir. Michael Longhurst
Des. Lizzie Clachan

2015

Almeida Theatre

Dir. Sacha Wares
Des. Miriam Buether

2015

Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg

Dir. Katie Mitchell
Des. Alex Eales

2014

Oily Cart/UK Tour

Dir. Tim Webb
Des. Claire de Loon

2014

Discover Story Centre

Dir. Sally Goldsworthy
Des. Cathy Wren

2014

Royal Court Downstairs/Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg

Dir. Katie Mitchell
Des. Chloe Lamford

2014

Arts Ed

Dir. Dan Bird
Des. Louie Whitemore

2014

Shepdaws Ltd/Wellcome Trust

Dir. Andrew Dawson
Des. Vicki Mortimer

2014

Oily Cart/UK Tour

Dir. Tim Webb
Des. Clair de Loon

2014

Southwark Playhouse

Dir. Abigail Graham
Des. Signe Beckmann

2014

Tricycle Theatre

Dir. Emily Lim
Des. Chris Gylee

2014

Paines Plough/Tricycle/UK Tour

Dir. Stef O'Driscoll
Des. Joanna Scotcher

2014

Burgtheater, Vienna

Dir. Katie Mitchell
Des. Lizzie Clachan

2013

Soho Theatre/59E59, New York/India/UK Tour

Revival
Dir. Joe Murphy
Des. Hannah Clark

2013

Oily Cart/UK Tour

Dir. Tim Webb
Des. Clair de Loon

2013

Schaubühne Berlin

German language premiere
Dir. Katie Mitchell
Des. Chloe Lamford

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

2013

Jordan Cultural Festival

Dir. Jeff Moss

2013

Edinburgh/Manchester Royal Exchange/Theatertreffen Festival, Berlin

Dir. Sam Pritchard
Des. Signe Beckmann

2013

HighTide/Bush Theatre

Dir. Prasanna Puwanarajah
Des. James Cotterill

2013

Hampstead Theatre

Dir. Katie Mitchell
Des. Alex Eales

DIE GELBE TAPETE (THE YELLOW WALLPAPER)

2013

Schaubühne Berlin

Dir. Katie Mitchell
Des. Giles Cadle

THE CHANGELING

2012

Young Vic

Dir. Joe Hill-Gibbons
Des. Ultz
with James Farncombe

TOMMY

2012

Prince Edward Theatre

Dir. Raz Shaw
Des. Fran Reidy

REISE DURCH DIE NACHT (THE NIGHT TRAIN)

2012

Schauspiel Köln

Dir. Katie Mitchell
Des. Alex Eales
Nestroy Award for Best German Language Production

BLINK

2012

Soho Theatre/Traverse Theatre

Dir. Joe Murphy
Des. Hannah Clark

MARK THOMAS: BRAVO FIGARO

2012

Traverse Theatre/UK Tour

Dir. Hamish Pirie

IN A PICKLE

2012

RSC & Oily Cart/UK Tour

Dir. Tim Webb
Des. Claire de Loon

THIN ICE

2012

UK Tour

Dir. Jonathan Young
Des. Dorothee Ruge

SOMETHING IN THE AIR

2012

Arts Depot

Dir. Tim Webb
Revival Lighting Designer

RING-A-DING-DING

2011

Unicorn & Oily Cart/UK Tour

Dir. Tim Webb
Des. Clair de Loon

THE RIOTS

2011

Tricycle Theatre/Bernie Grant Arts Centre

Dir. Nicolas Kent
Des. Polly Sullivan

YOUNG PRETENDER

2011

Watford Palace Theatre/UK Tour

Dir. Joe Murphy
Des. Jo Scotcher

VICTORIA

2011

Arts Ed

Dir. Richard Cant
Des. Naomi Dawson

A WOMAN ALONE

2011

Tabard Theatre

Dir. Phyllis Nagy
Des. Moi Tran

THE BOY ON THE SWING

2011

Arcola Theatre

Dir. Joe Murphy
Des. Hannah Clarke

DIE WELLEN

2011

Schauspielhaus Cologne

Dir. Katie Mitchell
Revival Lighting Designer

IF THAT'S ALL THERE IS

2010

Inspector Sands/UK and International Tour

Dir. Lu Kemp

MY NAME IS SUE

2010

Soho Theatre/UK Tour

Dir. Ben Lewis

ROOM

2010

Tron Theatre

Dir. Lu Kemp

RED SEA FISH

2009

59E59 New York

Dir. Matt Wilkinson
Des. Jess Weisner

HANGING BY A THREAD

2009

Traverse/UK Tour

The Ding Foundation

IF THAT'S ALL THERE IS

2009

Traverse Theatre

Dir. Lu Kemp
Des. Yuki Tsukumoto

MEET ME HALFWAY

2009

CPT/Little Wonder/UK Tour

Des. Anna Bruder

DORIAN GRAY

2008

Leciester Square Theatre

Dir. Linnie Reedman

STRIPPERS & GENTLEMEN

2008

Edinburgh (Found Space)

Dir/Des. Dan Marsden

LOVE'S LABYRINTH

2008

Georgian Theatre Royal

Dir. Jack Edwards

A GUEST FOR DINNER

2008

Arts Depot Studio

Dir. Maxine Doyle
Des. Livi Vaughan

ROMEO AND JULIET

2008

Greenwich Playhouse

Dir. Linnie Reedman