James Phillips

Studied at Oxford University.

James’s first performed play as writer, ‘The Little Fir Tree’, a fairy story inspired by Hans Christian Anderson, was commissioned by the Crucible, Sheffield, and opened in December 2004. He also directed this production. As a director his productions include ‘Frankie and Johnny at the Claire de Lune’ at the Sound Theatre, Leicester Square, ‘Macbeth’ at the Crucible Sheffield, which he adapted for four actors, ‘Trettondagsafton’ at Teatre Hogskolan in Stockholm, ‘Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme’ at the Pleasance, London, a production for which he won an invention and innovation award from NESTA, the national endowment for the arts. As an assistant director he has worked at the Almeida with Michael Attenborough and at the Royal Exchange, Manchester for Marianne Elliot. He was associate director of Caird Company new writing seasons ‘Playing Soldiers’ and the ‘New Writing Fortnight’. His first production of ‘Macbeth’, whilst still a student, toured Japan and played for the Japanese Royal Family at the Globe Theatre in Tokyo. He has just completed writing his first novel, ‘The Portrait Painter’.

James wrote and directed ‘The Rubinstein Kiss’ at Hampstead Theatre in 2005 starring Samantha Bond, Will Keen and Alan Cox.

James’s wrote the original single film ‘The Russian House’ which was produced as a COMING UP 2012 film for Channel 4 called ‘If We Dead Awaken’.

His last play ‘Hidden in the Sand’ opened at the Trafalgar Studios to great reviews in October 2013.

His play McQ about the life of  Alexander MacQueen opened at the St James Theatre in May 2015  and has recenlty transferred to the Haymarket, West End. His next new play ‘Camelot: The Shining City’ played at  the Sheffield Crucible in June.