Tom Morris, OBE (born 22 June 1964 in

Stamford, Lincolnshire Stamford is a town and civil parish in the South Kesteven District of Lincolnshire, England. The population at the 2011 census was 19,701 and estimated at 20,645 in 2019. The town has 17th- and 18th-century stone buildings, older timber-framed ...

) is an English

theatre director A theatre director or stage director is a professional in the theatre field who oversees and orchestrates the mounting of a theatre production such as a play, opera, dance, drama, musical theatre performance, etc. by unifying various endeavors a ...

, writer and producer. He was the Artistic Director at BAC (

Battersea Arts Centre The Battersea Arts Centre ("BAC") is a performance space specialising in theatre productions. Located near Clapham Junction railway station in Battersea, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, it was formerly Battersea Town Hall. It is a Grade II* ...

) from 1995-2004, he has been Associate Director at the National Theatre since 2004 and Artistic Director of

Bristol Old Vic Bristol Old Vic is a British theatre company based at the Theatre Royal, Bristol. The present company was established in 1946 as an offshoot of the Old Vic in London. It is associated with the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, which became a f ...

since 2009.

Early life and education

Morris was born in 1964. He is the younger brother of satirist Chris Morris. He was educated at

Stonyhurst College Stonyhurst College is a co-educational Roman Catholic independent school, adhering to the Jesuit tradition, on the Stonyhurst Estate, Lancashire, England. It occupies a Grade I listed building. The school has been fully co-educational sinc ...

, a

Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

boys' boarding

independent school An independent school is independent in its finances and governance. Also known as private schools, non-governmental, privately funded, or non-state schools, they are not administered by local, state or national governments. In British En ...

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancas ...

in north west England, and then read English Literature at Pembroke College at the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

from 1983 to 1986.

Career

From 1988 to 1994, Morris taught English Literature and worked in broadcasting and journalism, as a critic and feature-writer for ''

The Times Literary Supplement ''The Times Literary Supplement'' (''TLS'') is a weekly literary review published in London by News UK, a subsidiary of News Corp. History The ''TLS'' first appeared in 1902 as a supplement to ''The Times'' but became a separate publication ...

'', ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...

'', ''

The Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, whi ...

'', ''

The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was f ...

'', ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...

'' and ''

The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the ...

'', and appeared on BBC television and

radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a tr ...

programmes ''

Kaleidoscope A kaleidoscope () is an optical instrument with two or more reflecting surfaces (or mirrors) tilted to each other at an angle, so that one or more (parts of) objects on one end of these mirrors are shown as a regular symmetrical pattern when v ...

'', ''

Night Waves ''Free Thinking'' is a radio programme broadcast on BBC Radio 3 as part of their "After Dark" late night programming. The programme is a rebranded version of ''Night Waves'', "Radio 3's flagship arts and ideas programme". ''Night Waves'' was b ...

'' and '' The Late Show''. During this period he also founded Stage of Fools with Nick Vivian and Nick Sweeting, writing, acting and directing at the

Edinburgh Fringe Festival The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as The Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, or Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is the world's largest arts and media festival, which in 2019 spanned 25 days and featured more than 59,600 performances of 3,841 dif ...

and on tour. In 1995, Morris became Artistic Director of

(BAC), staying until 2004 when he joined the National Theatre. While at BAC, Morris established the Scratch Programme, The Sam Shepherd Festival, The Critics Up for Review, The British Festival of Visual Theatre,

Playing in the Dark ''Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination'' is a 1992 work of literary criticism by Toni Morrison. In it she develops a reading of major white American authors and traces the way their perceptions of blackness gave defining ...

(which marked the launch of Vanishing Point and Sound and Fury and included the first scratch version of Complicite's

Mnemonic A mnemonic ( ) device, or memory device, is any learning technique that aids information retention or retrieval (remembering) in the human memory for better understanding. Mnemonics make use of elaborative encoding, retrieval cues, and image ...

) and BAC Opera (which produced Jerry Springer: The Opera). While at BAC he also wrote Ben Hur, Jason and the Argonauts and World Cup Final 1966 all with Carl Heap. In September 2009 Morris took over as Artistic Director of

theatre, overseeing the theatre's revival with Executive Director Emma Stenning. Morris and Stenning expanded the Old Vic's Outreach Programme into every part of the City, set up the widely imitated artist development programme, the Bristol Ferment, and restored the theatre's national and international reputation with West End transfers and national & international touring for ''Swallows and Amazons'', ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'', ''Jane Eyre'' and ''Peter Pan'' (both of which were re-created for the National Theatre) and festivals such as Bristol Jam and Bristol Proms. in 2010, he directed the debut production of

Helen Edmundson Helen Edmundson (born 1964) is a British playwright, screenwriter and producer. She has won awards and critical acclaim both for her original writing and for her adaptations of various literary classics for the stage and screen. Early life E ...

's ''Swallows and Amazons'' at Bristol Old Vic. In 2012 Morris & Stenning oversaw the first phase of a multimillion-pound redevelopment, which included the long-awaited refurbishment of the theatre's 250 year old auditorium and creation of new office and rehearsal spaces. The second phase of redevelopment of Bristol Old Vic commenced in November 2016, designed by Steve Tompkins. The plans included an overhaul of the front of house spaces and Studio theatre, and was completed in autumn 2018. As well as directing many theatrical productions, Morris has directed and produced several

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

s, including ''

The Death of Klinghoffer ''The Death of Klinghoffer'' is an American opera, with music by John Adams to an English-language libretto by Alice Goodman. First produced in Brussels and New York in 1991, the opera is based on the hijacking of the passenger liner ''Achille ...

'' (

ENO Eno may refer to: Music * English National Opera, London * ''Eno'', an album by Japanese band Polysics * "Eno", a song by X-Wife from '' Rockin' Rio EP'' Organisations and businesses * Eno (company), a Chinese clothing and accessories busine ...

and the Met) and a staging of Handel's ''

Messiah In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; , ; , ; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of '' mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach ...

'' (Bristol Proms, 2013). In 2011 he won the

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

for Best Direction of a Play for the

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

production of '' War Horse'', along with co-director Marianne Elliott. Morris was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2016 Birthday Honours for services to theatre. One interviewer said of Morris: "His tastes are catholic, and frequently risky, but they can produce some of the most inspired, inventive theatre in Britain today." Tom Morris is on the board of innovating British theatre company Complicite, and is the founding chair of The JMK Trust, set up in honour of James Menzies-Kitchin to provide opportunities for talented young theatre directors.

Selected productions

*1999: ''

Macbeth ''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...

'', director, BAC *2001: '' Jerry Springer: The Opera'', producer, BAC *2003-6
The Wooden FrockNights at the Circus
(co-writer with

Emma Rice Emma Juliet Rice (born August 1967) is a British actor, director and writer. Hailed as a fearless director, Rice's work includes theatrical adaptations of ''Brief Encounter'', '' The Red Shoes'' and '' Wise Children.'' In 2022, Rice was named i ...

), "Kneehigh" *2005: ''

Coram Boy ''Coram Boy'' is a 2000 children's novel by Jamila Gavin. It won Gavin a Whitbread Children's Book Award. Stage adaptation The book was adapted for the stage by Helen Edmundson, with music by Adrian Sutton, and played for two runs on the Ol ...

'', producer, National Theatre, Olivier *2007: '' A Matter of Life and Death'', writer and adaptor, National Theatre, Olivier *2007–2011: '' War Horse'', co-director and producer, National Theatre, Olivier; transferring to West End and Broadway. *2010:
Juliet and her Romeo
, director, Bristol Old Vic *2010: Swallows and Amazons, director, Bristol Old Vic *2011: ''

'', director,

English National Opera English National Opera (ENO) is an opera company based in London, resident at the London Coliseum in St Martin's Lane. It is one of the two principal opera companies in London, along with The Royal Opera. ENO's productions are sung in English ...

; 2014 at the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is opera ...

*2013: ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict a ...

'', director,

*2015: ''

The Crucible ''The Crucible'' is a 1953 play by American playwright Arthur Miller. It is a dramatized and partially fictionalized story of the Salem witch trials that took place in the Massachusetts Bay Colony during 1692–93. Miller wrote the play as ...

'', director, Bristol Old Vic *2016: ''

King Lear ''King Lear'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. He becomes destitute and insane a ...

'', director, Bristol Old Vic *2016-18: ''

The Grinning Man "The Grinning Man" is a feature-length and the twenty-sixth episode of the BBC crime drama series ''Jonathan Creek'', first broadcast on 1 January 2009. The episode marked the series' return to television following a five-year hiatus and saw the r ...

'', director, Bristol Old Vic/Trafalgar Studios *2017
Messiah
director, Bristol Old Vic *2018: '' Touching the Void'', director, Bristol Old Vic & International tour

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Morris, Tom English theatre directors British opera directors Artistic directors Living people Tony Award winners Alumni of Pembroke College, Cambridge 1964 births Officers of the Order of the British Empire