James is a set & costume designer who works all over the UK. He trained in technical theatre at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before completing the Motley Theatre Design Course.
Shortly after graduating he won a Linbury Prize for Stage Design and subsequently a commission to design a production at the Bristol Old Vic.
He has designed over 80 productions for companies such as RSC, Royal Exchange Manchester, Shakespeare’s Globe, Crucible Sheffield, BYO, Octagon Bolton, Hampstead Theatre, RADA, Chichester Festival and many more.
Credits
2024
TWELFTH NIGHT | By William Shakespeare | Royal Shakespeare Company | Dir. Prasanna Puwanarajah
2023
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD | By Richard Bean | Hampstead Theatre | Dir. Richard Wilson & Terry Johnson
2022
BETTY! A SORT OF MUSICAL | By Maxine Peake & Seiriol Davies | Royal Exchange Manchester | Dir. Sarah Frankcom
2021
PEGGY FOR YOU | By Alan Plater | Hampstead Theatre | Dir. Richard Wilson
MEASURE FOR MEASURE | By William Shakespeare | Sam Wanamaker Playhouse | Dir. Blanche McIntyre
LOOK NO HANDS | By Lila Clements | Pleasance Downstairs | Dir. Anna Ryder
2019
BOTTICELLI IN THE FIRE | By Jordan Tannahill | Hampstead Theatre | Dir. Blanche McIntyre
VENICE PRESERVED | By Thomas Otway | Royal Shakespeare Company | Dir. Prasanna Puwanarajah
GIG | By Atiha Sen Gupta | Vanbrugh Theatre RADA | Dir. Richard Wilson
THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN | Adapted by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel | SFE / UK Tour | Dir. Anthony Banks
2018
THE RAKE’S PROGRESS | By Igor Stravinsky | BYO / Peacock Theatre | Dir. Stephen Unwin
JOURNEY’S END | By R. C. Sherriff | GBS Theatre RADA | Dir. Prasanna Puwanarajah
THE RIVALS | Adapted by Beth Flintoff | Watermill Theatre | Dir. Jonathan Humphreys
HAMLET | By William Shakespeare | Octagon Bolton | Dir. David Thacker
THE THREEPENNY OPERA | By Bertolt Brecht | Octagon Bolton | Dir. David Thacker
2017
HAMLET | By William Shakespeare | KBTC / RADA | Dir. Kenneth Branagh
TWILIGHT SONG | Cahoots / Park Theatre | By Kevin Elyot | Dir. Anthony Banks
THE EVENTS | By David Greig | Mercury Theatre Studio | Dir. Dan Sherer
FRACKED! [Revival] | By Alistair Beaton | Jonathan Church Productions / UK Tour | Dir. Richard Wilson
A BITTER HERB | By Kwame Kwei-Armah | Geilgud Studio RADA | Dir. Prasanna Puwanarajah
GRAND HOTEL | By Luther Davis, Robert Wright & George Forrest | CSSD | Dir. Anthony Banks
2016
THE WINTER'S TALE | By William Shakespeare | Octagon Bolton | Dir. David Thacker
THE WAR HAS NOT YET STARTED | By Mikhail Durnenkov | The Drum Plymouth | Dir. Michael Fentiman
FRACKED! | By Alistair Beaton | Minerva Theatre Chichester | Dir. Richard Wilson
OWEN WINGRAVE | By Benjamin Britten | BYO / Peacock Theatre | Dir. Max Webster
ENGLISH ECCENTRICS [Set only] | By Malcolm Williamson | BYO / Peacock Theatre | Dir. Stuart Barker
THE MIGHTY WALZER | Adapted by Simon Bent | Royal Exchange Manchester | Dir. Jonathan Humphreys
THE NAP | By Richard Bean | Crucible Theatre Sheffield | Dir. Richard Wilson
2015
BULLY BOY | By Sandi Toksvig | Mercury Theatre Studio | Dir. Dan Sherer
AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE | By Henrik Ibsen | Octagon Bolton | Dir. David Thacker
BLASTED | By Sarah Kane | Crucible Studio Sheffield | Dir. Richard Wilson
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING [Revival] | By William Shakespeare | Shakespeare’s Globe Tour | Dir. Max Webster
THE ANCIENT SECRET OF YOUTH & THE FIVE TIBETANS | By Jim Cartwright | Octagon Bolton | Dir. David Thacker
AS YOU LIKE IT | By William Shakespeare | Vanbrugh Theatre RADA | Dir. Michael Fentiman
2014
ACCOLADE | By Emlyn Williams | St. James Theatre | Dir. Blanche McIntyre
EARLY ONE MORNING | By Les Smith | Octagon Bolton | Dir. David Thacker
JOURNEY’S END | By R. C. Sherriff | Octagon Bolton | Dir. David Thacker
THE COMEDY OF ERRORS | By William Shakespeare | Shakespeare’s Globe | Dir. Blanche McIntyre
THE LIBERATION OF COLETTE SIMPLE | Spatfeather Theatre / Jacksons Lane | Dir. Matt Peover
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING | By William Shakespeare | Shakespeare’s Globe Tour | Dir. Max Webster
HOBSON’S CHOICE | By Harold Brighouse | Octagon Bolton | Dir. David Thacker
2013
THAT DAY WE SANG | By Victoria Wood | Royal Exchange Manchester | Dir. Sarah Frankcom
LOVE YOUR SOLDIERS | By Robin Hooper | Crucible Studio Sheffield | Dir. Richard Wilson
LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT | By Eugene O’Neill | Octagon Bolton | Dir. David Thacker
MAY 08 | Devised by the company | GSMD / The Bridewell Theatre | Dir. Dinah Stabb & Richard Wilson
MOTH | By Declan Greene | High Tide Festival / Bush Theatre | Dir. Prasanna Puwanarajah
SMACK FAMILY ROBINSON | By Richard Bean | Rose Theatre Kingston | Dir. Richard Wilson
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD | Adapted by Christopher Sergel | Royal Exchange Manchester | Dir. Max Webster
2012
THE WIDOWING OF MRS HOLROYD | By D. H. Lawrence | New Vic Theatre | Dir. Fiona Buffini
STRAIGHT | By D C Moore | Crucible Studio Sheffield / Bush Theatre | Dir. Richard Wilson
AFTER THE PARTY | By Serge Cartwright | Criterion Theatre | Dir. Sam Hodges
TAKING PART | By Adam Brace | Criterion Theatre | Dir. Charlotte Gwinner
MEAT | By Jimmy Osborne | Theatre 503 | Dir. David Aula
THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH | By George Axelrod | Salisbury Playhouse | Dir. Blanche McIntyre
MACBETH | By William Shakespeare | Octagon Bolton | Dir. David Thacker
2011
THE FLINT STREET NATIVITY | By Tim Firth | Hull Truck Theatre | Dir. Matthew Lloyd
GOOD | By C P Taylor | Royal Exchange Manchester | Dir. Polly Findlay
THE CLODLY LIGHT OPERA & DRAMA SOCIETY | Watermill Theatre | Dir. Ade Morris
TOAD | Bad Physics / Southwark Playhouse | Dir. Dan Bird
THE PRIDE | By Alexi Kaye Campbell | Crucible Studio Sheffield | Dir. Richard Wilson
POWDER MONKEY [Revival] | By Amanda Dalton | Royal Exchange Studio Manchester | Dir. Matt Peover
A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE | By Arthur Miller | Royal Exchange Manchester | Dir. Sarah Frankcom
THE DEMOLITION MAN | By Aelish Michael | Octagon Bolton | Dir. David Thacker
ACCOLADE | By Emlyn Willliams | Finborough Theatre | Dir. Blanche McIntyre
2010
ESTATE WALLS | By Arinze Kene | Oval House | Dir. Ché Walker
OUR SHARE OF TOMORROW | By Dan Sherer | Pleasance 2 Edinburgh | Dir. Dan Sherer
THAT FACE | By Polly Stenham | Crucible Studio Sheffield | Dir. Richard Wilson
POWDER MONKEY | By Amanda Dalton | Royal Exchange Studio Manchester | Dir. Matt Peover
THE WAGES OF THIN | By Trevor Griffiths | Old Red Lion Theatre | Dir. Prasanna Puwanarajah
2009
SMASH HERE! | Installation for the Deloitte Ignite Festival | Royal Opera House Linbury Foyer
A LITTLE NECK [Set only] | Promenade performance devised by Goat & Monkey | Hampton Court Palace
LOVEPLAY | By Moira Buffini | GSA / Mill Studio Guildford | Dir. Peter Barlow
MOBY DICK THE MUSICAL | By Robert Longden | GSA / Mill Studio Guildford | Dir. Michael Howcroft
2008
THE MUSICIAN | By Conor Mitchell | OMAC Belfast | Dir. Matt Peover
LOUGH/RAIN | By Claire Brennan & Declan Feenan | Theatre Royal Studio York / Edinburgh | Dir. Dan Sherer
SO CLOSE TO HOME | By Mark Wheatley | Brighton Festival / Arcola Theatre | Dir. Paul Higgins
SPIES | By Michael Frayn | Theatre Alibi / UK Tour | Dir. Nikki Sved
2007
THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE | By Ben Ockrent | Tristan Bates Theatre | Dir. Matthew Lloyd
ROMEO AND JULIET | By William Shakespeare | Battersea Arts Centre | Dir. Polly Findlay
MOJO MICKYBO | By Owen McCafferty | Royal Exchange Studio Manchester | Dir. Dan Bird
NOT THE END OF THE WORLD | By Geraldine McCaughrean | Bristol Old Vic | Dir. Simon Reade
THE ELEVENTH CAPITAL | By Alexandra Wood | Royal Court Upstairs | Dir. Natalie Abrahami
GONE TOO FAR! | By Bola Agbaje | Royal Court Upstairs | Dir. Bijan Sheibani
2006
SILVERLAND | By Ben Davis | Arcola Theatre | Dir. Dylan Lowthian
15 MINUTES | By Christine Harmar-Brown | Arcola Theatre | Dir. Paul Jepson
THE GABRIELS | By Van Badham | Finbrough Theatre | Dir. Helen Eastman
WIDOWS | By Ariel Dorfman | Vanbrugh Theatre RADA | Dir. Jamie Glover
FAIR [Revival] | By Joy Wilkinson | Trafalgar Studio 2 | Dir. Helen Eastman
2005
BIG SALE | Choreographed by Luca Silvestrini | Protein Dance UK Tour
FAIR | By Joy Wilkinson | Finborough Theatre | Dir. Helen Eastman
THE FOOL | By Edward Bond | Vanbrugh Theatre RADA | Dir. Paul Jepson