Jack Knowles

Lighting Designer

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Heads of Department

Agent: Dan Usztan

Dan Usztan

DUsztan@unitedagents.co.uk

Assistant: Isobel Davis (Maternity Cover)

IDavis@unitedagents.co.uk

Heads of Department

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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.

The lighting, by Jack Knowles, like an arena show in your amygdala, is startling throughout
New York Times on Sunset Boulevard (St James Theatre/Jamie Lloyd Company)

lighting designer Jack Knowles manipulates our sense of reality by alternating between glaring, obliterating spotlights and inky darkness
Variety on Sunset Boulevard

Jack Knowles’s excellent lighting
Time Out New York 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

Production	Company	Notes
THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN 2025	UK Tour/Simon Friend Entertainment	Dir. Loveday Ingram Des. Adam Wiltshire
HAMLET 2025	Royal Shakespeare Company (Royal Shakespeare Theatre)	Dir. Rupert Goold Des. Es Devlin

Theatre

Production	Company	Notes
SPEND SPEND SPEND 2024	Royal Exchange Theatre	Dir. Josh Seymour Des. Grace Smart
SUNSET BOULEVARD 2024	St James Theatre	Broadway transfer Dir. Jamie Lloyd Des. Soutra Gilmour
SALT OF THE EARTH 2024	Venice Biennale	Dir. Sophie Hunter Des. Samuel Wyer
BURLESQUE: THE MUSICAL 2024	Manchester Opera House/Theatre Royal Glasgow/Adama Entertainment	Dir. Nick Winston Des. Soutra Gilmour (set) & Ryan Dawson Laight (costume)
TWO STRANGERS (CARRY A CAKE ACROSS NEW YORK) 2024	Criterion Theatre	West End transfer Dir. Tim Jackson Des. Soutra Gilmour
PATRIOTS 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
LONDON TIDE 2024	National Theatre (Lyttelton)	Dir. Ian Rickson Des. Bunny Christie
LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT 2024	Wyndham’s Theatre	Dir. Jeremy Herrin Des. Lizzie Clachan
JULIE 2024	Internationaal Theater Amsterdam	Dir. Rebecca Frecknall Des. Chloe Lamford
TWO STRANGERS (CARRY A CAKE ACROSS NEW YORK) 2023	Kiln Theatre	Dir. Tim Jackson Des. Soutra Gilmour
SUNSET BOULEVARD 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
THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN 2023	Salisbury Playhouse	Dir. Loveday Ingram Des. Adam Wiltshire
GOOD VIBRATIONS 2023	Grand Opera House, Belfast/Irish Arts Center, New York	Dir. Des Kennedy Des. Grace Smart
PRIVATE LIVES 2023	Donmar Warehouse	Dir. Michael Longhurst Des. Hildegard Bechtler
SEA CREATURES 2023	Hampstead Theatre Downstairs	Dir. James Macdonald Des. Zoë Hurwitz
ROMEO AND JULIE 2023	National Theatre (Dorfman)	Dir. Rachel O'Riordan Des. Hayley Grindle
THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE 2023	Gillian Lynne Theatre/UK Tour/Birmingham Rep/Elliott and Harper Productions	Dir. Michael Fentiman Des. Tom Paris
SONS OF THE PROPHET 2022	Hampstead Theatre	Dir. Bijan Sheibani Des. Samal Blak
BEST OF ENEMIES 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
THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS/BLUEBEARD'S CASTLE 2022	Teatro Colón	Dir. Sophie Hunter Des. Samuel Wyer
ANTIGONE 2022	Regent's Park Open Air Theatre	Dir. Max Webster Des. Leslie Travers
LA BOHÈME 2022	Nevill Holt Opera	Dir. Mathilda du Tillieul McNicol Des. Basia Bińkowska
MARY STUART 2022	Schauspiel Stuttgart	Dir. Michael Talke Des. Oliver Helf
ANNA KARENINA 2022	Sheffield Crucible	Dir. Anthony Lau Des. Georgia Lowe
FATAL ATTRACTION 2022	ATG/UK Tour	Dir. Loveday Ingram Des. Morgan Large
SPRING AWAKENING 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
CAROLINE, OR CHANGE 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
THE WINDSORS: ENDGAME 2021	Prince of Wales Theatre	Dir. Michael Fentiman Des. Madeleine Girling
GIN CRAZE! 2021	Royal and Derngate/ETT	Dir. Michael Oakley Des. Hayley Grindle
PIAF 2021	Nottingham Playhouse/Leeds Playhouse	Dir. Adam Penford Des. Frankie Bradshaw
THE BEACON 2021	Schauspiel Stuttgart	Dir. Sophia Bodamer Des. Oliver Helf
NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS 2020	Almeida Theatre	Dir. Rebeca Frecknall Des. Tom Scutt
LA BOHÈME 2020	Gothenburg Opera	Dir. Max Webster Des. Fly Davis
THE DUCHESS OF MALFI 2019	Almeida Theatre	Dir. Rebecca Frecknall Des. Chloe Lamford
LIGHT FALLS 2019	Royal Exchange Theatre	Dir. Sarah Frankcom Des. Naomi Dawson
GLASS. KILL. BLUEBEARD. IMP. 2019	Royal Court Downstairs	Dir. James Macdonald Des. Miriam Buether Nominated for Evening Standard Award for Best Play
THE END OF HISTORY 2019	Royal Court Downstairs	Dir. John Tiffany Des. Grace Smart
VENICE PRESERVED 2019	Royal Shakespeare Company (Swan Theatre)	Dir. Prasanna Puwanarajah Des. James Cotterill
THREE SISTERS 2019	Almeida Theatre	Dir. Rebecca Frecknall Des. Hildegard Bechtler
TOP GIRLS 2019	National Theatre (Lyttelton)	Dir. Lyndsey Turner Des. Ian MacNeil
SHIPWRECK 2019	Almeida Theatre	Dir. Rupert Goold Des. Miriam Buether
WONDERLAND 2019	Nottingham Playhouse/Northern Stage	Revival of 2018 production Dir. Adam Penford Des. Morgan Large
CAROLINE, OR CHANGE 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,
THE PRODUCERS 2018	Royal Exchange Theatre	Dir. Raz Shaw Des. Ben Stones
DEATH OF A SALESMAN 2018	Royal Exchange Theatre	Dir. Sarah Frankcom Des. Leslie Travers
STEEL 2018	Sheffield Crucible	Dir. Rebecca Frecknall Des. Madeleine Girling
GOOD VIBRATIONS 2018	Lyric Theatre Belfast	Dir. Des Kennedy Des. Grace Smart
THE GREATEST PLAY IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD 2018	Traverse 2/Royal Exchange Studio	Dir. Raz Shaw Des. Naomi Kuyck-Cohen
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST 2018	Vaudeville Theatre/Classic Spring	Dir. Michael Fentiman Des. Madeleine Girling
CAVE 2018	London Sinfonietta	Dir. Lucy Bailey Des. Mike Britton
MACHINAL 2018	Almeida Theatre	Dir. Natalie Abrahami Des. Miriam Buether
HAPPY DAYS 2018	Royal Exchange Theatre	Dir. Sarah Frankcom Des. Naomi Dawson
DAN AND PHIL: INTERACTIVE INTROVERTS 2018	World Tour	Dir. George Perrin Des. James Turner
INSTRUCTIONS FOR CORRECT ASSEMBLY 2018	Royal Court Downstairs	Dir. Hamish Pirie Des. Cai Dyfan
CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION 2018	Home MCR	Dir. Bijan Sheibani Des. Samal Blak
WONDERLAND 2018	Nottingham Playhouse	Dir. Adam Penford Des. Morgan Large
BEGINNING 2018	Ambassadors Theatre/National Theatre (Dorfman)	Dir. Polly Findlay Des. Fly Davis West End transfer
HUSH-A-BYE 2017	Oily Cart/UK Tour	Dir. Tim Webb Des. Claire de Loon
PARLIAMENT SQUARE 2017	Bush Theatre/Royal Exchange Theatre	Dir. Jude Christian Des. Fly Davis
THE GREATEST PLAY IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD ... 2017	Royal Exchange Studio	Dir. Raz Shaw Des. Naomi Kuyck-Cohen
OUR TOWN 2017	Royal Exchange Theatre	Dir. Sarah Frankcom Des. Fly Davis
COMMITTEE 2017	Donmar Warehouse	Dir. Adam Penford Des. Robert Jones
TWELFTH NIGHT 2017	Royal Exchange Theatre	Dir. Jo Davies Des. Leslie Travers
4.48 PSYCHOSIS 2017	Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg	Dir. Katie Mitchell Des. Alex Eales
BARBER SHOP CHRONICLES 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
JUNKYARD 2017	Headlong	Dir. Jeremy Herrin Des. Chiara Stephenson
PYGMALION 2017	Headlong	Dir. Sam Pritchard Des. Alex Lowde
WINTER SOLSTICE 2017	ATC/Orange Tree	Dir. Ramin Gray Des. Lizzie Clachan
BABE. THE SHEEP-PIG 2016 - 2017	Polka Theatre/UK Tour	Dir. Michael Fentiman Des. Madeleine Girling
DAN AND PHIL: THE AMAZING TOUR IS NOT ON FIRE 2015 - 2016	European, Australian, American and UK Tours	Dir. Edward Stambollouian Des. James Turner Recorded as a YouTube Red Original Movie
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING 2016	Mercury Theatre Colchester	Dir. Pia Furtado Des. Camilla Clarke
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE 2016	Royal Exchange Theatre	Dir. Sarah Frankcom Des. Fly Davis
THEY DRINK IT IN THE CONGO 2016	Almeida Theatre	Dir. Michael Longhurst Des. Jon Bauser
SWEENEY TODD 2016	Theatre Royal Stratford East/Royal Academy of Music	Dir. Michael Fentiman Des. Adrian Gee
WATERSHIP DOWN 2016	Watermill Theatre	Dir. Adam Penford Des. Richard Kent
THE FORBIDDEN ZONE 2014 - 2016	Salzburger Festspiele/Schaubühne Berlin/Barbican Theatre	Dir. Katie Mitchell Des. Lizzie Clachan
KENNY MORGAN 2016	Arcola Theatre	Dir. Lucy Bailey Des. Robert Innes Hopkins
BOY 2016	Almeida Theatre	Dir. Sacha Wares Des. Miriam Buether
CLEANSED 2016	National Theatre (Dorfman)	Dir. Katie Mitchell Des. Alex Eales
THE MASSIVE TRAGEDY OF MADAME BOVARY! 2016	Liverpool Everyman/Peepolykus/UK Tour	Dir. Gemma Bodinetz Des. Conor Murphy
WIT 2016	Royal Exchange Theatre	Dir. Raz Shaw Des. Hannah Clarke Nominated for Best Production, Manchester Theatre Awards 2016
THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE 2015	Liverpool Playhouse/Sonia Friedman Productions/Hammer	Dir. Melly Still Des. Miriam Buether
LAND OF LIGHTS 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)
GROUNDED 2015	Deafinitely Theatre/Park Theatre	Dir. Paula Garfield Des. Paul Burgess
REISENDE AUF EINEM BEIN (TRAVELLING ON ONE LEG) 2015	Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg	Dir. Katie Mitchell Des. Alex Eales
LIGHT SHOW 2015	Oily Cart/UK Tour	Dir. Tim Webb Des. Claire de Loon
PHAEDRA 2015	International Beckett Festival	Dir. Sophie Hunter Des. Kirstie McLeod
THE SKRIKER 2015	Royal Exchange Theatre	Dir. Sarah Frankcom Des. Lizzie Clachan
A DECLARATION FROM THE PEOPLE 2015	National Theatre (Dorfman)	Dir. Emily Lim Des. Emma Morris
SUNSPOTS 2015	Hampstead Theatre Downstairs	Dir. Charlotte Gwinner Des. Signe Beckmann
AGES 2015	Old Vic Community Company	Dir. Alexander Ferris Des. Sean Turner
CARMEN DISRUPTION 2015	Almeida Theatre	Dir. Michael Longhurst Des. Lizzie Clachan
GAME 2015	Almeida Theatre	Dir. Sacha Wares Des. Miriam Buether
GLÜCKLICHE TAGE (HAPPY DAYS) 2015	Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg	Dir. Katie Mitchell Des. Alex Eales
THERE WAS AN OLD WOMAN 2014	Oily Cart/UK Tour	Dir. Tim Webb Des. Claire de Loon
ONE SNOWY NIGHT 2014	Discover Story Centre	Dir. Sally Goldsworthy Des. Cathy Wren
2071 2014	Royal Court Downstairs/Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg	Dir. Katie Mitchell Des. Chloe Lamford
HARVEST 2014	Arts Ed	Dir. Dan Bird Des. Louie Whitemore
THE RUSSIAN DOCTOR 2014	Shepdaws Ltd/Wellcome Trust	Dir. Andrew Dawson Des. Vicki Mortimer
THE BOUNCE 2014	Oily Cart/UK Tour	Dir. Tim Webb Des. Clair de Loon
DEBRIS 2014	Southwark Playhouse	Dir. Abigail Graham Des. Signe Beckmann
THE WARDROBE/THE KILBURN PASSION 2014	Tricycle Theatre	Dir. Emily Lim Des. Chris Gylee
HOPELESSLY DEVOTED 2014	Paines Plough/Tricycle/UK Tour	Dir. Stef O'Driscoll Des. Joanna Scotcher
WUNSCHLOSES UNGLUCK (A SORROW BEYOND DREAMS) 2014	Burgtheater, Vienna	Dir. Katie Mitchell Des. Lizzie Clachan
BLINK 2013	Soho Theatre/59E59, New York/India/UK Tour	Revival Dir. Joe Murphy Des. Hannah Clark
MR & MRS MOON 2013	Oily Cart/UK Tour	Dir. Tim Webb Des. Clair de Loon
ATMEN (LUNGS) 2013	Schaubühne Berlin	German language premiere Dir. Katie Mitchell Des. Chloe Lamford
THE SOUND OF MUSIC 2013	Jordan Cultural Festival	Dir. Jeff Moss
THERE HAS POSSIBLY BEEN AN INCIDENT 2013	Edinburgh/Manchester Royal Exchange/Theatertreffen Festival, Berlin	Dir. Sam Pritchard Des. Signe Beckmann
MOTH 2013	HighTide/Bush Theatre	Dir. Prasanna Puwanarajah Des. James Cotterill
SAY IT WITH FLOWERS 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