Sarah Esdaile
Director
Photograph: Pete Jones
Film, TV & Theatre
Film, TV & Theatre
Sarah graduated in English and Drama from Goldsmiths College in 1991. Whilst at London University and subsequently, she worked with many producers and theatres including Bill Kenwright, Robert Fox and Theatre Royal Brighton. In 1996 she was one of twelve invited on the first Directors’ Course run by the National Theatre Studio.
She was previously Associate Director at the West Yorkshire Playhouse.
Sarah moved into directing television in 2019.
In Development
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
2024 | BBC 1 / Neal Street Productions | 2 x 60' episodes |
Television
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
2023 | BBC 1 / Neal Street Productions | 2 episodes |
2023 | Expectation / Acorn | 2 x 90' episodes |
2022 | BBC 1 / Neal Street Productions | 1 episode |
2021 | BBC 1 / Neal Street Productions | 1 episode |
2019 - 2022 | BBC Continuing Drama | 24 episodes and strands in a 16-episode silo block |
Theatre
| Production | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|
YERMA by Federico Garcia Lorca 2024 | RADA | Director |
ABIGAIL’S PARTY 2019 | ATG UK tour | by Mike Leigh; with Jodie Prenger |
DESIGN FOR LIVING 2018 | LAMDA | by Noel Coward |
SCRATCH NIGHT & FERTILITY FIGHT CLUB TALK 2018 | Bush Theatre | As part of Fertility Fest 2018 |
DANCING AT LUGHNASA 2018 | BADA | |
LAMDA SHOWCASE 2018 | Trafalgar Studios | |
THE SPOTLIGHT PRIZE 2017 | The Under Globe | Director |
ABIGAIL'S PARTY by Mike Leigh 2017 | Theatre Royal Bath Productions | Tour with Amanda Abbington |
WALKING ON EGG SHELLS by Amy Rosenthal 2016 | as part of Fertility Fest | Curated by Jessica Hepburn at Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Park Theatre - May/June 2016 |
FIVE WOMEN WEARING THE SAME DRESS by Alan Ball 2016 | LAMDA | Linbury Studio |
TESTING THE ECHO by David Edgar 2016 | Show curated by Emma Manton | Director of David Edgar piece with Juliet Stevenson & Zubin Varla for MOVING STORIES Charity event at the National Theatre 14th Feb 2016 fundraiser for the United Nations Refugee Agency |
THE BFG adapted by David Wood from Roald Dahl 2015 | Octagon Theatre. Bolton | |
TALKING HEADS by Alan Bennett 2015 | TRB Productions | Theatre Royal Bath & tour with Stephanie Cole, Siobhan Redmond and Karl Theobald. |
LOVE LOVE LOVE by Mike Bartlett 2015 | LAMDA | |
SINGLE SPIES by Alan Bennett 2014 | Rose Theatre, Kingston | |
PAXO 2014 | Feather Productions Ltd & Anita Land | An Evening with Jeremy Paxman at the Cabaret Bar, Pleasance Courtyard |
EARTHQUAKES IN LONDON by Mike Bartlett 2013 | LAMDA | |
CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF by Tennessee Williams 2012 | West Yorkshire Playhouse | |
THE LADY IN THE VAN by Alan Bennett 2012 | Hull Truck UK tour | Revival of 2011 UK touring production |
SPRING AND PORT WINE by Bill Naughton 2012 | LAMDA | |
SLEEPING BEAUTY by Rufus Norris 2011 | Birmingham Repertory Theatre | |
ARCADIA by Tom Stoppard 2011 | LAMDA | |
THE LADY IN THE VAN by Alan Bennett 2011 | Hull Truck Theatre / UK tour | With Nichola McAuliffe. |
THE DEEP BLUE SEA by Terence Rattigan 2011 | West Yorkshire Playhouse | With Maxine Peake as Hester Collyer |
CRASH by William Nicholson 2010 | West Yorkshire Playhouse, The Courtyard | World Premiere |
DEATH OF A SALESMAN by Arthur Miller 2010 | West Yorkshire Playhouse | With Philip Jackson and Marion Bailey |
CLING TO ME LIKE IVY by Samantha Ellis 2010 | The Door, Birmingham Rep | |
HIS DARK MATERIALS by Philip Pullman 2009 | Birmingham Repertory Theatre & tour | |
LIFE X 3 by Yasmina Reza 2009 | Watermill Theatre, Newbury | |
THE HORSE MARINES by Richard Cameron 2008 | Theatre Royal Plymouth | |
DROWNING ON DRY LAND by Alan Ayckbourn 2008 | Salisbury Playhouse | |
THE GROUCH adaptation by Ranjit Bolt of Moliere's The Misanthrope 2008 | West Yorkshire Playhouse, Quarry Theatre | |
KAFKA'S DICK by Alan Bennett 2008 | Watford Palace Theatre | |
LOYAL WOMEN by Gary Mitchell 2007 | Central School of Speech & Drama | |
JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH by Roald Dahl, adapted by David Wood 2006 | Octagon Theatre, Bolton | Winner of the M.E.N Award Best Family Show 2007 |
PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY by Heinrik Ibsen in a version by Samuel Adamson 2007 | Central School of Speech & Drama | |
FESTEN adapted by David Eldridge 2006 | Rose Bruford at BAC | |
ASYLUM MONOLOGUES by Sonja Linden 2006 | iceandfire Theatre Co. at Amnesty International Headquarters | |
CROCODILE SEEKING REFUGE by Sonja Linden on tour 2006 | iceandfire Theatre Co. Regional Tour | |
THE TAMING OF THE SHREW 2005 | Royal Shakespeare Company, New Work Festival | |
SILLY BABY by Gill Adams 2005 | For Paul Nicholas | Rehearsed Reading |
PICTURES OF CLAY by Sharif Samad Premier Production 2005 | Royal Exchange, Manchester | |
LYSISTRATA by Aristophanes - a musical adaption by Ranjit Bolt 2005 | Arcola Theatre | |
BUTTERFLY KISS 2005 | Birmingham School of Speech & Drama | |
FOUR SEASONS by Linda Brogan 2005 | Soho Theatre | Rehearsed Reading |
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE 2004 | RADA | |
COYOTE ON A FENCE by Bruce Graham - British Premier 2004 | Royal Exchange Manchester, The Duchess Theatre, West End | With Ben Cross, Alex Ferns and Jo Martin |
COMPACT FAILURE by Jennifer Farmer. Arcola Theatre and Tour - Premier Production 2004 | Clean Break Theatre Company | |
A VIEW FROM A BRIDGE by Arthur Miller 2003 | The Poor School | |
OEDIPUS REX 2003 | Central School of Speech & Drama | |
RICHARD III 2002 | Rose Bruford College | |
COLD VINTAGE by Chris Lee 2002 | Theatre Royal Plymouth | Rehearsed Reading |
BILL AND ESME by Adam Pernack - Premier Production 2002 | Chelsea Theatre | |
TWELFTH NIGHT 2002 | The Drum, Birmingham | |
ABSOLUTE HELL by Rodney Ackland 2001 | Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham | |
SEE HOW BEAUTIFUL I AM by Paul Minx 2001 | The Bush Theatre/ The Pleasance Theatre Edinburgh | |
THE LIGHTS by Howard Korder 2001 | Rose Bruford College | |
HENRY VI - PARTS I, II AND III/ RICHARD III 2000 | Royal Shakespeare Company London/ Stratford/ Regional Tour | Associate Director on Michael Boyd's Olivier Award winning productions |
THE MAIDEN'S PRAYER by Nicky Silver - British Premier 2000 | The Bush Theatre | |
THE LAUGH by Thomas Crowe 1998 | Riverside Studios - LNPF | Rehearsed Reading |
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE 1998 | Shakespeare's Globe | |
TROILUS AND CRESSIDA 1998 | Royal Shakespeare Company London/ Stratford/ Regional Tour | Assistant Director |
A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY by Brian Friel, after Turgenev 1998 | Royal Shakespeare Company London/ Stratford/ Regional Tour | Assistant Director |
THE WOOLGATHERER by William Mastrosimone 1998 | Battersea Arts Centre | |
HENRY V 1997 | Shakespeare's Globe - Opening Season | Assistant Director |
A CHASTE MAID IN CHEAPSIDE by Middleton 1997 | Shakespeare's Globe - Opening Season | Assistant Director |
THE BOYS NEXT DOOR by Tom Griffin *Time Out - Critics Choice 1997 | The Grace Theatre/ The Latchmere | |
THE CRUCIBLE by Arthur Miller 1997 | Middlesex University | |
COMEDY OF WORDS by Schnitzler 1996 | New End Theatre, Hampstead | Rehearsed Reading |
DOWNTOWN PARADISE by Mark Jenkins - Premier Production 1996 | Finborough Theatre Chapter Art Centre, Cardiff | Rehearsed Reading |
FLIP by Andy Garrett 1995 | Hen and Chickens Theatre | |
RESISTANCE by Michael Wall - Premier Production 1994 | Old Red Lion Theatre | |
LOOT by Joe Orton 1993 | Thorndike Theatre, Leatherhead, Casson Room | |
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR by Andrew Lloyd Webber 1992 | Paul Nicholas & David Ian Associates, West End and National Tour | Assistant Director |
THE TEMPEST 1992 | Orchard Theatre Company | Assistant Director |