Ed Burnside

Ed is Associate Director of The Fear of 13 by Lindsey Ferrentino. Ed worked closely with director Justin Martin to create this new work for the Donmar Warehouse starring Adrien Brody.

ADRIEN BRODY’S WRENCHING PORTRAIT OF DEATH ROW INJUSTICE IS UNMISSABLE.

TELEGRAPH ★★★★★

TIM SHEADER’S TENURE AS THE DONMAR’S NEW ARTISTIC DIRECTOR HAS GOT OFF TO AN EXEMPLARY START.

THE TIMES ★★★★★

THIS WILL GO DOWN AS ONE OF THE BEST NEW PLAYS OF THE YEAR.

WHATSONSTAGE ★★★★★

Ed returns to Tokyo in 2024 as Associate Director of the latest Japanese revival of the show. He was Resident Director for the first UK Tour of Billy Elliot The Musical. As part of his work internationally, he has put 15 boys into the show as Billy and his work with the “Michael” cast resulted in an award for the boys as best newcomers in the Manchester Theatre Awards 2017. He was also the Deputy Associate Director of the original Japanese production and the Korean revival of the show.

Ed was Associate Director of Erica Whyman’s production of Lolita Chakrabati’s adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s book Hamnet at the RSC (Swan Theatre) and the subsequent transfer to the Garrick Theatre (West End). The show was co-produced by the RSC and Neal Street Productions.

Ed was Resident Director of Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin’s production of The Jungle for Good Chance Theatre Company at St Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn, NYC and Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington DC.

From January 2018 to December 2022, Ed was Resident and then Senior Rehearsal Director of the London production of Matilda The Musical, rehearsing two cast changes a year. After an enforced closure of 18 months due to COVID-19, Ed was part of the team that re-opened the show at the Cambridge Theatre on 16th September 2021 just in time for its 10th Birthday.

In May 2021, Ed was invited by Institute for Contemporary Theatre to direct Nicholas Lloyd-Webber and James D. Reid’s adaptation of Antoine de St Exupery’s cherished masterpiece The Little Prince. This was the first time that a fully staged production has been allowed in this country. Ed was reunited with long time collaborator - designer Ryan Dawson Laight on this project.

Ed was invited to be Children’s Director on the Aberfan episode of Season 3 of the Crown. He worked closely with Benjamin Caron (director) to create the scenes in the classroom. The episode is a lasting tribute to those affected by the tragedy.

Black with Le Gateau Chocolat was originally commissioned by Homotopia in Liverpool. As Co-Writer and Director, Black was nominated for a Total Theatre Award for Experimentation, Innovation and playing with form as part of its month long run at Assembly in Edinburgh (produced by SOHO Theatre). Black played Contact Theatre, Manchester and Theatre Royal, Stratford East in 2017, in its expanded outing with Psappha (13 piece orchestra led by Julian Kelly). Black then played Adelaide Cabaret Festival in the Summer of 2017.

Alongside orchestrator, musical director and longtime collaborator Julian Kelly, Ed has been granted permission by Richard Maltby Jr. and David Shire to reimagine their seminal song cycles Starting Here, Starting Now and Closer Than Ever for larger stages, full ensemble and orchestra. Julian and Ed have had the opportunity to workshop these works with this unique approach in Chichester. 

Circle Game was commissioned by Brit School in Croydon.

Ed devised and wrote the work based on verbatim interviews with students on the Year 14 course. Circle Game was presented at Brighton Festival in 2015.

Ed has considerable experience working with young people and community groups of varying backgrounds, ages and abilities. He has been a visiting practitioner for Old Vic New Voices most recently running a day’s course in the practice of American Acting Teacher Sandford Meisner. He regularly visits conservatoires including Trinity Laban, Urdang, BRIT School and Italia Conti as both an acting teacher and director. He has also run workshops for BBC Shakespeare for Schools, Birmingham Stage Company and Billy Elliot.