Jez Pike Email & Phone Number

Norwich

Developing from scratch the theatre's first dedicated artist development programme and coordinating it's roll-out and ongoing delivery.Role includes brokering relationships with partners, securing funding, developing schemes and programmes to provide both entry points and sustainable careers for artists in the region, and working directly with creatives in bespoke mentoring and organizational development relationships.

Norwich, United Kingdom

Artistic leader of Norwich's leading community theatre located in the heart of the city. Home to The Norwich Players since 1921, the Maddermarket Theatre consists of a 300 seater main house, a flexible studio space, and during my tenure ran an education arm, Mad Red Theatre School.My role included being the principle director of in-house work, and developing a new creative and business strategy for the organization in coordination with the theatre's General Manager. I developed new relationships with the University of East Anglia and supported the development of student and graduate companies, through an expansion of the theatre's studio programme. I successfully advocated for, and supported the transition towards, the first significant review of the organisation's governance structures. During my tenure, including the first 6 months of the pandemic, I covered the role of the General Manager in addition to my own, which included line-managing all staff and programming the theatre's extensive visiting programme of comedy, music, spoken-word and theatre.

The Park Theatre

A new play, 'We're Staying Right Here' by first time writer Henry Devas taking a visceral, blackly comic look into the heart of depression and toxic masculinity.Role has included providing close dramaturgical support over the play's four year development in addition to directing the final production.Cast includes Danny Kirrane (Jerusalem,Three Sisters - Young Vic & Wasted) and Dan Portman (Pod in Game of Thrones).'The razor-sharp dialogue and fantastic performances keep this morbidly dark yet utterly hilarious piece going' ★★★★★ The Upcoming'The language is industrial, the violence visceral; the humour dark; and the conceit pure Beckett; the acting could not be bettered and the direction is inspired.' ★★★★★ Ham & High'We’re Staying Right Here is a perfect play that has something to say about some serious issues, but with a unique and beautiful voice.' ★★★★★ The Upcoming'Unexpectedly funny, a heady mix of absurdist humour and lad-banter' ★★★★ Theatre Weekly'Danny Kirrane leads the cast as Matt, and it is a truly magnificent performance' ★★★★ Theatre Weekly'Devas’ script is brilliant, his jet-black comedy works perfectly... incredibly funny and had the whole audience laughing out loud' ★★★★ The Spy In The Stalls 'An immersive manic black comedy... fantastic dialogue and superb performances by the four actors, this play is well worth seeing.' ★★★★ Artiscape'The four-strong cast let off verbal grenades with ease... the writing is powerful and vicious' The Stage'The acting overall was superb... an impressive play' ★★★★ The Spy In The Stalls 'Jez Pike directs this production with dexterity' British Theatre Guide'Devas and his director Jez Pike have plunged full-pitch into the labyrinth of the mind' The Arts Desk'Strikes an affective balance between comedy and pathos' Reviews Hub

Freelance director for drama school graduate production of 'Table' by Tanya Ronder. Performed at the New Diorama Theatre, 11th and 12th July.

London, United Kingdom

Assistant to Edward Hall on UK Premiere of RABBIT HOLE by David Lindsay-Abaire.29 Jan - 5 Mar 2016★★★★ The Times★★★★ The Sunday Times★★★★ The Mail on Sunday★★★★ What's On Stage ★★★★ The Stage-- Assistant to Howard Davies on major revival of HAPGOOD by Tom Stoppard. 4 Dec 2015 - 23 Jan 2016.★★★★ ‘A spy drama that infiltrates hearts and minds’ The Guardian★★★★ ‘A consciously nostalgic Cold War thriller’ The Telegraph★★★★ ‘Delectably funny’ The Independent★★★★ ‘You won’t see a better production of Hapgood than this’ The Observer★★★★ ‘Clever and theatrically playful’ The Mail on Sunday★★★★ ‘A rollicking spy story’ Time Out

London, United Kingdom

Director of The Rules: Sex, Lies, and Serial Killers by Lila WhelanPreviewing at Theatre 503 (20th & 21st July)World premiere at The Space on the Mile (Edinburgh Fringe Festival) (7-29 August).A devilishly dark serial-killer romance from emerging playwright Lila Whelan.★★★★★ Female Arts★★★★★ The New Current★★★★ Broadway Baby★★★★ Three Weeks'Editors Pick' - Fringe Review

London

Assistant to Howard Davies on the world premiere of Temple by Steve Waters. Starring Simon Russell Beale.'Simon Russell Beale's performance instantly ranks as one of the finest of his career'The Daily Telegraph ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Libby Purves, Theatre Cat'An immaculate re-imagining of the occupy protests' The Guardian ★★★★★★★★ The Times★★★★ The Independent★★★★ The Financial Times★★★★ What's On Stage

London

Assistant Director to Robert Hastie (My Night with Reg) on the world premiere of A Breakfast of Eels by Robert Holman. Starring Matthew Tennyson and Andrew SheridanNominated For 2 Off West End Awards: Best New Play, Best Male Performance★★★★ The Times, ★★★★ The Observer, ★★★★ Evening Standard, ★★★★ Time Out,★★★★ What’s On Stage, ★★★★ The Stage, ★★★★★ Exeunt, ★★★★★ Theatre Bubble,

United Kingdom

Productions: THE WINTERLING BY JEZ BUTTERWORTH. Theatre by the Lake - Summer Season 2014Nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the UK Theatre Awards 2014.- 'Exhilarating...In Jez Pike’s fine, fittingly rustic revival, this underrated piece gains in stature' ★★★★ (The Daily Telegraph)- 'First intrigues and then transfixes the audience...Each of the actors ensures their character has dug so deeply under the audience's skin they will live long in the memory' (The Stage)- Jez Pike ensure that the dialogue between the city boys cracks past at an exhilarating pace...a dizzying tour-de-force of breakneck patter' ★★★★ (What's On Stage)- The sound of low-flying aircraft sears through you and makes you duck; the sickening smell of putrefying meat, cooked on stage, fills the room; and the superbly apt music by Mogwai ramps up the menace and sends shivers down your spine…a brilliant and unusually immersive production’ (Cumbria Life)NOT ABOUT HEROES BY STEPHEN MACDONALD. Theatre by the Lake - Spring Studio & Regional Tour- 'A tightly-focused and moving production' ★★★★ (What’s On Stage)- ‘There will be many other such dramas to move you to tears this year, but seldom as simply effective as this’ (Lancashire Evening Post)- ‘Jez Pike’s direction brings out the best in two excellent actors and, like all good Studio productions, it leaves you both thoughtful and emotionally moved’- (Keswick Reminder)THE SHAPE OF THINGS BY NEIL LABUTE. Theatre by the Lake - Summer Season 2013- 'A great piece of modern theatre' (Cumbria 24)- 'A gripping and provocative journey through what love might do to (or for) you' ★★★★ (Whatsonstage.com)- 'Audience members leave hotly debating' (The Stage)- 'This is a strong production of a very interesting and often funny play that is a highlight of the theatre's summer season' (British Theatre Guide)

London, United Kingdom

Assistant Director to Helena Kaut-Howson on Sons Without Fathers, a new adaptation of Chekhov's 'Platonov' in a co-production by the Belgrade and Arcola Theatres.

Keswick

- Director on Knives in Hens by David Harrower'...a challenging, sensual and edgy production' (Cumbria News and Star)'This is a play which makes you say a small prayer for the gift of theatre' (The Whitehaven News)- Assistant Director on 'Keep Smiling Through' by Lisa Evans, 'The Firework-Maker's Daughter' by Stephen Russell/Philip Pullman and 'The History Boys' by Alan Bennett

Brighton, United Kingdom

Director in Residence of Upstairs at Three & Ten, an award-winning fringe theatre managed by Otherplace Productions. Director of critically acclaimed 'Janis' written and performed by Nicola Haydn (Brighton Fringe '09, Theatre 503, Edinburgh Fringe '09). Winner of Best Female Performer Award and nominated for Best Show at Brighton Fringe Awards. Best Solo Performance Nominee - The Stage Edinburgh Acting Awards. Further productions included revivals of rarely performed one-act plays by Harold Pinter and Vaclav Havel and world premières of new plays.- Designed and project-managed LaunchPad a new writing development scheme for local emerging playwrights. Scheme led to the production of Tipping by Lian Coulbert and A Month of Sundays by Sian Owen at the Brighton Fringe Festival 2009.- Commissioned and produced work by local emerging artists and companies: A double-bill of Samuel Beckett's Play and Not I by Drunken Masks and Brecht Cabaret adapted and directed by Alex Brown (JMK Award Winner 2013).- Assisted with programming, strategic planning and venue management.

Master Of Fine Arts (Mfa), Theatre Directing, Distinction

Recipient of the Peter Cheeseman Award for Greatest Development

Ba Hons, Drama And English, 2:1

Activities and Societies: Sussex University Drama Society