★ ★ ★ ★ 'Alex Howarth's production is light and tight'- Natasha Tripney, The Stage
Alex is an award winning theatre director
and writer based in London.
His play We Live By the Sea opened the Brits Off Broadway
season at 59E59 Theatres in New York where it was
Critic's Pick and Top Theatre of the Year in the
New York Times. It was nominated for a Fringe First and
Off West End Awards for Best Production and Best
Ensemble, ran at the SoHo Playhouse Off-Broadway, and
won Best Theatre, Critics Choice, and Peace Foundation
Awards and was in the Top 5 Shows To See in the Guardian
during two seasons at Adelaide Festival.
He was the assistant director on La Traviata at the
Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in January 2020.
He adapted and directed the World Stage Premiere of
What's Eating Gilbert Grape, working alongside the film's
writer; Oscar nominee Peter Hedges.
He leads research and development periods for new writing and was the writer in the room for feminist gig play Sirens which recently embarked on a national tour. He regularly directs at drama schools including Mountview, Associated Studios, and University of Cumbria and has worked across the world in venues including 59E59 Theatres New York, The Arts Theatre West End, Royal Croquet Club Australia, TNT Theatre Beijing, The Royal Opera House, The Finborough, The Arcola, Salisbury Playhouse, The Cheltenham Everyman and Southwark Playhouse. He is the Artistic Director of Patch of Blue, who create devised theatre pieces with live music for festivals and touring. He has worked extensively in theatre with people with disabilities, having created performances with deafblind adults for the charity Sense.
He strives to create work that is playful, fresh and moving, and particularly enjoys working with actor-musicians.
Training: Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts - PG (Dip) Theatre Directing
As Assistant Director
La Traviata (dir. Richard Eyre, Revival Dir. Barbara Lluch, The Royal Opera House, 2020)
Orpheus In the Underworld (dir. Jeff Clarke, Salisbury Playhouse and Buxton Opera House, 2019)
Twelfth Night (dir. David Thacker, Octagon Theatre Bolton, 2013)
The Complete Works Of Shakespeare- Abridged (dir. John Paten, Madinat Theatre Dubai, 2013)
Avenue Q (dir. Eddie Dredge, Theatre Royal Windsor, 2013)
As Associate Director
Romeo and Juliet (dir. Polina Kalinina, The Tobacco Factory and International Tour, 2015)
A Christmas Carol (dir. John Martin, Trinity Theatre, 2014)
As Director
Cassie and the Lights (Director & Writer, Vault Festival London, Adelaide Festival Australia, and Heaven Creation Theatre China 2020)- WINNER Excellent Play Award, Central Academy Awards China, and Best Theatre, Adelaide Festival)
Chemistry (European Premiere, Finborough Theatre, 2019)
Annie (Barn Theatre, 2019)
Piramania! The Swashbuckling Pirate Musical (Upstairs at the Gatehouse and Underbelly Edinburgh, 2019)
Misterman (New Wimbledon Studio and Brockley Jack Studio, 2019)
Flight To Neptune City (Southwark Playhouse, 2019)
Mabel (Lion and Unicorn, 2019)
Junk (Old Red Lion, 2019)
Lord of the Flies (University of Cumbria, Stanwix Theatre, 2019)
We Live By the Sea (Brits Off Broadway 59E59 Theaters- New York Times Critics Pick and Best Theatre of the Year, SoHo Playhouse Off-Broadway, Arts Theatre West End, The Royal Croquet Club Australia, Greenwich Theatre, China- National Tour, 2016-2018) - WINNER Best Theatre, Critic’s Choice & Peace Foundation Awards at Adelaide Festival
Aladdin (The Palace Theatre, Newark, 2018)
Oh! You Pretty Things (Southwark Playhouse, 2018)
The Fall (Old Red Lion, 2018)
The Red Light, Dirty Laundry (Union Theatre, 2018)
The Wind in the Willows (Liverpool Theatre School, Epstein Theatre, 2018)
The Next Big Thing (Edinburgh Festival, 2018)
Two Sides (The Arcola, 2017)
The Tortoise and the Hare (Director & Writer, National Tour, 2017)
When We Ran (Director & Lead Deviser, The Pleasance Edinburgh, 2017)
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Liverpool Theatre School, 2017)
Showcase (Identity School of Acting, 2017)
Back To Blackbrick (Director & Adaptation, Arts Theatre West End and National Tour, 2016)
The Memory Show (European Premiere- Drayton Arms Theatre, 2016)
Snow White (Co-director, The Hexagon, Reading, 2016)
Loserville (Liverpool Theatre School, 2016)
Oliver! (Co-director, Trinity Theatre, 2016)
The School For Husbands (National Tour, 2015)
Arabian Nights (Souk Al Jubail, United Arab Emirates, 2015)
Medea (Guildhall Amphitheatre, 2015) - WINNER- Owle Schreame Award for Classical Theatre
What's Eating Gilbert Grape (Director & Adaptation, World Stage Premiere- Mountview Academy, 2014)
Beans On Toast (Director & Lead Deviser- Theatre 503, The New Diorama and touring, 2014) - WINNER - IdeasTap Edinburgh Award
Spring Awakening (Duke St Theatre, 2014)
Sitting Up For Michael, C.L.G (The White Bear, 2014)
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (National Tour, 2013)
Dear Santa (The Capitol, Horsham, 2013)
Cafe Nation (World Premiere, Cockpit Theatre, 2013)
Rain Man (Karamel, 2012)
[title of show]-UK Professional Premiere (Assembly Edinburgh 2012)
As Writer
Cassie and the Lights (Heaven Creation Theatre China, Vault Festival & Adelaide Festival, 2020)
Sirens (National Tour, 2019)
In Stars (Workshop 2017)
Back to Blackbrick (Adaptation- Arts Theatre West End and National Tour, 2016)
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (Adaptation- World Stage Premiere- Mountview Academy, Bridewell Theatre, 2014)
Safelight (Adaptation- in development)
Lead deviser on We Live By the Sea, When We Ran, and Beans On Toast.
As Musical Director
Aladdin (Pearce Suite Theatre, Maidenhead, 2017).
Workshops
In Stars (Zoo Co, 2017)
The Illness Should Attend (Katy Lipson, 2017)
The Artificial Brain (The New Diorama, 2016)
Observerships
The Kite Runner (dir. Giles Croft, National Tour, UK Productions, 2018)
La Traviata (dir. Richard Eyre, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, 2016)
Qdos Pantomimes 2015/16
Awards
‘Excellent Play’ Award at the Central Academy Awards, China, Best Theatre at Adelaide Festival, Australia - Cassie and the Lights
Best Theatre, Critic’s Choice and Peace Foundation Awards at Adelaide Festival, Australia- We Live By the Sea
Owle Schreame Award for Classical Theatre - Medea
IdeasTap Edinburgh Award- Beans on Toast
Nominations include the Fringe First and Off West Awards for Best Production and Best Ensemble for We Live By the Sea.
Other skills
Basic British Sign Language (Certificate in ‘Introducing British Sign Language’ from British-Sign)
Piano (Grade 8 and excellent sight reading)
Voice (Grade 8)
Highly experienced in primary education and drama therapy with people with disabilities.
PRESS
In rehearsals for Lord of the Flies at University of Cumbria © Jez Colclough
In rehearsals for The Wind In the Willows at Liverpool Theatre School