The JMK Trust

The JMK Trust provides talented young directors with awards, guidance and development opportunities

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Winner 2008

Michael Oakley

Production: Edward II by Christopher Marlowe

michaeloakleyjmkcrop

Michael Oakley is a freelance theatre director.

He studied English/Writing and Performance at the University of York where he directed productions of Much Ado About Nothing, The Duchess of Malfi, The Winter’s Tale, Agamemnon, Sexual Perversity in Chicago and Betrayal. He has worked as the Trainee Director in Residence at Chichester Festival Theatre and as Assistant Director on Much Ado About Nothing for Globe Education’s landmark project Playing Shakespeare at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. He has also assisted on tHe dYsFUnCKshOnalZ! at the Bush Theatre.

Most recently, Michael directed The Invisible at the Bush Theatre and The Life and Times of Fanny Hill at Bristol Old Vic to excellent reviews, including 5 stars in The Independent. In 2012 Michael was Co-Artistic Director of Theatre on the Fly – a pop-up venue at Chichester Festival Theatre – where his production of Playhouse Creatures was awarded 5 stars in The Daily Telegraph.

I’m over the moon to have won the Award and to be given the opportunity to direct this amazing play. I passionately believe that Edward II is relevant today; it challenges our perceptions of the society we live in. I am lucky the JMK is backing a bold proposal of a classic play. It’s very rare to get that support so early on in your career – Michael Oakley

EDWARD-II-at-BAC-1[2]As clear an account of Marlowe’s play as you are likely to see, suggest a young director who already knows that it is telling the story that really counts – Lyn Gardner in The Guardian

EDWARD-II-at-BAC-3[2]Michael Oakley’s admirable production does both the JMK award and Marlowe proud – Jeremy Kingston in The Times

A fast and polished performance that, in one of the smaller BAC spaces, is like a Donmar Warehouse production writ slightly smaller – Michael Coveney in Whatsonstage

Edward II was produced by Marwood Productions.

In 2008 Ellen McDougall won a runner-up prize supported by The Ian Ritchie Foundation during which she conducted a workshop at BAC exploring A Kind of Alaska by Harold Pinter.

The shortlisted directors were Dan Barnard, Derek Bond, James Bounds, Emma Callander, Allegra Galvin and Luke Kernaghan.

All eight finalists received a week of intensive workshops supported by Step Change and using the resources and facilities of BAC during 2009. The practitioners who took part, chosen by the finalists, were Katie Mitchell, Richard Eyre, Akram Khan, Melly Still, Wendy Spon, Laura McDermott, Ruth Little, Joe Hill-Gibbins, Mike Bradwell, Kathryn Hunter and Daniel Kramer.

Production photos by Gemma Mount/Nick Scott. Michael Oakley portrait by Nick Scott.

Latest News

  • JMK Trust announces new recipients of 2023 Victoria Wood Bursaries March 14, 2023
  • The Big Give Christmas Challenge 2022 November 29, 2022
  • JMK announce Victoria Wood Assistant Director Bursaries with Leeds Playhouse and Royal Exchange Manchester November 16, 2022

Alumni

Diane Page Tristian Fynn-Aiduenu Winner 2017 - Josh Roche Winner 2016 - Roy Alexander Weise Winner 2015 - Liz Stevenson Kate Hewitt - winner 2014 Winner 2013 - Alex Brown Winner 2012 - Sam Pritchard Winner 2011 - Cathal Cleary Winner 2010 - Matthew Evans Winner 2009 - Caroline Steinbeis Winner 2008 - Michael Oakley Winner 2007 - Polly Findlay Winner 2006 - Jamie Harper Winner 2005 - Natalie Abrahami Winner 2004 - Anne Tipton Winner 2003 - Bijan Sheibani Winner 2002 - Joe Hill Gibbins Winner 2001 - Orla O'Loughlin Winner 2000 - Thea Sharrock Winner 1999 - Mark Rosenblatt Winner 1998 - Tassos Stevens

Click here to view all JMK alumni »

Patrons: Dame Judi Dench, Baroness Howe, Sir Ian McKellen, Clare Menzies-Kitchin MBE and Tom Morris OBE (Founding Chair).  

The JMK Trust is kindly supported by The Martin Bowley Charitable Trust, Arts Council England, The Katie Bradford Arts Trust, The Leche Trust, Scops Arts Trust, The Garrick Charitable Trust, The Victoria Wood Foundation, The Barbara Whatmore Charitable Trust, The Maria Björnson Memorial Fund, The Patricia Routledge Foundation, The Hollick Family Foundation and all our individual donors.

Registered address: Talton Farm Cottage, Newbold on Stour, Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 8UB.

Registered Charity: No. 295080

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The JMK Trust
  • Home
  • About
  • The JMK Award
    • About the JMK Award
    • Application process 2023
    • Information for Designers
  • National Programme
    • About the JMK National Programme
      • JMK Birmingham
      • JMK Bristol
      • JMK Edinburgh
      • JMK Manchester
      • JMK Newcastle
      • JMK Northampton
      • JMK Nottingham
      • JMK Reading
      • JMK Salisbury
      • JMK Stoke-on-Trent
      • JMK Yorkshire
    • #JMKSpace
    • JMK Director Practitioners
  • Assistant Director Bursaries
    • Victoria Wood Assistant Director Bursary – Leeds Playhouse
      • Apply: Leeds Playhouse Victoria Wood Assistant Director Bursary
    • Victoria Wood Assistant Director Bursary – Royal Exchange Manchester
      • Apply: Royal Exchange Victoria Wood Assistant Director Bursary
    • JMK Assistant Director Bursary Recipients
    • JMK Bob Carlton Bursary
  • Support us
    • How you can help
    • Support for Free with Online Shopping
    • Legacies
    • JMK Gift Membership & Awards Circle
    • ShareGift
    • Thanks to our supporters
  • Blog
  • More information
    • Learn about directing
    • Archive Playlists
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
  • Exploring the relationship between Director and Movement Director with Vicki Manderson
  • JMK Workshop – GROUPWORK – OUR DEVISING AND REHEARSAL PROCESS