Winner 2008
Winner:
Michael Oakley
Production:
Edward II by Christopher Marlowe
Michael 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 worked as Assistant Director on Much Ado About Nothing for Globe Education's landmark project Playing Shakespeareat Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. He has also assisted on tHe dYsFUnCKshOnalZ! at the Bush Theatre. Most recently Michael directed Graceland by Gabriel Bisset-Smith as part of The 24Hour plays at the Old Vic Theatre.
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
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
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
Production photos by Gemma Mount/Nick Scott.
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 will receive a week of intensive workshops supported by Step Change and using the resources and facilities of BAC during 2009.
Michael Oakley portrait by Nick Scott.
