The JMK Trust

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

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Winner 2003

Bijan Sheibani

Production: Party Time and One for the Road by Harold Pinter

bijanweb_567

Bijan Sheibani is a freelance theatre and opera director.

His recent theatre credits include The Arrival (as writer and director) at the Bush Theatre; Dance Nation by Clare Barron, at the Almeida Theatre; The Brothers Size by Tarell Alvin McCraney, at the Young Vic; Barber Shop Chronicles by Inua Ellams, at the National Theatre, and Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker at Home Manchester. After two sell-out runs at the National Theatre,  Barber Shop Chronicles toured internationally and across the UK.

Recent opera credits include Nothing by David Bruce at Glyndebourne and Danish National Opera (nominated for a 2017 Southbank Sky Arts Award for Best New Opera) and Tell Me The Truth About Love for Streetwise Opera.

Bijan was as an associate director of the National Theatre from 2010-2015 under Nicholas Hytner and Nick Starr, and artistic director of ATC from 2007-2010. He was nominated for an Olivier Award in 2010 for Best Director for his production of Our Class. In 2008, he won an Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement or Performance in an Affiliate Theatre for his production of Gone Too Far! in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court.

Winning the JMK Award made it possible for me to direct two plays by Harold Pinter that I loved, which Harold himself came and saw. It was a gruelling, energising, and thrilling time. Without that time, and without the JMK Trust, I would not be in the privileged position I’m now in. I only wish there were more opportunities like this one for the breadth of talented people who are embarking on that very daunting and penniless road – Bijan Sheibani

Beautifully cast and aesthetically vibrant, both plays demonstrate how language can simultaneously dissemble and carry oppression in every syllable – Rachel Halliburton in The Evening Standard

partytime

These are really first rate productions. It gave me great pleasure and pride to watch them. They have real authority and focus. I am deeply impressed – Harold Pinter

OFTR1

The brilliance of Sheibani’s double bill is to make very different depictions of squashed dissent seem like two instalments of the same story. And the cast grasp Pinter’s comedy of menace with both hands. This pairing catches the savage sophistry of latter day Pinter without missing a beat
– Claire Allfree in METRO

The staging by Bijan Sheibani – winner of this year’s James Menzies-Kitchen Award for Young Directors – is bleak and gripping. Elusive and haunting – Kate Bassett in The Independent on Sunday

In 2003 the weekend workshops at BAC were led by Tom Morris who was joined on the interview panel by Thea Sharrock, then Artistic Director of Southwark Playhouse, and designer Dick Bird. The shortlisted directors included Elliot Cowan, Chris Rolls, Katie McAleese, Charlotte Westenra, Helen Eastman, John Terry and Philip Breen.

Production photos by Paul Burgess.

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