The JMK Trust

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

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Winner 2005

Natalie Abrahami

Production: Play and Not I by Samuel Beckett

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Natalie was Artistic Director of the Gate Theatre, Notting Hill from 2007-2012.

She left Christ’s College, Cambridge with a First in English Literature before joining the Royal Court as a Graduate Trainee. Most recently she was Associate Director at the Young Vic (2013 – 2016) and their Genesis Fellow (2013 – 2015). Natalie was also an Associate Artist at the Nuffield Southampton Theatres (2013 – 2015) and Associate Director at Hull Truck (2012).

At the Gate, Natalie commissioned and directed: Anthony Weigh’s new version of Lorca’s Yerma in co-production with Hull Truck; Lorrie Moore’s How To Be An Other Woman; Nancy Harris’ adaptation of Tolstoy’s novella, The Kreutzer Sonata (also at La MaMa E.T.C, New York); Sam Holcroft’s, Vanya, inspired by Chekhov’s original; and Alexandra Wood’s Unbroken, a dance-theatre response to Schnitzler’s La Ronde. Other directing credits at the Gate include: Mark Ravenhill’s Women in Love and Anne Washburn’s The Internationalist.

Recent directing credits include: Swive [Elizabeth] (Globe Theatre); The Meeting (Chichester Festival Theatre); Machinal (Almeida Theatre); Wings (Young Vic); Queen Anne (RSC and Theatre Royal Haymarket);

Other directing credits include: Ah Wilderness and Happy Days (Young Vic); Hitchcock Blonde (Hull Truck); The Merchant of Venice (Creation Theatre Company); Parallax (Almeida Theatre) and After Miss Julie (Young Vic).

The JMK Award gave me a tremendous opportunity to direct two Beckett plays which I loved, and would never have been able to afford to stage otherwise: being too short, too technical, and too expensive. The Award is extraordinary because its unique existence fulfils every young director’s wish: to choose a play and then receive the financial support to stage it. It was an amazing privilege to have this wish fulfilled – Natalie Abrahami

Theatrically terrific – the language has such mesmerising vigour and the imaginative power of the plays knocks you out – Jeremy Kingston in The Times

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If Natalie Abrahami had any migraines about this taut double bill, it doesn’t show on her stage. Both are an unflagging assault on the senses, a visceral, witty and highly enjoyable bubble of Beckett at his sly cackling best – Lucy Powell in Time Out

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Natalie Abrahami, winner of this year’s James Menzies-Kitchin Award, has already proved herself a director of exceptional flair. Watching this Beckett is like falling backwards into hell, hearing cries
– Lyn Gardner in The Guardian

In 2005 our weekend workshop at BAC was led by Roxana Silbert, Artistic Director of Paines Plough and JMK Trustee. The shortlisted directors included Polly Findlay, Carrie Cracknell, Sam Leifer, Charlotte Westenra, James Tovell, Mel Cook and Sarah Norman.

Production photos by Pete Le May.

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Alumni

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 and Tom Morris OBE (Founding Chair).  

The JMK Trust is kindly supported by Philip Hooker, The Martin Bowley Charitable Trust, Arts Council England, the Orange Tree Theatre, The Noël Coward Foundation, Didymus,
The Thistle Trust, The Chapman Trust, The Golsoncott Foundation, The Unity Theatre Trust 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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