Joe
Murphy

Joe Murphy is Artistic Director of Sherman Theatre. He was awarded the 2016 directorship in residence at the Old Vic, following his former role as the Artistic Director of Nabokov, a writing company dedicated to responding to immediately relevant social and political themes. Most recently he was associate director on the Old Vic's production of Present Laughter.

Joe directed What I Learned From Johnny Bevan, featuring Luke Wright, which won two Fringe First Awards at Edinburgh and was followed by a run at Soho Theatre. Prior to this Joe worked in New York as Associate Director of Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall II on Broadway. He was previously Assistant Director for Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies for the RSC at Stratford and the Aldwych Theatre in the West End. Prior to this he directed Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, adapted by Angus Jackson for the Chilren's Touring Partnership.

Joe’s production of Bunny won the Scotsman Fringe First Award following its premiere in Edinburgh and went on to tour the UK. His other theatre credits include the 2nd May Response Plays at The Bush, which starred Sally Phillips and John Heffernan and were written by James Graham, Penelope Skinner, Jack Thorne and Joel Horwood. He directed the London premiere of Joe Harbot’s The Boy on the Swing and was the Resident Director for the West End run of Ghost Stories, at the Duke of York Theatre.

Joe also directed Nabokov/Soho Theatre co-production Blink which premiered at Edinburgh's Traverse Theatre, went on to the Soho Theatre and then toured the UK. Described by the Evening Standard as ‘a joy to watch’, Blink enjoyed a revival at the Soho Theatre and a run in New York. Joe also directed EV Crowe's play Virgin at The Watford Palace Theatre, and more recently the critically acclaimed Incognito, by Nick Payne, at the Bush Theatre.