George Perrin and James Grieve are to become joint Artistic Directors of new writing theatre company Paines Plough, replacing Roxana Silbert in February 2010.
The pair comes to Paines Plough following eight years as Artistic Directors of Nabokov, the theatre company they established with the aim of producing and touring new writing. The company’s work has included Mike Bartlett’s Artefacts and Jack Thorne’s 2nd May 1997 at the Bush theatre and Edmund White’s Terre Haute at Trafalgar Studios.
Perrin knows Paines Plough well, having already worked with the company as creative associate and assistant director. Both Perrin and Grieve have also worked frequently at new writing theatre the Bush, where Grieve trained under Artistic Director Josie Rourke and collected several directorial credits including forthcoming play The Whiskey Taster.
In a statement the duo said: “We are thrilled to be have been appointed joint Artistic Directors of Paines Plough. We are looking forward to the opportunity to build on the company’s illustrious 35 year history and the incredible achievements of Roxana Silbert by continuing to present the highest quality work to the largest number of people across the country and internationally, cementing Paines Plough’s reputation as the UK’s national theatre of new plays.”
Under Silbert Paines Plough has produced many significant new plays including Steve Thompson’s Roaring Trade and Dennis Kelly’s Orphans, which transferred to the Soho theatre following a successful run at this year’s Edinburgh Festival.
CB