Jeremy Herrin is artistic director at Headlong, the London theatre company that has received five-star reviews and numerous awards for its ambitious reworkings of classic texts and contemporary plays tackling some challenging themes.

The Nether by Haley, , Writer - Jennifer Haley, Director - Jeremy Herrin, Designer - Es Devlin, Lighting - Paul Pyant, The Royal Court Theatre, London, 2014, Photograph by Johan Persson
The Nether. Writer: Jennifer Haley, Director: Jeremy Herrin, Designer: Es Devlin, Lighting: Paul Pyant, The Royal Court Theatre, London, 2014. Photograph by Johan Persson

Herrin joined Headlong in 2013. His directing credits there include The Nether; a chilling dystopian drama exploring the future of the internet, People, Places and Things, Duncan MacMillan’s award-winning play about addiction, and a remake of David Hare’s 1993 political drama, The Absence of War.

The Absence of War at Headlong Theatre, Rose Theatre and Sheffield Theatres. © Mark Douet
The Absence of War at Headlong Theatre, Rose Theatre and Sheffield Theatres. © Mark Douet

Headlong has become known for its bold use of visuals and innovative set designs by Bunny Christie (People, Places and Things), Es Devlin (The Nether) and Chloe Lamford (1984). The company aims to reach a broader demographic with theatre and Herrin sees design, technology and plays “which look at the contemporary world in a fresh way” as key to achieving this.

The Absence of War at Headlong Theatre, Rose Theatre and Sheffield Theatres. © Mark Douet
The Absence of War at Headlong Theatre, Rose Theatre and Sheffield Theatres. © Mark Douet

“The perfect Headlong show is provocative and challenging but also technically daring,” he told CR. “I hope it’s the kind of thing you could take someone who says they don’t like theatre to and they’d have a really good time.”

The Netherby Haley, Writer - Jennifer Haley, Director - Jeremy Herrin, Designer - Es Devlin, Lighting - Paul Pyant, The Royal Court Theatre, London, 2014, Photograph by Johan Persson
The Nether. Writer: Jennifer Haley, Director: Jeremy Herrin, Designer: Es Devlin, Lighting: Paul Pyant, The Royal Court Theatre, London, 2014. Photograph by Johan Persson

Herrin also directed award-winning adaptations of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies for the Royal Shakespeare Company and is co-chair of Stage Directors UK, a collective campaigning for better pay for theatre and opera directors working in Britain.

headlong.co.uk