Nadia Fall Appointed New Artistic Director Of The Young Vic Theatre

The Young Vic Theatre has announced the appointment of Nadia Fall as its new Artistic Director and Joint Chief Executive.

Nadia will join the organisation in January 2025 and will succeed Kwame Kwei-Armah who steps down from the role following his final production, A Face in the Crowd, in September. She will lead together with Executive Director Lucy Davies who also becomes Joint Chief Executive.

Nadia has been Artistic Director of Stratford East since 2017 and was previously Associate at The National Theatre from 2015 to 2018. Her debut feature film Brides is in post production and was chosen for the Great8 platform of British films at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.

At Stratford East, her programming highlights include a hit revival of Equus which transferred to the West End in her first season, August Wilson's King Hedley II starring Sir Lenny Henry which she also directed, and new collaborations including a large-scale production of Noye's Fludde with English National Opera, bringing together 200 young people and which received the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera.

As Associate at The National Theatre, she wrote and directed the critically acclaimed HOME, and directed further productions including Chewing Gum Dreams written and performed by Michaela Coel, The Suicide, Our Country's Good and DARA amongst others. She returned to the National in 2019 to direct Inua Ellams' adaptation of Three Sisters.

As Sky Arts Ambassador for Theatre, Nadia created the inaugural Sky Arts Artistic Associates Bursary. Her TV credits also include Alan Bennett's Talking Heads: The Outside Dog for BBC One and NO MASKS for Sky Arts. She was named in Screen International's 2023 Screen Stars of Tomorrow, spotlighting filmmakers in the UK and Ireland.

Nadia Fall said: “The Young Vic was first built as a pop-up theatre for a younger, bolder generation of artists and audiences. Today it is a celebrated cornerstone of London theatre but that mischievous spirit of a makeshift, anti-establishment theatre still courses through its veins, and I find that incredibly compelling. The Young Vic is not afraid to ask the difficult questions, and it's particularly exciting to me that its audiences have an appetite for that provocation.

“I was born in Southwark and raised in and around the borough as well as the Middle East, to South Asian parents, and I love that the Young Vic holds hands with its local community of Southwark and Lambeth whilst looking out towards the rest of the world through its artists and stories. It's exactly who we are in London - both local and international.

“I am thrilled to be leading the team at a theatre where I was first taken into the fold as a young student director when Associate Artistic Director Sue Emmas watched the first night of the very first show I ever directed in a pub theatre in Kennington. It's one of life's full circle moments and I cannot wait to get started.”

Glenn Earle, Chair of the Board, said: “I am thrilled that Nadia will join us as our next Artistic Director and Joint Chief Executive alongside Lucy Davies, our brilliant Executive Director. Nadia has a proven and long-standing record not only of theatre leadership, but also of significant artistic success, at The National Theatre, at Stratford East and as a freelance director. Critically, Nadia also shares our core Young Vic values of commitment to community and to broadening access to theatre and creative education.

“My fellow Board members and I look forward to the exciting next chapter of the Young Vic story under the leadership of Nadia and Lucy, who we are sure will build confidently, creatively and inclusively on the extraordinary legacy of their illustrious forebears.

“I would like to offer my sincere thanks to all the wonderful candidates we met during the recruitment process. It is encouraging to see the wealth of talent and ambition in the creative sector here and abroad. I also want to thank our succession panel, Board and recruitment consultants for their dedication and support during the recruitment process.” *

Lucy Davies, Executive Director, said: “I can't wait to welcome Nadia to the brilliant Young Vic team. She's a leader and artist of great flair, ideas and intelligence, with roots in our borough and ambitions for the world. She's a fantastic successor to stand on Kwame's mighty shoulders and take us into future adventures. Very exciting times.”

Kwame Kwei-Armah, current Artistic Director, said: “I congratulate Nadia and the Young Vic. Nadia will get to work with some of the most dedicated and skilled theatre people in our sector, and they will get to work with a fearless artistic leader.”

Nadia Fall is the Artistic Director of Stratford East. She trained at Goldsmiths College, University of London (MA Directing) and on The National Theatre Studio's Directors programme. She was a Sky Arts Ambassador for Theatre 2021-2023.

As Director, theatre credits include: The Village Idiot by Samson Hawkins, Shining City by Conor McPherson, The Village by April De Angelis, King Hedley II by August Wilson, and The Sun, the Moon, and the Stars by Dipo Baruwa-Etti (Stratford East);  Three Sisters by Inua Ellams, The Suicide by Suhayla El Bushra, Our Country's Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker, Dara by Tanya Ronder, Chewing Gum Dreams by Michaela Coel, Home by Nadia Fall, Hymn by Alan Bennett, and The Doctor's Dilemma by George Bernard Shaw  (National Theatre), Her Naked Skin (NT 100th anniversary of women's vote) by Rebecca Lenkiewicz; Hir by Taylor Mac and Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar (Bush Theatre); R and D by Simon Vinnicombe  (Hampstead Theatre); Way Upstream by Alan Ayckbourn (Chichester Festival Theatre); Hobson's Choice (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre); How Was It For You? (Unicorn Theatre); Sticks & Stones (Polka Theatre); The Maids by Jean Genet (Lyric Hammersmith); Wild Turkey by Joe Penhall (Site Specific) and Miss Julie by August Wilson (Croydon Warehouse Theatre and White Bear).

As Associate Director, credits include: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Gielgud Theatre, West End); Collaborators and The Habit of Art (National Theatre). 

   

TV credits include: The Outside Dog for Talking Heads (BBC One); NO MASKS (Sky Arts).

Radio credits include: Welcome to Iran (also writer – BBC Radio 3). 

Writing credits include: Welcome to Iran and Home.

She has directed at Guildhall School of Music and Drama and led participation initiatives with partners such as the Young Vic, Clean Break, Soho Theatre, and the Royal Court.

Nadia's debut feature film as director, Brides is in post-production. Backed by BFI and Ffilm Cymru Wales, the film is a UK / Italian co-production helmed by Oscar-nominated producer Nicky Bentham, and stars newcomer Ebada Hassan and Safiyya Ingar (Layla, The Witcher). It has been chosen as part of Great 8 2024, British Titles set for Cannes.

 

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