Birmingham Rep names Joe Murphy new artistic director

Birmingham Rep has appointed Sherman Theatre’s Joe Murphy as its new artistic director. 

Currently artistic director at the Cardiff venue, Murphy will succeed Sean Foley, who stepped down from the helm of the Rep after five years in April. 

Murphy’s career as a director and artist has included associate director positions at Soho Theatre and the Old Vic under Matthew Warchus, before he began a tenure at the Sherman Theatre, which saw the venue stage 18 world premieres. 

His career as a director and creative artist has also included work at Shakespeare’s Globe, the Bush and Chichester Festival Theatre, as well as tours to cities including New York, Moscow and Shanghai. 

In his new position at the Rep, Murphy will lead an artistic team which also includes newly hired deputy artistic director Madeleine Kludje and Iqbal Khan, who has been reappointed as associate director.

Murphy said: “Birmingham Rep is a local theatre with a global reach. I am absolutely thrilled to join at an exciting time for the theatre and for the city. The Rep is a powerhouse of drama, and I look forward to working with the talented team there and the community in and around Birmingham."

Rep chair Andy Street described Murphy as "one of the brightest young directors of his generation, with an incredible track record of success". 

"I’m confident that under his leadership the Rep will thrive artistically and connect with even more audiences and participants across the city and beyond.

"I’m especially pleased he will be joined by deputy artistic director Madeleine Kludje and associate director Iqbal Khan in delivering our mission to be one of the best regional theatres in the UK and internationally and I look forward to working with the team to realise this ambition," he added.

Kludje, who recently directed the premiere of best new play winner at the UK Theatre Awards, Swim, Aunty, Swim!, said she was "thrilled" to be appointed alongside Murphy, adding: "We will continue to forefront artists, creatives and communities from across the Midlands and beyond to create fantastic work and projects and hope to carve out a new vision for the theatre that feels authentic and distinctively Rep."

Rep chief executive Rachael Thomas said: "We are incredibly excited to have appointed a director of Joe’s talent to lead the Rep artistically. He has a palpable sense of vision for the theatre that is centred on Birmingham while being bold and ambitious in scale and reach. I am sure that Joe, Madeleine and Iqbal together will build upon all the Rep’s successes over the years and take it to new heights artistically."