Edward Hall's reimagining of Noel Coward's classic comedy Blithe Spirit, starring Dame Judie Dench, Isla Fisher, Dan Stevens and Leslie Mann, was originally due to be released in cinemas in the UK in May 2020 through StudioCanal, but due to the Coronavirus was released on January 15 2021 on Sky Cinema/NOW TV. Blithe Spirit was released in the US in February 2021.
Best-selling crime novelist Charles (Stevens) is struggling with catastrophic writer’s block and a stressful deadline for his first screenplay. His piacture-perfect second wife Ruth (Fisher) is doing her best to keep him focussed in the hope of fulfilling her dream of heading to Hollywood. Charles’ desperate search for inspiration leads him to invite Madame Arcati (Dench), a medium recently exposed as a fraud, to perform a séance in their home. They all get more than they bargained for when Arcati accidentally summons the spirit of his deceased first wife: the fiery and jealous Elvira (Leslie Mann) who embarks on a mission to kill Charles so she can spend eternity with him which leads to an increasingly comical and deadly love triangle.
Edward directed several primetime TV dramas alongside his role as artistic director of Hampstead Theatre including season finale of series 4 of the phenomenal Downton Abbey (ITV), Partners in Crime (BBC1, below) and the two part thriller Restless (BBC & Sundance US).
Edward started his screen directing career with Safari Strife, a documentary for Channel 4's Cutting Edge, which followed a couple from London over the course of two years as they moved from their home in London to the vast outback of African to run a game reserve and safari business.
Other television includes: The Durrells (Sid Gentle/ITV), Strike Back (Left Bank Pictures), Spooks (series VII & VIII – Kudos, US title “MI5”), Kingdom (series II & III -Parallel Films), Trial and Retribution XI (La Plante Productions), Miss Marple – Sleeping Murder starring Geraldine McEwan.
Edward also directed Richard III for NHK in Japan.
His radio productions include Dear Exile, Eveline, Into Exile (all Radio 4).
Current projects include the second series of the hugely popular series Gentleman Jack, starring Suranne Jones (BBC1/HBO).
Award-winning director Edward Hall has become one of the UK’s most sought after directors. His career, which spans over two decades, includes classics and new writing in theatres such as The National Theatre, Hampstead Theatre, Vaudeville, Duke of Yorks, Barbican, Old Vic, Royal Court and The Roundhouse Theatre in New York.
As an Artistic Director and joint Chef Executive of Hampstead Theatre he revived it’s fortunes, taking it from the edge of closure, to become an international award winning new writing theatre.
An associate at the National Theatre, he's directed productions including A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, Once in a Lifetime, starring David Suchet and Edmond, starring Sir Kenneth Branagh (above).
Edward directed Henry V, Julius Caesar and The Two Gentlemen of Verona for the Royal Shakespeare Company and London West End plays including Calico, The Constant Wife, Rose Rage, The Deep Blue Sea and Macbeth.
Edward's other international credits include A Streetcar Named Desire in New York’s Studio 54 for the Roundabout Theatre, Two Men of Florence for the Huntingdon Theatre in Boston and Othello at the Tokyo Globe and Rose Rage for Chicago Shakespeare and 42nd Street New York.
Edward founded the Propeller Theatre Company 1997, who performed Shakespeare in London’s West End, before becoming internationally renowned, with tours to countries including Australia, USA, China, Hong Kong, Europe, Japan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Productions include Rose Rage, Henry V, The Comedy of Errors, Twelfth Night, The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night's Dream, A Winter's Tale, The Merchant of Venice and Richard III.
His productions of The Taming of The Shrew, which was nominated for New York Drama Desk Award and won the 2007 OBIE Award, and Twelfth Night played at London's Old Vic prior to a world tour.
Edward has been nominated for two Olivier Awards for Rose Rage (Best Director) and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Outstanding Musical Production) and his production of Henry V was part of the RSC’S This England: The Histories, which won the South Bank Show Award for Theatre. His production of Twelfth Night earned Edward the Best Director Award at the TMA/Barclays Theatre Awards.
Over the past decade, as Artistic Director at Hampstead, Edward delivered ground breaking, cutting edge and inspiring plays including the Olivier Award winning Sunny Afternoon, Chariots of Fire, The Judas Kiss, Ecstasy, all of which transferred to London’s West End. He created Hampstead Downstairs, a studio space for young and aspiring writers. Productions included Phil Davies’s Firebird, which transferred to the Trafalgar Studios.
Other Hampstead credits include Jude, Cost of Living, I and You, The Strange Death of John Doe, Cell Mates, Filthy Business, Rabbit Hole, Loyalty, No Naughty Bits, Enlightenment and The Winter’s Tale.
More information on the Propeller Theatre Company can be found here.
COST OF LIVING
'Absolutely riveting’
★★★★ The Times
'An impeccable cast... Adrian Lester dazzles’
★★★★ The Guardian
'This hundredth production at the theatre is worthy of congratulation’
★★★★ The Independent
'Highly recommended’
★★★★ Mail on Sunday
‘Extraordinarily moving’
★★★★ Daily Express
SUNNY AFTERNOON
'The director Edward Hall marvellously nails the humour and the pathos of the piece’
★★★★★ Daily Telegraph
'What a great show’
★★★★★ Daily Mail
'Writer Joe Penhall and director Ed Hall make the story seem fresh and full of zingy, Swinging Sixties excitement.’
★★★★★ Daily Express
'Edward Hall’s superb staging.’
★★★★★ Mail on Sunday
'This is a great, very British musical about a great, very British band.’
★★★★ The Times
CHARIOTS OF FIRE
‘It’s Edward Halls staging that’s the real winner. This one will run and run.'
★★★★★ Sunday Times
'Gold medals all round for this adaptation of the celebrated film'
★★★★★ Daily Mail
'Edward Hall uses all his considerable adroitness in directing a cast that also includes Tam Willams and Simon Williams.'
★★★★ Financial Times
'A gold medal performance full of thrills.'
★★★★ Daily Express
WONDERLAND
'Hampstead is on a roll. Edward Hall’s superb production'
★★★★ Daily Telegraph
'Hampstead has lately become the home for big public plays.'
★★★★ The Guardian
"Edward Hall’s thrilling production is richly evocative and intensely moving.'
★★★★ The Times
'A mark of Hampstead Theatre’s high-flying confidence under artistic director Edward Hall'
★★★★ Evening Standard
'What the show will be noticed for is some fine acting and an exciting staging by director Edward Hall’
★★★★ Daily Mail
FLITHY BUSINESS
'Edward Hall directs a stunningly well-cast and clear production that's alive to the deliciously silly aspects of the script as well as the whiffs of sulphur. I can't recommend this enough'
★★★★★ The Independent
'Edward Hall directs with his customary élan.. greatly entertaining family drama'
★★★★ The Telegraph
'Fine family portrait with extra bounce’
★★★★ Evening Standard
'If plays survive by creating meaty roles for actors, Ryan Craig’s new work is destined for a long life.'
★★★★ The Guardian
'Feisty Family Saga is gripping to the last.'
★★★★ The Times
The Taming of the Shrew and Twelfth Night (Old Vic & world tour – Drama Desk Award nomination in New York
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum (National Theatre – Olivier Award Nomination for Outstanding Musical Production.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Comedy Theatre; Watermill Theatre Newbury; UK Tour - TMA Award for Best Touring Production).
Rose Rage adapted with Roger Warren from Henry VI parts I, II and III (Haymarket Theatre;Watermill Theatre Newbury; UK/International Tour and Chicago Shakespeare Theatre; Duke’s Theatre, New York – Olivier Award Nomination for Best Director and TMA Award for Best Touring Production.
Henry V (RSC – The South Bank Show Award for Theatre for “The Histories”.
His production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream which played in London at the Comedy Theatre in 2003, went on to play at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York in early 2004, where both he and the production were nominated for Drama Desk Awards.
His American production of Rose Rage, which he directed for the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre in 2003, transferred to the Duke’s Theatre in New York in September 2004, where it won four Jeff Awards including Best Play, Best Director and Best Ensemble Cast.
Twelfth Night (Watermill Theatre Newbury– Winner of the TMA/Barclays Theatre Best Director Award)