Edwards Hall Biography

Award-winning director Edward Hall has become one of the UK’s most sought after directors.  As 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. Whilst there he also directed iconic TV drama including Restless and Downton Abbey.

His career, which spans over two decades, includes theatre productions A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum and Edmond at the National Theatre, Henry V and Julius Caesar for the RSC, Calico and Macbeth in the West End and a string of successful TV dramas including  KingdomSpooksPartners in Crime, The Durrells, Richard III and the season finale for series 4 of resoundingly successful Downton Abbey.

Hall founded the Propeller Theatre Company, performing 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 VThe Comedy of ErrorsTwelfth NightThe Taming of the Shrew and Richard III.

Over the past decade, as Artistic Director at Hampstead, Hall delivered ground breaking, cutting edge and inspiring plays including the Olivier Award winning Sunny AfternoonChariots of FireThe Judas KissEcstasy, 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 theatre credits include JudeCost of LivingI and YouThe Strange Death of John DoeCell MatesFilthy BusinessRabbit HoleLoyaltyNo Naughty BitsEnlightenmentThe Winter’s Tale and A Streetcar Named Desire in New York’s Studio 54 for the Roundabout Theatre.

Hall is now turning his attention to the big screen and with a reimagining of the Noel Coward classic Blithe Spirit.

Blithe Spirit was due to be released in May 2020 through StudioCanal, but due to the Coronavirus, was released on Sky Cinema and Now TV on January 15, 2021.  The epic comedy stars Dame Judi Dench, Isla Fisher, Leslie Mann and Dan Stevens. He has two other films currently in development.

Edward studied acting at Mountview, before moving into directing. His first directing opportunity came in 1997, assisting Jill Frazer at The Watermill Theatre on Henry V.  He went onto direct Sam West in Cain at the Chichester Festival later that year.

He lives in London with his wife, actress Issy van Randwyck and they have two daughters. 

Award-winning director Edward Hall has become one of the UK’s most sought after directors. His career, which spans over two decades, features West End theatre successes including Olivier Award winning Sunny Afternoon and Chariots of Fire and iconic TV drama including Downton Abbey and Restless.

Now Edward is turning his attention to the big screen with a reimagining of the Noel Coward classic Blithe Spirit.  The epic comedy stars Dame Judi Dench, Isla Fisher, Leslie Mann and Dan Stevens, was due to be released in cinemas in May 2020, but due to the Coronavirus was released on Sky Cinema on January 15, 2021.

As Artistic Director of Hampstead Theatre he revived it’s fortunes, making it into an international award winning new writing theatre.  He directed plays including the Pulitzer prize winning Cost Of Living, starring Adrian Lester, The Judas KissEcstasy, Firebird, Wonderland and Filthy Business

Other theatre productions A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum and Edmond at the National Theatre, Henry V and Julius Caesar for the RSC, Calico and Macbeth in the West End.  He founded the Propeller Theatre Company, performing Shakespeare in London's West End and around the world.

TV credits include KingdomSpooksPartners in Crime, The Durrells, Richard III and the season finale for series 4 of resoundingly successful Downton Abbey.

Award-winning director and former artistic director of Hampstead Theatre, Edward Hall, has directed a string of successful West End theatre shows including Sunny Afternoon and Chariots of Fire and iconic TV dramas such as Downton Abbey and Restless.  He founded the Propeller Theatre Company, performing Shakespeare in London's West End and around the world. Other theatre credits include Edmond at the NT, Julius Caesar for the RSC and Calico in the West End.  

Edward's first first film was a reimagining of the Noel Coward classic Blithe Spirit.  The epic comedy, which stars Dame Judi Dench, Isla Fisher and Dan Stevens was released in January 2021.