Joe Hill-Gibbins announced as new Headlong artistic director

Joe Hill-Gibbins has been announced as the new artistic director of Headlong Theatre.

Hill-Gibbins, who was formerly deputy artistic director at the Young Vic, will succeed Jeremy Herrin as the head of the award-winning company from summer 2020. He has recent credits including The Tragedy of King Richard The Second at the Almeida and Absolute Hell at the National, while his new production of The Marriage of Figaro opens at the English National Opera this month.

Hill-Gibbins said: "What does the name Headlong mean to me? Fearlessness, velocity, and abandon. I can't wait to lead one of the country's most exciting companies and drive its mission to ask daring questions about who we are today; to provoke and thrill in equal measure. I'm raring to get started; connecting with our brilliant producing partners, the most inspiring theatre artists, and audiences and communities across the UK."

Donna Munday has also been announced as the new chair of the company's Board of Trustees, and will succeed current chair Robin Paxton on the 18 March.

Headlong is at the forefront of contemporary theatre in the UK, having produced the likes of This House, People, Places and Things, Labour of Love and 1984. The company's co-production of a gender-switched Faustus is currently playing on tour.