6 of the best young theatre directors

It's a bit of a truism to state that theatre is a collaboration. Every production relies upon a whole team of artists, so to boil the creative vision down to one individual is to exclude its other vital components. After focusing on some of the most exciting writers on the scene today, therefore, it only seems right to turn the focus onto another of their key collaborators: the director.

Ned Bennett

Back in 2012, Ned Bennett's production of Philip Ridley's disturbing Mercury Fur burst out of nowhere with explosive force. Showing at the tiny Old Red Lion Theatre in Islington, the show and the company behind it appeared with few expectations, but Mercury Fur quickly became one of the most in demand shows on the Fringe thanks to word of mouth. Now Bennett has delivered on that potential with his equally dark production of Pomona, Alistair McDowall's twisting, turning and utterly compelling play at the Orange Tree Theatre.

Jude Christian

There aren't many British directors who would put two live piglets on the stage, but Jude Christian is one of them. Her production of Rodrigo García's mouthful of a monologue I'd Rather Goya Robbed Me of My Sleep Than Some Other Arsehole at the Gate Theatre earlier this year was both visually striking and intellectually astute (yes, even the piglets), offering a bold visual interpretation of García's diatribe against modern capitalist society. Going by the strength of this production, it's worth looking out for what she does next.

Robert Icke

It's slightly remarkable to think that Robert Icke only has just over a handful of professional directing credits to his name. Rupert Goold's protege, who has moved across from Headlong to the Almeida with his mentor, is the director behind Anne Washburn's giddy "post-electric" play Mr Burns and Headlong's bracing, youthful production of Romeo and Juliet, as well as collaborating with Duncan Macmillan on a formidably intelligent adaptation of George Orwell's 1984. His next project is a site-specific production of Wallace Shawn's The Fever early next year, which will be performed for small audiences in a hotel room.

Ben Kidd

Another of the directors supported through Headlong's touring scheme, Ben Kidd was at the helm of an updated take on Frank Wedekind's Spring Awakening earlier this year, working with a new script by Anya Reiss. Although I missed this production, Kidd caught my attention with Lippy at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh this summer, which brought a bold and haunting aesthetic to the impossible telling of a true story. For those of you who missed the production on the Fringe, it's coming to the Young Vic next year.

Ellen McDougall

I was gutted to miss director Ellen McDougall's production of Henry the Fifth at the Unicorn Theatre last year after hearing praise from all directions. Earlier this year at the Gate I began to get an idea of what the fuss was all about, as her production of Idomeneus had me absolutely captivated with its playful yet interrogative exploration of myth, storytelling and conflict. And thankfully, Henry the Fifth is back for a limited run at the Unicorn next May.

Bethany Pitts

Directing is as much about spotting the right projects as anything else, and if Spine is anything to go by then Bethany Pitts has a sharp eye. After seeing Clara Brennan's powerful monologue in its original 15-minute version as part of Theatre Uncut, Pitts helped to develop it into the full-length show that had audiences sobbing their hearts out in Edinburgh. If her next discovery is even half as canny, it should be one to watch out for.