David Byrne (b. 1983 in Stevenage[1]) is a British playwright and formerly the artistic director of the New Diorama Theatre in Camden, London,[2] and currently Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre.[3] Byrne has also written for radio and television.[4]
Byrne has won the Writers' Guild of Great Britain and the List Awards for Drama,[5] a Les Enfants Terribles Prize and the London Off West End award for Best Artistic Director.[6]
Byrne's adaptation of Down and Out in Paris and London sold out at the Edinburgh Festival in 2015 and received multiple four and five star reviews[7] before transferring to London.[8]
The New Diorama Theatre, under Byrne's artistic directorship, has won two Empty Space Peter Brook Awards.[9]
At New Diorama, Byrne developed relationships throughout the small and emergent theatre communities, using the theatre's resources to offer support for the development of new and challenging work, and new voices.[10]
In July 2023, it was announced that David Byrne, of London's New Diorama Theatre, would assume the role of Artistic Director of The English Stage Company/Royal Court in early 2024.[11]
In July 2024, Byrne received an honorary doctorate from the University of Hull.