Talk #50

Giles Croft

Giles Croft started his career in the West Country working as a freelance writer and director before being appointed as the director of Bath Central Club, an arts centre with a focus on work made for and by young people. In the early 1980s Giles moved to London where he worked as a freelance writer and director, specialising in European work in translation. In 1985 he was appointed as Artistic Director of the Gate Theatre, Notting Hill. In 1989 he joined the National Theatre as Literary Manager alongside Artistic Director, Richard Eyre. In 1995 he left the NT to become Artistic Director of the Palace Theatre, Watford where he stayed until 1999, when he moved to Nottingham Playhouse. Giles stepped down from the Playhouse in 2017 and returned to working as a freelancer.

Giles has directed more than 60 productions and his most recent include: Tony's Last Tape, at the Omnibus Theatre, Clapham; DNA for The Lakeside Theatre, Nottingham; an international tour of The Kite Runner (curtailed by Covid); The Understudy, both online and live. He has also written and performed a one-man show, Channeling Jabez, about the Channel swimmer Jabez Wolfe which he hopes to return to later this year. He is currently developing a play with the writer Amanda Whittington and the actor, Claire Storey for the Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield. Giles has also been teaching at LAMDA and UCA Farnham. For 10 years Giles was on the board of The European Theatre Convention and has recently become a member of the Performing Arts Sub Committee of Creative Folkestone.