Photograph from Sons without Fathers - lighting design by Alex Wardle
Jack Laskey | Photographer: Alex Wardle | From the show Sons without Fathers
Photograph from The Riot - lighting design by Alex Wardle
The Riot | Photographer: Alex Wardle | From the show The Riot
Photograph from The Wooden Frock - lighting design by Alex Wardle
Mike Shepherd, Amanda Lawrence, Bec Applebee | Photographer: Steve Tanner | From the show The Wooden Frock
Photograph from Rapunzel - lighting design by Alex Wardle
Kirsty Woodward with Rabbit | Photographer: Steve Tanner | From the show Rapunzel
Photograph from Antigone - lighting design by Alex Wardle
Wendy Kweh; Joseph Payne; Adeola Yemitan | Photographer: Pamela Raith | From the show Antigone
Alex Wardle's picture

Alex Wardle

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Biography

Alex is a theatre consultant and lighting designer for Charcoalblue.  He studied German and Electronics at Keele University, then Theatre Arts at the Freie Universität Berlin and at Goldsmiths’ College, University of London. He was Production Manager for Kneehigh Theatre from 2000 - 2005 and a theatre consultant for Arup from 2005 - 2011. 

Lighting designs include "Shadowlands", "Flare Path" and "Birdsong" (UK tours for Birdsong Productions), "My Perfect Mind" for Told by an Idiot; "Sons Without Fathers" and "Uncle Vanya" for Helena Kaut-Howson (Belgrade Theatre, Coventry and Arcola), "Tell Them That I Am Young and Beautiful", "The Cradle will Rock" and "Innocence" (Arcola), "Bay" and "The Shift" (Young Vic), "Superstition Mountain" (o-region at Plymouth Theatre Royal). Designs for Kneehigh Theatre include "Rapunzel", "Tristan & Yseult" outdoors and at the National Theatre (nominated for Best Touring Production, TMA Awards 2006), "The Wooden Frock" (nominated for Best Touring Production, TMA Awards 2004), "The Red Shoes" and "The Riot".

Alex's work on "Birdsong" was shortlisted for the 2013 Technical Theatre Awards.

"Uncle Vanya" was shortlisted for Best Lighting Design, 2012 Off West End Theatre Awards.

"The Cradle will Rock" was nominated for Best Lighting Design, 2011 Off West End Theatre Awards.

Previous productions

Previous productions

Show name Type Venue/Company Role Creative Team Opened
Antigone Theatre Mercury Theatre, Colchester
Mercury Theatre 		Lighting Designer Director: Dawn Walton
Set designer: Simon Kenny 		Oct 2021
Birdsong Theatre Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds, UK, then touring
Birdsong Productions 		Lighting Designer Director: Alastair Whatley & Charlotte Peters
Set designer: Victoria Spearing 		Jan 2018
Democracy Theatre Macrobert, Stirling, then touring
Rapture Theatre 		Lighting Designer Director: Michael Emans
Set designer: Richard Evans 		Sep 2016
Shadowlands Theatre Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, then touring
Birdsong Productions 		Lighting Designer Director: Alastair Whatley
 Feb 2016
Flare Path Theatre Connaught Theatre, Worthing, then touring
Original Theatre & Birdsong Productions 		Lighting Designer Director: Justin Audibert
Set designer: Hayley Grindle 		Jan 2016
Flare Path Theatre Devonshire Park, Eastbourne, then touring
Original Theatre & Birdsong Productions 		Lighting Designer Director: Justin Audibert
Set designer: Hayley Grindle 		Aug 2015
Birdsong Theatre Ashcroft theatre, Croydon, then touring
Original Theatre & Birdsong Productions 		Lighting Designer Director: Alastair Whatley
Set designer: Victoria Spearing 		Feb 2015
My Perfect Mind Theatre Young Vic, then touring
Told by an Idiot 		Lighting Designer Director: Kathryn Hunter
Set designer: Michael Vale 		Sep 2014
Birdsong Theatre Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne, then touring
The Original Theatre Company & Birdsong Productions 		Lighting Designer Director: Alastair Whatley
Set designer: Victoria Spearing 		Feb 2014
Sons without Fathers Theatre Belgrade, Coventry; Arcola, London
Belgrade Theatre, Coventry & Arcola Theatre 		Lighting Designer Director: Helena Kaut-Howson
Set designer: Iona Mcleish 		Apr 2013
My Perfect Mind Theatre Drum, Plymouth Theatre Royal, then touring
Told by an Idiot & Young Vic 		Lighting Designer Director: Kathryn Hunter
Set designer: Michael Vale 		Feb 2013
Birdsong Theatre Haymarket, Basingstoke, then touring
The Original Theatre Company 		Lighting Designer Director: Alastair Whatley
Set designer: Victoria Spearing 		Jan 2013
Mathematics of the Heart Theatre Theatre 503
Natural Shocks and Theatre 503 		Lighting Designer Director: Donnacadh O'Briain
Set designer: Signe Beckmann 		Feb 2012
Tell Them That I Am Young and Beautiful Theatre Arcola
KP Productions 		Lighting Designer Director: Marcello Magni
Set designer: Sophie Jump 		Sep 2011
Uncle Vanya Theatre Belgrade Theatre, Coventry
Belgrade Theatre, Coventry / Arcola Theatre 		Lighting Designer Director: Helena Kaut-Howson
Set designer: Sophie Jump 		Apr 2011
The Cradle will Rock Theatre Arcola Theatre
Arcola Theatre 		Lighting Designer Director: Mehmet Ergen
Set designer: Lisa Engel & Hannah Penfold 		Nov 2010
Reclining Nude with Black Stockings Theatre Arcola Theatre
Lone Wolf 		Lighting Designer Director: Alexander Gilmour
Set designer: Marialena Kapotopoulou 		Sep 2010
Tales of the Country Theatre Theatre Severn, then touring
Pentabus 		Lighting Designer Director: Orla O'loughlin
Set designer: James Humphrey 		Apr 2010
Innocence Theatre Arcola Theatre
Arcola Theatre 		Lighting Designer Director: Helena Kaut-Howson
Set designer: Lara Booth 		Jan 2010
Superstition Mountain Theatre Drum (Theatre Royal Plymouth), then touring
o-region 		Lighting Designer Director: Carl Grose
Set designer: Laura MacKenzie 		Sep 2009
Bay Theatre Young Vic
Young Vic 		Lighting Designer Director: Sarah Tipple
Set designer: Tom Scutt 		Apr 2009
Clown with Love Dance Junction, Cambridge, then touring
Helix Dance 		Lighting Designer Choreographer: Isobel Cohen
 Nov 2008
Below Dance St Merryn Village Hall, then touring
C-Scape Dance 		Lighting Designer Choreographer: Helen Tiplady, Sally Williams, TC Howard
 Apr 2008
Rapunzel Theatre Queen Elizabeth Hall, London / Lowry / WYP / New York, then touring
Kneehigh 		Lighting Designer Director: Emma Rice
Set designer: Michael Vale 		Dec 2007
Alice Theatre Belmont Arts Centre, Shrewsbury, then touring
Trading Faces 		Lighting Designer Director: Tony Davies
Set designer: Phil Engelheart 		Sep 2007
Rapunzel Theatre BAC
Kneehigh / BAC 		Lighting Designer Director: Emma Rice
Set designer: Michael Vale 		Dec 2006
Guilty Fingers Dance STERTS, Liskeard, then touring
C-Scape Dance Company 		Lighting Designer Choreographer: Fleur Darkin / Debbie Fionn Barr / Emma Rice
Set designer: Fiona Chivers 		Sep 2006
Launch Party for Architecture Biennale Corporate & Industrial Arsenale, Venice
Arup 		Lighting Designer Sep 2006
House of Deer Theatre BAC, then touring
Éva Magyar 		Lighting Designer Mar 2006
Blonde Dance Keay, St Austell, then touring
C-Scape Dance Company 		Lighting Designer Choreographer: Steven Kirkham, Simon Birch, TC Howard
 Apr 2005
Tristan and Yseult (2005-6) Theatre Cottesloe, then touring
Kneehigh / National Theatre 		Lighting Designer Director: Emma Rice
Set designer: Bill Mitchell 		Apr 2005
Etta Jenks Theatre Finborough Theatre
Timothy Hughes Productions 		Lighting Designer Director: Che Walker
Set designer: Ana Jebens 		Feb 2005
Wagstaffe the Wind-Up Boy Theatre Tolman Centre, Constantine, then touring
Kneehigh Theatre 		Lighting Designer Director: Mike Shepherd
Set designer: Bill Mitchell 		Jan 2005
Achidi J's Final Hours Theatre Finborough Theatre
Frontline 		Lighting Designer Director: Che Walker
Set designer: Dick Bird and Fiammetta Horvat 		May 2004
The Wooden Frock Theatre West Yorkshire Playhouse, then touring
Kneehigh / BAC / West Yorkshire Playhouse 		Lighting Designer Director: Emma Rice
Set designer: Bill Mitchell 		Jan 2004
Skulduggery Theatre Jubilee Hall, Mevagissey, then touring
Kneehigh Theatre 		Lighting Designer Director: Simon Edwards
Set designer: Sean Donohoe 		Nov 2003
Cry Wolf Theatre Hall for Cornwall, then touring
Kneehigh Theatre 		Lighting Designer Director: Mike Shepherd
Set designer: Bill Mitchell 		Aug 2003
Tristan and Yseult (2003) Theatre Restormel Castle, Lostwithiel, then touring
Kneehigh Theatre 		Lighting Designer Director: Emma Rice
Set designer: Bill Mitchell 		Jun 2003
Quicksilver Theatre Jubilee Hall, Mevagissey, then touring
Kneehigh Theatre 		Lighting Designer Director: Bill Mitchell
Set designer: Bill Mitchell 		Dec 2002
Crouching Chef, Hidden Waiter Dance Barbican Centre (Plymouth), then touring
Attik Dance 		Lighting Designer Choreographer: Lois Taylor
Set designer: Bill Mitchell 		Sep 2002
Wild Jam Theatre Minack (Porthcurno), then touring
Kneehigh Theatre 		Lighting Designer Director: Mike Shepherd
Set designer: Bill Mitchell 		Jun 2002
The Smashed Blue Hills Theatre New End
Weaver-Hughes Theatre 		Lighting Designer Director: Timothy Hughes
Set designer: Nigel Hook 		Feb 2002
Roger Salmon - Cornish Detective Environmental Geevor Tin Mine
Kneehigh Theatre 		Lighting Designer Director: Emma Rice
Set designer: Bill Mitchell 		Jul 2001
Voyagers Theatre Croydon Warehouse, then touring
Jet Theatre 		Lighting Designer Director: Kenneth Rea
Set designer: Libby Watson 		Apr 2001
The Red Shoes Theatre BAC, then touring
Kneehigh Theatre 		Lighting Designer Director: Emma Rice
Set designer: Bill Mitchell 		Jan 2001
Tempting Fate Theatre Pegasus (Oxford), then touring
Trading Faces 		Lighting Designer Director: Thomasina Carlyle & Tony Davies
Set designer: Philip Engleheart 		Sep 2000
Jack and Jenny Environmental Carn Marth Quarry
Kneehigh Theatre & Carn Marth Protection Group 		Lighting Designer Director: Sue Hill & Nicola Rosewarne
 Jun 2000
The Riot Theatre Hall for Cornwall, then touring
Kneehigh Theatre 		Lighting Designer Director: Mike Shepherd
Set designer: Bill Mitchell 		Feb 2000
Lonely Lives Theatre Union Theatre
Urban Fox 		Lighting Designer Director: Eddie Marsan
Set designer: Margarete Forsyth 		Oct 1999
The Wife of Bath Theatre MAC (Birmingham), then touring
Trading Faces 		Lighting Designer Director: John Wright
Set designer: Philip Engleheart 		Sep 1999
Send for Mr Plim Opera BAC
Greenwich Studio Theatre / Cantabile 		Lighting Designer Director: Margarete Forsyth
Set designer: Margarete Forsyth 		Aug 1999
Bastien and Bastienne Opera BAC
Greenwich Studio Theatre 		Lighting Designer Director: Margarete Forsyth
Set designer: Margarete Forsyth 		Aug 1998
Venus Opera Hackney Empire
Torn Halves Music Theatre 		Lighting Designer Director: Lizzy Le Quesne
Set designer: Nigel Hook 		Oct 1997
The Force of Destiny Opera Stag (Sevenoaks), then touring
Candid Opera 		Lighting Designer Director: Chalkie Horsfall
Set designer: Steven Garratt 		Mar 1997
The Shift Theatre Young Vic Studio
Academy Productions 		Lighting Designer Director: Andrew Lavender
Set designer: Andrew Fifield 		Jan 1997
Life on Mars? Theatre Riverside Studios
Laffa Jaffa 		Lighting Designer Director: Stephen Gilroy
Set designer: Katie Sykes 		Nov 1996
Kolonists Theatre Man in the Moon
M.A.Days Companys 		Lighting Designer Director: Nesta Jones
Set designer: Nigel Hook 		Jul 1996
Duck Hunting Theatre Man in the Moon
Weaver-Hughes Theatre 		Lighting Designer Director: Timothy Hughes
Set designer: Nigel Hook 		Jul 1996
Sancta Susanna Opera George Wood Theatre, Goldsmiths' College
Opera at Goldsmiths' 		Lighting Designer Director: Alex Wardle
Set designer: Nigel Hook 		May 1996
Location availability:
  • Scotland
  • UK London
  • UK Provinces
  • Western Europe & Scandinavia
Contact method Details
Work phone

020 7928 0000
Email address

alex.wardle@charcoalblue.com
Website

http://www.charcoalblue.com
Theatre:
  • Commercial Tour
  • Fringe / Pub Theatre
  • Regional (Main House)
  • Regional (Studio)
  • Touring relights
Opera:
  • Small scale
  • Touring relights
Dance:
  • Medium Scale
Concert:
  • Stage Touring
Architectural:
  • Open Air Events

News

Appearing here soon... a collection of articles from the Focus magazine archives.

Press quotes

Shadowlands

The huge gothic windows show off much of Alex Wardle’s highly effective lighting design, especially the occasional appearance of a sparkling world outside, suggestive of a Narnia.
Aliya Al-Hassan, Essential Surrey 26/07/2016
Alex Wardle's atmospheric lighting concentrates focus
Howard Loxton, British Theatre Guide 25/07/2016
The lighting, too, is some of the best I have seen in a touring production for many years – Alex Wardle’s design takes us from winter to spring, from daylight to dusk, from damp England to the heat of Greece, easily and beautifully.
Carly Halse, Female Arts 18/07/2016
The somewhat staid settings of tutorial room ... suggest a meagre canvas for Alex Wardle’s lighting opportunities. They are sublime in economy, invention and empathy. Joy’s son, ... ever enchanted by Jack’s Narnian fantasy world, momentarily escapes into it through shimmering frosted windows – Wardle’s lighting wizardry again.
Dan Cooper-Gavin, Brum Notes Magazine 01/06/2016
huge windows that allow for all sorts of lovely lighting effects from Alex Wardle
Tinx Newton, Surrey Life 24/02/2016
with the help of Alex Wardle’s expert lighting the focus of the action completely changes each time, all so natural and unforced
Sheila Connor, British Theatre Guide 22/02/2016
Special mention must go to Alex Wardle for some superb lighting skilfully bringing to mind the title of the piece by casting parts of the set in shadows throughout, as well as echoing some of the world of the writings of CS Lewis with some nods to Narnia.
Steve Turner, The Reviews Hub 19/02/2016

My Perfect Mind

The lighting, by Alex Wardle, of the theatre consultancy Charcoalblue, switches looks and moods on a dime.
David Barbour, Lighting & Sound America 22/06/2015
the whole production is enhanced mightily by Alex Wardle’s lighting and Gregory Clarke’s sound design
Jane Dentinger, New York Theatre Guide 16/06/2015

Birdsong

atmospheric lighting
Dominic Cavendish, The Telegraph 12/03/2013
Alex Wardle’s lights were quite superb: probingly, scrupulously well thought-through, endlessly relevant to and beneficial to the stage action, and always on the nub. To call this lighting plot atmospheric would be an understatement.
Roderic Dunnett, A View from Behind the Arras 29/01/2013
Alex Wardle’s emotive lighting is highly creative
Robin Strapp, British Theatre Guide 25/01/2013

Tell Them That I Am Young and Beautiful

deft lighting by Alex Wardle
Michael Coveney, What’s On Stage 12/09/2011

Uncle Vanya

Alex Wardle’s atmospheric lighting hints at the heady indolence of a balmy summer afternoon full of familial and erotic tensions that can only be hidden under a mask of ennui for so long.
Julia Rank, Exeunt 02/05/2011
The lighting by Alex Wardle is beautiful
Michael Coveney, What’s On Stage 02/05/2011
there's a slight haze in the air which allows lighting designer, Alex Wardle, to create a long and evocative fade-up when the play commences, emphasising the slow, repetitive pace of life on the estate and the sultry, almost suffocating summer
Peter Brown, London Theatre Guide 28/04/2011

The Cradle will Rock

beautifully lit
Paul Taylor, The Independent 30/11/2010
The regimented staging suits this atmospheric arena perfectly, with clever design by Lisa Engel and Hannah Penfold, and expressive lighting by Alex Wardle.
Michael Coveney, What's On Stage 29/11/2010

Innocence

Lara Booth’s set, in conjunction with Alex Wardle’s sparing lighting and video design, makes excellent use of the Arcola space.
Nancy Groves, What's On Stage 11/01/2010

Rapunzel

The set and costume design by Michael Vale suit the story with amusement, while the lighting (by Alex Wardle) and sound (by Dominic Bilkey), contribute to the show's heightened sense of comic reality.
Barbara & Scott Siegel, Theatermania 12/03/2008

Tristan and Yseult (2005-6)

It is also one of the best-lit productions I have seen.
Laurie Atkinson, The Dominion Post (Wellington, New Zealand) 06/03/2006

Achidi J's Final Hours

The atmospheres created by lighting designer Alex Wardle and the all-encompassing sound beds from sound designer Jack C Arnold are the most fluid, well executed and beautifully designed seen in any fringe production, complimenting the performances perfectly.
Rob Speight, The Stage 24/05/2004
[Amy] Evans's stylised language finds a parallel in Alex Wardle's stunning lighting design, which throws sharp shafts of illumination over even the play's murkiest corners
Sam Marlowe, The Times 18/05/2004
[Che] Walker uses Dick Bird's burnished set and Alex Wardle's exquisite lighting to establish a pervasive mood
Dominic Maxwell, Time Out 12/05/2004
an imaginatively lit production
Michael Billington, The Guardian 10/05/2004

The Wooden Frock

the lighting design by Alex Wardle and video design by Mic Pool both deserve a special mention; the sense of rain and the extraordinarily 'living' dresses ... are stunning
Jo Lumber, BBC Cornwall website 01/04/2004

Skulduggery

Seamless lighting by Alex Wardle helped create the mood
BBC Cornwall, BBC Cornwall 05/02/2004

Tristan and Yseult (2003)

cleverly directed by Emma Rice and lit by Alex Wardle in a way that is adroitly responsive to all the shifts of mood
Paul Taylor, The Independent 18/04/2005
lighting by Alex Wardle plays a significant role
John Thaxter, The Stage 18/04/2005

The Red Shoes

the lighting by Alex Wardle adds even more to an already highly charged style
Thelma Good, Edinburgh Guide 01/08/2001