John Rainsforth
Biography
John is a graduate of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama 2011, now specialising in lighting design for theatre and dance
His work has been showcased in the UK and internationally, spanning countries such as China, Italy, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Norway, among many others.
Some of John’s recent credits include;
“Nutcracker on Ice” Italy, “Aladdin” Croydon, “Cinderella: A Fairytale” Northern Stage, “Speakeasy” UK Tour, “Peter Pan On Ice” UAE Tour, “Swan Lake on Ice” Italy, “Some Enchanted Evening” Barn Theatre & Tour “Brotherhood” Alphabetti Theatre, and “Soapbox Racer” Alphabetti Theatre.
In 2023, John was honoured to be nominated for Broadway World’s Best Lighting Design for his work on Reading Rep’s “Shakespeare’s R&J.”
His selected designs for drama schools include "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", “Richard III”, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: A Musical”, “Amour!” and “The Pirate Queen,” amongst many others for Guildford School of Acting.
Previous productions
Current credits
| Show name | Type | Venue/Company | Role | Creative team | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sleeping Beauty | Theatre |
Darlington Hippodrome Crossroads |
Lighting Designer | 31 Dec 2024 | |
| Snow White | Theatre |
Fairfield Halls, Croydon UK Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Sarah Redmond Set designer: UK Productions |
05 Jan 2025 |
| Mother Goose | Theatre |
The Customs House The Customs House Theatre Trust |
Lighting & Projection / Video Designer |
Director: Ray Spencer Set designer: Alfie Joey & Mike Brown |
05 Jan 2025 |
In repertoire
| Show name | Type | Venue/Company | Role | Creative team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swan Lake on Ice | Theatre |
Bangkok International Dance Festival, then touring Imperial Ice stars |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Tony Mercer Set designer: Eamon D'Arcy |
| Cinderella on Ice | Theatre |
Zabeel Theatre, Dubai, then touring Imperial Ice stars |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Tony Mercer |
| Nutcracker on Ice | Theatre |
Archiboldi Theater Milan, then touring Imperial Ice stars |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Tony Mercer Set designer: Eamon D'Arcy |
| Peter Pan On Ice | Theatre |
Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation, then touring Imperial Ice stars |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Tony Mercer |
Previous productions
| Show name | Type | Venue/Company | Role | Creative Team | Opened |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cinderella on Ice | Theatre |
Zabeel Theatre, Dubai, then touring Imperial Ice stars |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Tony Mercer |
Sep 2024 |
| Swan Lake on Ice | Theatre |
Bangkok International Dance Festival, then touring Imperial Ice stars |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Tony Mercer Set designer: Eamon D'Arcy |
Sep 2024 |
| The Hunchback of Notre Dame | Theatre |
Guildford Yvonne Arnaud Guildford School of Acting |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Nigel West Set designer: Roger Ness |
Jun 2024 |
| Little Red Ridding Hood | Theatre |
The Customs House The Customs House Theatre Trust |
Lighting & Projection / Video Designer |
Director: Steven Lee Hamilton |
Mar 2024 |
| Nutcracker on Ice | Theatre |
Archiboldi Theater Milan, then touring Imperial Ice stars |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Tony Mercer Set designer: Eamon D'Arcy |
Jan 2024 |
| Aladdin | Theatre |
Fairfield Halls, Croydon UK Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Sarah Redmond Set designer: UK Productions |
Dec 2023 |
| Cinderella: A Fairytayle | Theatre |
Northern Stage Northern Stage |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Jake Smith & Katy Weir Set designer: Alison Ashton |
Dec 2023 |
| Shakespears R & J | Theatre |
Reading Rep Reading Rep |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Paul Stacey Set designer: Anna Kelsey |
Oct 2023 |
| The Bench | Theatre | The Customs House | Lighting Designer |
Director: Olivia Millar-Ross Set designer: Lee Ward |
Sep 2023 |
| 'Speakeasy'' | Dance |
UK tour, then touring Southpaw Dance Company |
Lighting Designer |
Choreographer: Robby Graham Set designer: Rebecca Brower |
Mar 2022, Sep 2023 |
| Cinderella | Theatre |
The Customs House The Customs House |
Lighting & Projection / Video Designer |
Director: David Hopper |
Aug 2023 |
| Chop, Dissolve, Burn | Theatre |
Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne Alphabetti Theatre & WANC |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Paul James Set designer: Molly Barrett |
Jun 2023 |
| Peter Pan On Ice | Theatre |
Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation, then touring Imperial Ice stars |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Tony Mercer |
May 2023 |
| Soapbox Racer | Theatre | Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne | Lighting Designer |
Director: Rosie Bowden Set designer: Ali Pritchard |
Apr 2023 |
| Person Spec | Theatre |
Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne Forest Sound Theatre |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Alfie Heffer |
Feb 2023 |
| Peter Pan On Ice | Dance |
ICC Newport Imperial Ice stars |
Lighting Designer |
Choreographer: Tony Mercer |
Dec 2022 |
| Peter Pan - The Return of Captain Hook | Theatre |
Fairfield Halls, Croydon UK Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Sarah Redmond Set designer: UK Productions |
Dec 2022 |
| Robin Hood - Pantomime | Theatre |
The Customs House The Customs House Theatre Trust |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Ray Spencer Set designer: Alfie Joey & Mike Brown |
Nov 2022 |
| Holliday Inn | Theatre |
Bellairs Theatre Guildford School of Acting |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Nigel West Set designer: Amy Yardley |
Nov 2022 |
| The Pirate Queen | Theatre |
Bellairs Theatre Guildford School of Acting |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Anna Fox Set designer: Amy Yardley |
Nov 2022 |
| Meggie Magicia | Theatre |
Civic Theatre, Gosforth, then touring Pen Gwyn Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Natasha Haws Set designer: Lee Ward |
Oct 2022 |
| The Wasp | Theatre |
The Customs House The Customs House |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Jake Smith Set designer: Amy Watts |
Sep 2022 |
| Brotherhood | Dance |
Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne Alphabetti Theatre, Northern Roots & Vitamin Noir |
Lighting & Projection / Video Designer | Aug 2022 | |
| Amour | Theatre |
Bellairs Theate Guildford School of Acting |
Lighting Designer |
Director: PHYLLIDA CROWLEY-SMITH Set designer: Amy Yardley |
Jun 2022 |
| Some Enchanted Evening | Theatre |
Barn Theatre, Cirencester, then touring Barn Theatre, Cirencester |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Paul Milton Set designer: Corin Hayes |
May 2022 |
| 'Speakeasy'' | Dance |
UK tour, then touring Southpaw Dance Company |
Lighting Designer |
Choreographer: Robby Graham Set designer: Rebecca Brower |
Mar 2022, Sep 2023 |
| Tree | Theatre | Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne | Lighting Designer |
Director: Rachel Glover |
Jan 2022 |
| Cinderella | Theatre |
Rickmansworth Watersmeet Jordan Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Simon Jessop Set designer: Julie Godfrey |
Dec 2021 |
| Rapunzel | Theatre | The Customs House | Lighting Designer |
Director: Ray Spencer Set designer: Sami Fendall |
Nov 2021 |
| Cinderella | Theatre |
Bellairs Theate GSA |
Lighting Designer |
Director: PHYLLIDA CROWLEY-SMITH Set designer: Jason Denvir |
Nov 2021 |
| Curtains | Theatre |
Bellairs Theate GSA |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Nigel West Set designer: Jason Denvir |
Nov 2021 |
| Our Laygate | Theatre |
The Customs House The Customs House Theatre Trust |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Mina Anwar Set designer: John Rainsforth & Gareth Hunter |
Sep 2021 |
| The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow | Theatre |
Bellairs Theate Guildford School of Acting |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Racky Plews Set designer: P J McEvoy |
Aug 2021 |
| Richard III | Theatre | Guildford School of Acting | Lighting Designer |
Director: Nicholas Scrivens Set designer: Rodger Ness |
Apr 2021 |
| Arbuthnot & Dame Bella's Christmas Adventure | Theatre | The Customs House | Lighting & Projection / Video Designer |
Lighting designer: John Rainsforth Director: David Hopper Set designer: Natasha Haws |
Dec 2020 |
| Peter Pan | Theatre |
Rickmansworth Watersmeet Jordan Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Michael Burgen |
Dec 2019 |
| Cinderella | Theatre |
Kettering Lighthouse Theatre Jordan Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Paul Milton |
Dec 2019 |
| Snow White | Theatre |
The Customs House The Customs House Theatre Trust |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Ray Spencer Set designer: Fox and Shriek |
Nov 2019 |
| All About My Mother | Theatre |
GSA GSA Conservatiore |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Hannah Bannister Set designer: Elliott Squire |
Nov 2019 |
| Love and Information | Theatre |
GSA GSA Conservatiore |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Sean Linnen Set designer: Elliott Squire |
Nov 2019 |
| Cosmonaut’s Last Message | Theatre |
GSA GSA Conservatiore |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Nadia Papachronopoulou Set designer: Elliott Squire |
Nov 2019 |
| Dolly Mixtures The Musical | Theatre |
The Customs House The Customs House Theatre Trust |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Mina Anwar Set designer: David Wilkinson |
Aug 2019 |
| Bobby Robson Saved My Life | Theatre |
The Customs House, then touring ION Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Jamie Brown Set designer: Gareth Hunter |
Jul 2019 |
| Mack and Mabel | Theatre |
The Mill Studio - Yvonne Arnaud GSA |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Julian Woolford |
Jun 2019 |
| Everywhere We Go | Theatre |
The Customs House Boyle Yer Stotts Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Dale Meeks |
May 2019 |
| My Uncle Freddy | Theatre |
The Customs House The Customs House Theatre Trust |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Gareth Hunter |
Jul 2018 |
| End of The Peir | Theatre |
The Customs House ION Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Neil Armstrong Set designer: Gareth Hunter |
Aug 2017 |
| Educating Rita | Theatre |
Customs House ION Productions |
Lighting Designer |
Lighting designer: Johnathan Rainsforth Director: Neil Armstrong |
Sep 2016 |
| Dolly Mixtures The Musical | Theatre |
The Customs House The Customs House Theatre Trust |
Lighting Designer |
Director: Ray Spencer Set designer: David Wilkinson |
Aug 2016 |
| Alice in Wonderland | Theatre | The Customs House | Lighting Designer |
Director: Ray Spencer Set designer: Fox and Shriek |
Dec 2015 |
Location availability:
- Worldwide
| Contact method | Details |
|---|---|
| Website | |
| Agent name | Richard Ireson - Narrow Road |
| Agent email | richardireson@narrowroad.co.uk |
Theatre:
- Touring relights
Musical:
- West End
- Commercial Tour
- Regional (Main House)
- Education Establishment
- Touring relights
Opera:
- Touring relights
Dance:
- Touring relights
Corporate:
- Conferences
Non-professional:
- Dance
- Musicals
- Plays
- Projection / Video Design
Education:
- Lectures
- Workshops
- Training
News
Appearing here soon... a collection of articles from the Focus magazine archives.
Portfolio
Swan Lake on Ice
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Little Red Ridding Hood
Cinderella: A Fairytayle
Shakespears R & J
The Bench
'Speakeasy''
Cinderella
Chop, Dissolve, Burn
Peter Pan On Ice
Soapbox Racer
Person Spec
Peter Pan - The Return of Captain Hook
Robin Hood - Pantomime
The Pirate Queen
The Wasp
Brotherhood
Amour
Some Enchanted Evening
Tree
Cinderella
Rapunzel
Cinderella
Curtains
Our Laygate
The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow
Richard III
Arbuthnot & Dame Bella's Christmas Adventure
Peter Pan
Cinderella
Snow White
All About My Mother
Love and Information
Cosmonaut’s Last Message
Dolly Mixtures The Musical
Bobby Robson Saved My Life
Mack and Mabel
My Uncle Freddy
Educating Rita
Alice in Wonderland
Press quotes
Sleeping Beauty
Technically, the production was polished and inventive. Lighting design (John Rainsforth) enhanced the narrative, with specific colour palettes tied to characters—Carabosse bathed in ominous green, Muddles in bright white, and Sleeping Beauty framed in soft pink and blue hues…
Alex Roy, Palatinate 12/12/2024
Little Red Ridding Hood
The show starts with a bang, a barrage of lights (John Rainsforth) all enveloping sound (Jordon Embleton) and one of the baddies. Madame Bracken (Eleanor Chaganis) takes centre stage amid a smoke-filled atmosphere and you are off.
Anna Ambelez, British Theatre Guide 30/03/2024
Cinderella: A Fairytayle
The warm, rustic, makeshift production design by Alison Ashton and impressive lighting design by John Rainsforth make this show look beautiful
The Reviews Hub
Lighting by John Rainsforth combines really spectacular moments that bring applause with relative simplicity
British Theatre Guide
Shakespears R & J
…”with its set (Anna Kelsey) and lighting (John Rainsforth) being the first elements to shake our reality once we have taken that first step into the theatre...The theatre is dark with Rainsforth’s clever, delicate lighting carrying the weight of the audience’s experience, as we witness three more young men search in the dark and gradually uncover a book that we start to piece together as the play of Romeo and Juliet..”
Beyond the Curtain 18/10/2023
…”Their efforts are enhanced by John Rainsforth wonderful lighting design, which illuminates Anna Kelsey’s simple raised platform covered in marquetry in subtle varied ways to add atmosphere, and uses handheld torches to illuminate the famous balcony scene, here delivered from a chair. Even the ceiling piece with LED strips helps create the Friar’s cell while, at other times, echoing the theatre metal beams.”
westendbestfriend.co.uk 17/10/2023
…”John Rainsforth’s bold lighting drenches the setting in vivid neon tones of pink and purple, while white lightning flashes ominously outside the dormitory windows. Sometimes, a flaming orange cross glows in the darkness – a fiery reminder of the condemnation that these young men would face if their passionate love were revealed.”
The Stage 17/10/2023
…” and lighting by John Rainsforth is the icing on the cake. Sudden bursts of strobe assist moments of intensity, and the use of torches allude to secrecy. Rainsforth also incorporates a lot of red within his design. This reoccurring ‘redness’ connotes not only to love, anguish, and fear in the tragedy, but more broadly, the Reading Rep theatre itself.”
BroadwayWorld.com 17/10/2023
…”integrates some pleasing lighting (John Rainsforth) which adds great atmosphere to this intimate and involving studio piece.”
thespieinthestalls.com 16/10/2023
'Speakeasy''
Southpaw pushes the boundaries with an ingenious and dazzling use of projected mapping so a special mention must be made of lighting designer John Rainsforth, Italian TouchDesigner developer, Davide Santini for his projection mapping in collaboration with Newcastle based video design specialists Novak, as well as Germany’s interactive video designer, Frieder Weiss and AV programmer for interactive visual arts applications, Matthias Hartig. Consequently, Speakeasy is an animated coruscating kaleidoscope of colours.
SARA JANE PEROVIC, NARC. MAGAZINE ONLINE 18/03/2022
Our Laygate
Well-performed by a talented cast (and beautifully designed by Gareth Hunter, John Rainsforth and director Mina Anwar, who was also dramaturg)
Tracey Sinclair, The Stage 10/09/2021
Richard III
Lighting designer John Rainsforth and sound designer Vicky Wilkinson both make a considerable contribution to the atmosphere of the play, which is extremely powerful and, at times, almost frightening.
Tommy, Mobile Theatre 08/04/2021
Snow White
The lighting (John Rainsforth) adds dramatically to various scenes, changing the mood of many backdrops, such as the second half opening bathed in intense sinister red for the Evil Queen, then warm lilac's for the prince.
Anna Ambelez, TheReviewsHub 29/11/2019
Dolly Mixtures The Musical
John Rainsforth’s lighting really enhances the show. Elevating the mood of the scenes and effortlessly taking the action to various locations through lighting changes.
Steven Sullivan, North East Theatre Guide 22/08/2019
