War Horse and Curious Director Marianne Elliott sets up independent company

Marianne Elliott sets up independent company.

It has been announced that the War Horse and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time director Marianne Elliott has left her post as associate director of the National Theatre to set up her own independent production company. After ten years of working as an associate director at the National Theatre it is expected that Elliott will pursue her own company, similar to the Michael Grandage and Kenneth Branagh Company which could see her taking over a West End theatre for an extended season, some time in the near future.

Full details including productions in the Marianne Elliott season are yet to be announced, but it has been reported that she will be producing alongside Chris Harper.

The double Tony Award-winner has twice won the accolade of Best Director of a Play, the first in 2011 for the Broadway production of War Horse, along with co-director Tom Morris and her second in 2015 for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which also won Best Play. She won Olivier Awards for Best Director and Best New Play for the original London production of Curious Incident..., along with an Olivier Award for Best Revival for Saint Joan, and the Evening Standard Award for Best Director for Pillars of the Community.

Elliott began her theatrical career at the Royal Exchange in Manchester, the venue founded by her father, director Michael Elliott. She was appointed artistic director in 1998, becoming an associate artistic director for The Royal Court in 2002 before joining the National Theatre in 2006.

As well as her Tony Award-winning shows, her credits at the National Theatre include Rules for Living, The Light Princess, Port, Season's Greetings, Women Beware Women, All's Well That Ends Well, Mrs Affleck, Harper Regan and Thérèse Raquin.

Rufus Norris, current Artistic Director of the National Theatre said of her departure: "Marianne has made an immense contribution to the NT as a director...transformed our understanding of what theatre can be, and have helped to cement British theatre's reputation internationally. We're thrilled that our relationship with Marianne will continue, not least with Angels in America opening next year."

She will direct the National Theatre's revival of Tony Kushner's Angels in America in May 2017. Further details about the Marianne Elliot company are yet to be announced.