Simon Godwin is a renowned English theatre director, currently serving as the artistic director of the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. Prior to this, he was based in London, where he held various positions including associate director at the National Theatre, Royal Court Theatre, and Bristol Old Vic.
Godwin's educational background includes attending St Albans School, Anna Scher Theatre School, and St Catharine's College, Cambridge, where he studied English. He later pursued a postgraduate program at the London International School of Performing Arts (LISPA),focusing on physical theatre and devising.
Simon began his directing career at Cambridge, producing classical work such as William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" for the Cambridge Arts Theatre and the Marlowe Society. He then founded Stray Dogs Theatre Company, producing "Inkle and Yarico" and "Eurydice" before transferring to the Whitehall Theatre in the West End.
Godwin's subsequent roles included associate director at the Royal and Derngate Theatres in Northampton, where he worked under artistic director Rupert Goold and directed seven main stage shows. He later joined Tom Morris as associate director of The Bristol Old Vic, directing productions such as "The Little Mermaid" and "Faith Healer".
In 2009, Godwin became associate director of the Royal Court, directing seven world premieres including "Routes" and "The Witness". He was longlisted for the Evening Standard Awards Best Newcomer in 2010. Godwin then joined Bristol Old Vic as associate director, directing productions of Caryl Churchill's "Far Away" and Brian Friel's "Faith Healer".
Godwin's notable productions include "The Winter's Tale" at the Almeida Theatre, "All The Little Things We Crushed" at the Tabard Theatre, and "Strange Interlude" at the National Theatre. He has also worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company, directing "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" and "Hamlet", which toured to The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.
In 2018, Godwin directed "Antony and Cleopatra" at the National Theatre, starring Ralph Fiennes and Sophie Okonedo. He made his Tokyo debut in 2019, directing a Japanese cast in "Hamlet" for Theatre Cocoon. Godwin was appointed artistic director of the Shakespeare Theatre Company Washington D.C. in 2019, making his directorial debut with a remounted production of "Timon of Athens" in 2020.
Simon Godwin has received numerous awards and nominations throughout his career, including the inaugural Evening Standard/Burberry Award for an Emerging Director in 2012 and a longlisting for the Evening Standard Awards Best Newcomer in 2010.
