Joe's career began at The Old Red Lion in 1993 with the world premiere of critically-acclaimed

King James ’Earby Rod Dungate. Since then he has focussed on developing relationships with writers nurturing into being first productions of new work and significant revivals. He worked closely with Harold Pinter for many years; a collaboration which saw him direct the writer as an actor twice in his own work–most notably in The Collection at The Donmar. He has also had close associations with Sir Ronald Harwood (directing The Guests and Goodbye Kiss at The Orange Tree, The Handyman and Quartet on national tour), Sir Alan Ayckbourn (If I Were You), Sir Michael Frayn (Alarms and Excursions), Sir Peter Ustinov (Beethoven's Tenth) and Sir David Hare (The Blue Room) as well as Paul Herzberg (The Dead Wait at The Park Theatre) and Laurie Slade (Joe & I at The King’s Head and the award-nominated The Father at The Belgrade in Coventry).

He has been Associate Director of Chichester Festival Theatre, Associate Director to Sir Peter Hall

and Sir Trevor Nunn, Artistic Director of Tour de Force Productions, and he is currently a Creative

Associate at The Belgrade in Coventry. As Artistic Director of the phenomenally successful Agatha

Christie Theatre Company, he directed 11 productions which ran non-stop for a decade playing to

record-breaking audiences around the UK. He has directed in the West End (The Birthday Party with Timothy West, Prunella Scales and Steven Pacey and Wait Until Dark with Peter Bowles), and produced Off-Broadway (59East5 9). He directed the first productions of the children’s musical Magic Tree House based on the iconic book series which toured the USA for two years and he co-wrote and directed The Prodigals- A Man Had Two Sons, the Dub Step musical, which premiered at the Edinburgh Festival. He has directed over 80 productions which have been seen across the UK as well as in Ireland, Greece, Austria, the USA and most recently Thailand.

He is passionate about regional and touring theatre and over the past fifteen years his productions

have played to over 2.5 million people outside London. He is currently preparing several plays with writers and producers for UK tours for 2017 and 18 as well as developing projects with London venues including The Park Theatre. His directing for radio has been critic’s choice in both The Independent and Radio Times and he is now working on several new pieces with the BBC.

He has a particular interest in Middle Eastern history and current affairs and has written on the

subject for publications. He received a BA and MA from Birmingham University.

Joe Harmston

Theatre Director. Writer. Consultant.

Joe Blogs

Thoughts, musings, and ruminations.