ED BURNSIDE
“A real theatrical discovery: make a note of his name” – The Stage
Ed Burnside is a director working across a range of genres in theatre internationally. This year he is returning to Japan as the lead Associate Director of BILLY ELLIOT: THE MUSICAL for Working Title Films. He has directed the show in 4 languages across the world. He has an ongoing working relationship with Stephen Daldry, having also been Resident Director of Stephen and Justin Martin’s production of THE JUNGLE (St Ann’s Warehouse, Brooklyn.) Ed has a specialism of working with children both on stage and on screen as both director and acting coach. Ed was the Children’s Director on THE CROWN S3 (Left Bank / Netflix) in the acclaimed ABERFAN episode, working closely with director Ben Caron. He is keen to expand upon this experience with more roles in screen and is used to the challenges in working on a large scale.
Ed has worked in the West End for a number of years – as Senior Rehearsal Director of MATILDA: THE MUSICAL, and, in 2024, as Associate Director on HAMNET with Erica Whyman both for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Ed’s production of BLACK (which he directed and co-wrote with Nigerian artist Le Gateau Chocolat) has played across the world including Theatre Royal Stratford East, Soho Theatre, and the Adelaide Festival. The show was nominated for a Total Theatre Award for Innovation, Experimentation and Playing with Form. In 2024 Ed served as the Associate Director of the Donmar Warehouse’s production of THE FEAR OF 13, starring Adrien Brody in his premiere appearance on a West End Stage, directed by Justin Martin. In 2025, Ed worked with Justin again as the Resident Director of the RSC’s production of KYOTO at sohoplace, before taking the production to New York as its resident director for their transfer to the Lincoln Center Theatre. In 2026 Ed returned to Billy Elliot as the International Associate Director of the revival production in Seoul, Korea. He is also currently attached as Associate Director to a West End production in development with Neal Street Productions.