Simon Dormandy - Background

Background

Educated at Oxford University, Simon Dormandy was, as an actor, known largely for his work with the Royal Shakespeare Company between 1988 and 1995. Over the period he worked with many well known directors, including Adrian Noble, Sam Mendes, Deborah Warner, Katie Mitchell and Max Stafford-Clark. He also took part in several films and television series. He was perhaps best known for his performances in Little Dorrit (as Sparkler) and Vanity Fair (as Dobbin). He was also known for his work with the theatre company Cheek By Jowl.

He taught Drama and English at Eton College for fifteen years from 1997 to 2012, where he was Director of Drama and Head of Theatre Studies. His pupils included the actors Tom Hiddleston, Eddie Redmayne, Harry Lloyd and Adetomiwa Edun, director James Dacre and comedians Tom Palmer and Tom Stourton of comedy duo Totally Tom and Humphrey Ker. School productions include Henry VI with Eddie Redmayne, Waiting for Godot with Harry Lloyd, King Lear (where he directed Edward Stourton's son in the title role ), Three Sisters, Pool, No Water, Henry IV, (a joint version of both Part 1 and Part 2), and, most recently, Joseph K and Spring Awakening. He has, since becoming a teacher, not appeared in any public or filmed performances excluding an appearance on the YouTube hit High Renaissance Man.

Since December 2012, he has been working as a freelance theatre director. In February 2012 he joined The English Stage Company at The Royal Court Theatre as an assistant director, where he worked on the world premiere of The Low Road by Bruce Norris.