Set Designers // Philip Witcomb

Philip Witcomb is a set and costume designer. After studying Theatre Design at two of the most internationally esteemed schools in London, Central Saint Martin’s College of Art and Design and The Slade School of Fine Art, Philip started his design career at the acclaimed Citizens Theatre in Glasgow. His long connection to this dynamic building steeped in a tradition of ground‐breaking design has had a truly profound impact on both Philip’s career and his design sensibility.

His designs for Elijah Moshinsky’s seminal and celebrated London production of Benjamin Britten’s opera The Turn of The Screw were described as “dwelling on one brilliant coup, delivering events to your eyeball” (The Independent), and The Guardian commented that “This is, without question, the definitive Turn of the Screw for our times.” Philip’s lavish designs for Cinderella at Dundee Repertory Theatre were hailed as “boasting one of the most staggeringly beautiful pieces of design ever seen on the Scottish stage” (The Scotsman) and earned him nominations for ‘Best Design’ and ‘Best Production for Children’ at the Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland.

Philip’s other awards include nominations for ‘Best Designer‘ for Love in a Maze at The Watermill Theatre (T.M.A Theatre Awards), ‘Best Production’ for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at Dundee Rep (C.A.T.S Awards), and ‘Best off‐West End Production’ for The White Devil at The Menier Chocolate Factory, London (Whatsonstage Theatregoers’ Choice Awards). From these and other productions, Philip has developed wonderful professional relationships with directors including Hannah Chissick, Jonathan Munby, Timothy Sheader, Laurie Sansom, James Brining, Liam Steel, Guy Hollands, Mark Clements, Nikolai Foster, and Giles Havergal.

Now with fifteen years’ experience designing for some of the most dynamic theatres in the United Kingdom, including The Menier Chocolate Factory, Regents Park Open Air Theatre, The Watermill Theatre, Hampstead Theatre, Birmingham Rep, The Citizens Theatre, Dundee Rep, Northampton Royal Theatre, Stephen Joseph Theatre, and Salisbury Playhouse, Philip has a portfolio of over 55 productions that span from intimate studio shows to main house proscenium stages and from commercial tours to large‐scale open air productions.

Philip was also one of twelve finalists selected for The Linbury Prize, the U.K’s most prestigious award for stage design, culminating in an exhibition of his work at the Royal National Theatre in London.