Max Key

Artistic Associate

Max went to Thomas Tallis comprehensive school in South-East London before attending Brighton University to study Theatre and Art. He then studied Theatre Directing at the Drama Studio London and trained on the National Theatre Directors’ Course.

Max has been nominated for an Olivier Award and Off-West End Award for It Is Easy To Be Dead (Trafalgar Studios), which received a five-star review from Michael Billington in the Guardian, and an Off-West End Award for Best Direction for The Glass Piano (Coronet Theatre).

Recent theatre directing credits include: The Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare (RADA), The Glass Piano by Alix Sobler, (The Print Room/Coronet Theatre), Associate Director to Peter Gill As Good A Time As Any (Print Room/Coronet Theatre), Year 10 by Simon Vinnicombe (Finborough Theatre), Up the Royal Borough by Sarah Solemani (Lyric Hammersmith), Mariana Pineda by Frederico Garcia Lorca (Arcola Theatre), Wilde Tales by Oscar Wilde (Southwark Playhouse), The Turn of the Screw and The Rape of Lucretia by Benjamin Britten (Arcola Theatre).

Assistant directing credits include: Peter Gill – The Voysey Inheritance (Royal National Theatre), Tim Albery – The Flying Dutchman (Royal Opera House) and Franscesca Zambello – La Bohème (Royal Albert Hall).

Max’s short film – Preservation, starring Saskia Reeves, was presented at Palm Springs International Film Festival and BAFTA.

Max has taught and directed over 80 productions at leading drama schools including: RADA, LAMDA and Mountview. Directing credits include: Cymbeline, Twelfth Night, The Way of the World, Summerfolk, The Seagull, Clybourne Park, August Osage County, Scenes from the Big Picture, Jerusalem and The Knowledge.

Max has taught MA Theatre Directing at Mountview under the leadership of Peter James for the past eight years.