James is Artistic Director of Royal & Derngate, Northampton, having previously been Associate Director at the New Vic Theatre and Theatre503. His world premiere production of The Mountaintop (Theatre503 and Trafalgar Studios 1) won the 2010 Olivier Award for Best New Play and was nominated for a further five awards, Precious Little Talent (Trafalgar Studios) won Best Play at the 2011 London Theatre Festival Awards and was nominated for an Evening Standard Award, 4000 Miles (Bath Theatre Royal and transfer to The Print Room) was shortlisted for the Pulitzer Prize, The Thrill of Love (New Vic Theatre, Stephen Joseph Theatre and transfer to St James Theatre) is shortlisted for the 2013 Writer’s Guild Award, The Accrington Pals (Royal Exchange Theatre) won the 2013 UK Theatre Award for Best Design Team, and As You Like It (Shakespeare’s Globe, European Tour and 2012 revival) shared the UK Theatre Awards' 2011 Renee Stepham Award for touring. Other credits include King James Bible (National Theatre); Desire Under the Elms, Copenhagen and Bus Stop (New Vic Theatre), Judgement Day (The Print Room); Orpheus and Eurydice (National Youth Theatre and Old Vic); The Unconquered (Stellar Quines, UK Tour and Off-Broadway transfer) and Nightshifts (Traverse). Work Off-Broadway includes Baal, The Error of Their Ways, Work and Come and Go. James has directed new plays by Mike Poulton, Roy Williams, Amanda Whittington, Katori Hall, Dic Edwards, Suzan Lori Parks, Ed Kemp, Molly Davies, Torben Betts, Bekah Brunstetter and Ella Hickson amongst others. He has been awarded Fulbright and Schubert Fellowships in Theatre Directing and trained on the ITV/Channel 4 Regional Theatre Director’s Scheme.