Ryan Joseph Stafford
Selected credits
- More LifeRoyal Court/ Kandinsky
- Natalia Osipova: The ExhibitionLinbury Theatre/ Royal Ballet/ Jo Strømgren
- Kontakthof/ Echos of '78Sadler's Wells/ Tanztheater Wuppertal
- HIRPark Theatre
- RopeTheatre Clwyd
- BaconEdinburgh/ UK Tour/ SoHo Playhouse, NYC
- TRAPLORDIvan Michael Blackstock/ Southbank Centre
- ISLATheatre Clwyd/Royal Court
- Left from WriteNorwegian National Ballet/Linbury ROH/European Tour
- VORTEXRussell Maliphant Dance Company
About
Ryan works across the UK and Europe as a Lighting Designer for theatre, opera and dance. In 2019 he received the ‘Michael Northern Award for Excellence in Lighting Design’ from the Association of Lighting Designers. He trained at Rose Bruford College.
Recent designs include: More Life (Royal Court/ Kandinsky), Kontakthof/ Echos of ’78 (Sadler’s Wells/Tanztheater Wuppertal), Natalia Osipova: The Exhibition (Linbury Theatre/ Royal Ballet/ Jo Strømgren), OLION (Frân Wen), HIR starring Felicity Huffman (Park Theatre), Rope (Theatre Clwyd), Swim, Aunty, Swim! (Belgrade Theatre), TRAPLORD (Ivan Michael Blackstock/ Southbank Centre), Bacon ( Edinburgh Fringe 2023/ Riverside Studios/Finborough/SoHo Playhouse, NYC- Winner of Best Lighting Design, Off West End Awards 2024), Breeding (King’s Head Theatre), Force of Nature (Natalia Osipova/ Bloom Dance Project/ World Tour), Red Riding Hood: Rock ‘n’ Roll Pantomime (Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse) Left from Write (Norwegian National Ballet II/Linbury ROH, European Tour); VORTEX (Russell Maliphant Dance Company); Wind of Heaven (Finborough); CODI (National Dance Company Wales); Grimeboy (Birmingham Rep); Cyrano de Bergerac (Watermill); Together, Not the Same (Sadler’s Wells); ISLA (Theatre Clwyd/Royal Court); Crave (The Other Room/RWCMD); Hauntings & Pork Pies (Theatre Clwyd/National Trust); Pippin (UWTSD, Cardiff); The Island (Fio/UK Tour); Cardiff Boy (Red Oak Theatre/The Other Room); The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives (Elufowoju, Jr. Ensemble/Arcola Theatre).
Featured work
More Life
Royal Court, Upstairs
Devised by Kandinsky
Directed by James Yeatman
Text and Dramaturgy by Lauren Mooney
Set and Costume by Shanko Chaudhuri
Lighting Design by Ryan Joseph Stafford
Sound Design by Zac Gvirtzman/ Dan Balfour
‘Ryan Joseph Stafford’s lighting compliments (the set) perfectly, shifting the depth of the space from clinical to stylish to chasm-like’
West End Best Friend
★★★★ The Guardian
★★★★ London Theatre
Natalia Osipova: The Exhibition
The Linbury/ Royal Ballet
Choreographed by Jo Strømgren
Music by Bergmund Skaslein
Lighting Design by Ryan Joseph Stafford
Set Design by Jo Strømgren
Sound Design by Florence Hand
★★★★ The Guardian
★★★★ Bachtrack
Kontakthof/ Echos of '78
Sadler's Wells/ Tanztheater Wuppertal/ Premiere
Choreography: Pina Bausch
Conception/ Video Director: Meryl Tankard
Projection Designer: YeastCulture
Lighting Designer: Ryan Joseph Stafford
A reimagining of one of Pina Bausch’s pivotal works, KONTAKTHOF, originated in 1978.
OLION (Part I & II)
Frân Wen
Writers: Angharad Elen & Sera Moore Williams
Directors: Gethin Evans & Anthony Matsena
Visual Dramaturg: Marc Rees
Set and Costume Designer: Elin Steele
Lighting Designer: Ryan Joseph Stafford
Composer: Alex Comana
In an innovative feat of storytelling, the OLION trilogy unfolds through the fusion of live theatre, dance and music, this is a fierce story of one fateful night that reverberates through generations.
BACON
Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2023/ Riverside Studios/ Finborough Theatre/ SoHo Playhouse, NYC 2024
Written by Sophie Swithinbank
Directed by Matthew Iliffe
Set and Costume Design by Natalie Johnson
Lighting Design by Ryan Joseph Stafford
WINNER OF BEST LIGHTING DESIGN, OFF WEST END AWARDS 2024
WINNER OF 3 OFF WEST END AWARDS 2023
‘Ryan Joseph Stafford’s Offie-nominated lighting design is elegant, efficient and atmospheric’
★★★★ West End Best Friend
★★★★★ Broadway World
★★★★★ Theatre Weekly
HIR
Park Theatre
Written by Taylor Mac
Directed by Steven Kunis
Set & Costume Design by Ceci Calf
Lighting Design by Ryan Joseph Stafford
Sound Design and Composition by Roly Botha
★★★★ The Times
★★★★ The Stage
★★★★ WhatsOnStage
Rope
Theatre Clwyd
Directed by Francesca Goodridge
Set and Costume Design by Good Teeth
Lighting Design by Ryan Joseph Stafford
Composer and Sound Design by Dyfan Jones
‘a visually inventive, impressively realised revival…’
★★★★ The Stage
‘Kudos to the creative team who right from the start, create a strange tension which is maintained throughout…The opening scene is lit by the strike of a match, and the licks of a real flame dancing downstage, set the mood by illuminating the stage to create eerie shadows and menacing silhouettes.’
★★★★1/2 The Reviews Hub
Swim, Aunty, Swim!
Belgrade Theatre
Written by Siana Bangura
Directed by Madeleine Kludje
Set Design by Claire Winfield
Costume Design by Naomi Thompson
Lighting Design by Ryan Joseph Stafford
Sound/ Composition by Duramaney Kamara
‘The sense of multiplicity in particularity is brilliantly conveyed by Claire Winfield’s shape-shifting design and Ryan Joseph Stafford’s liquid lighting.’
★★★★ The Guardian
Young Associates Artists: To Start With
Sadlers Wells
Choreography and Direction: Vidya Patel
Set Designer: Shankho Chaudhuri
Costume Designer: Manuela Fleming
Lighting Designer: Ryan Joseph Stafford
Under the artistic guidance of Ben Duke (Co-Founder and Artistic Director, Lost Dog) the young choreographers will be creating an ambitious evening of new works: To Start With.
The Young Associates are collaborating with a team of young creatives from a range of art-forms, giving a platform to a new generation of artistic voices.
Left From Write
Linbury Theatre, Royal Opera House
Norwegian National Ballet II
Choreographer: Charlotte Edmonds
Music: Katya Richardson
Animation: Sam Gainsborough
Photo: Jorg Weisner
Left From Write was created on Norwegian National Ballet Ung and is a physical exploration of my experience with dyslexia. This work explores literacy, orientation and miscommunication from the viewpoint of someone with dyslexia.
Grimeboy
Birmingham Rep
by Casey Bailey
Directed by Madeleine Kludje
Designed by Ebrahim Nazier
Lighting Design by Ryan Joseph Stafford
Sound Design by Clive Meldrum
‘very striking lighting…’ The Guardian
ISLA
Theatre Clwyd/Royal Court
Performed by Mark Lambert, Lisa Zahra & Catrin Aaron
Directed by Tamara Harvey
Designed by Camille Clarke
Lighting Design by Ryan Joseph Stafford
Sound Design by Beth Duke
★★★★★ WhatsOnStage
The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives
By Lola Shoneyin
Arcola Theatre
Elufowoju, Jr Ensemble
Director: Femi Elufowoju, Jr
Designer: Ultz
Photo: Idil Sukan
‘The staging is stripped back yet inventive, with the lighting and choreography creating their own visual poetry’.
★★★★★ The Guardian‘… the work is stunningly fluid, maintaining seamless continuity via the use of lighting during scene and dress changes.’ The Up Coming
Together, Not The Same
Sadler's Wells Theatre
Artistic Director : Hetain Patel
Photo: Helen Murray
VESSELS OF AFFLICTION
Created by Anthony Matsena
Music: Lara Agar
Costume Design: Sanja Umesh
Cardiff Boy
Red Oak Theatre / The Other Room
Director: Matthew Holmquist
Design: April Dalton
Sound Design: Joshua Bowles
Photo: Kirsten McTernan
‘..while Ryan Joseph Stafford’s lighting hints at an ethereal outside world brimming with opportunity.’
The Stage
‘[Ryan Joseph Stafford’s] lighting design is also excellent, with the use of colour, projection and silhouette creating visually stunning moments.’
Whiplash Review
