Biography

After training at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Wayne began his lighting design career at Contact Theatre, Manchester before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon.

During his time as Lighting Supervisor and Head of Department at the RSC's Swan Theatre, Wayne designed many productions for The Other Place, The Swan, The Pit and Barbican Theatres, as well as several freelance projects for, amongst others, Bristol Old Vic, D'Oyly Carte, Watermill Theatre, Grange Park Opera, Scottish Opera, Mariinsky, St Petersburg and Longacre Theatre, NY.

Since leaving the RSC in 2007, Wayne has continued his career as a Freelance Lighting Designer, working extensively around the UK and abroad. More recently, he has designed more than 30 productions with Pitlochry Festival Theatre (PFT). Recent projects there include Chicago, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, Quality Street, Travesties, Before The Party, The Last Witch, Heritage, North & South and Private Lives.

Wayne received Olivier Award nominations for Edward II at The Pit, Tamburlaine the Great at the Barbican and Medea at Wyndham's Theatre.

List of Credits

What the critics say.

MADAMA BUTTERFLY // Grange Park Opera

I cannot recall seeing a production of Puccini's Madama Butterfly more attractive visually than that offered at … Grange Park Opera.

Chiefly this is a matter of the costumes, uncredited in the programme but possibly the work of designer Mark Bailey against whose minimalist set - expertly lit by Wayne Dowdeswell - they are shown off to stupendous effect.

Christopher Gray, Oxford Times

WAYNE DOWDESWELL // Lighting Designer

Biography

What the critics say.