Introduction
I am a theatre technician and lighting designer based in Newcastle Upon Tyne.
Across the last 5 years I have worked in venues of all sizes across the country, both on in house and touring productions.
I love experimentation both with my designs and with new hardware and software.
I am highly proficient with ETC EOS boards and have substantial experience of QLab programming and live sound mixing.
Current Work
Gwyneth Goes Skiing | Lighting Designer | Pleasance/Awkward Productions
Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story | Lighting Designer | Awkward Production
Ascension | Lighting Designer | Dan Hazelwood
Previous Work
Arcadia | Lighting Designer | People's Theatre
Iris | Lighting Designer | People's Theatre
Goblin Market | Lighting Designer | Nottingham New Theatre
Insomnia | Lighting Designer | Nottingham New Theatre
It's Not Rocket Science | Lighting Designer | Letter for Letter Theatre
Jekyll and Hyde and Hilda and Martin | Lighting Designer | Nottingham New Theatre
Identical | Assistant Stage Manager | Nottingham Playhouse
Choose Your Fighter | Relighter | Votive Theatre
Hamlet | Lighting Designer | Nottingham New Theatre
Initiation | Lighting/Sound Designer | Letter for Letter Theatre
Peter Pan | Sound Designer/Lighting Collaborator | Nottingham New Theatre
Optimistic: Elizabeth Holmes | Lighting Designer | Sarah Deller (Edinburgh Fringe)
Trainspotting Live | Production LX | Seabright Productions
Outlawed: Christmas Cabaret | Lighting Designer | Nonsuch Studios
Pak it In | Lighting Designer | Adam Lqbal
Julius Caesar | Associate Lighting Designer | Icarus Theatre
Hold On To Your Butts | Relighter | Recent Cutbacks
How to Kill A Chicken | Lighting Designer | Gigi Tisminetzky
Duck | Relighter | Two Magpies/Pleasance
Ugly Sisters | Relighter | Piss/Carnation
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Technical Manager | Nottingham New Theatre
Technical Lead | Nonsuch Studios
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Testimonials
'Divine and Inspired' - Audience Member (Hamlet)
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'An Outrageous Triumph' - Edgar Wright (Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story)
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'Incredible atmospheric lighting' - Impact Magazine (Goblin Market)
'James is a gem and really helped us to bring the show to life at Nonsuch' - Van Huynh Company (In Realness)
'James’ design and artistic vision coupled with his technical ability have been invaluable to us as a company. He’s also an absolute treat to work with, which is why we keep employing him!' - Joseph Martin (Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story)
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'The sound and lighting, which added so much to the performance, deserve a round of applause. There were some truly talented people behind the scenes of this production' - Impact Magazine (Jekyll and Hyde and Hilda and Martin)
'A special kind of magic' - Impact Magazine (Peter Pan)
'James was a privilege to work with on our live music nights. Initially James was brought in as cover for a tech team of 5/6 people, and in the he ended up performing just as well if not better than that group of 5/6 himself' - Joe Paternoster (Mooch Live)
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'With lighting designed by James Appleby, emotional moments like Gwyneth bravely telling the court she lost half a day of skiing really hit the audience hard' - ILoveMCR (Gwyneth Goes Skiing)