Rourke, Josie

Josie Rourke grew up and attended school in Salford, where a love of the theatre developed through frequent visits to the local Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester and trips to Stratford. Rourke went on to read English at Cambridge, and upon leaving in 2000 she moved to London and got a year's appointment as assistant director at the Donmar Theatre, working under the then artistic director Sam Mendes. Here she assisted such eminent directors as Michael Grandage, Nicholas Hytner and Phyllida Lloyd.

Upon leaving the Donmar, Rourke assisted director Peter Gill on Luther at the National Theatre. The York Realist, their second production working together went on tour with the English Touring Company and transferred to the Royal Court. The success of this production led to Rourke being offered the post of trainee associate director at the Royal Court.

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