Clint Dyer

Clint Dyer (born 4 November 1968) is an English actor, director, and playwright. He was director of the premier production of The Big Life, whose transfer to Apollo Theatre in 2005 made him the first Black British director of a musical in the West End. In 2022, he was the first Black director of a professional production of Othello in the UK. As a playwright, he is best known for the Death of England trilogy (co-written with Roy Williams), which was premiered at the National Theatre between 2020 and 2023, followed by a revival at @sohoplace theatre in 2024. Dyer was Deputy Artistic Director of the National Theatre from 2021 to 2025.

Early life and education

Dyer was born in 1968 in Upton Park, East London, a "poverty-stricken" neighbourhood that was "seething with racial tension" when he was growing up. As a child, he was a supporter of West Ham United F.C. and had wanted to become a footballer before being deterred from the sport due to his experiences of racist abuse. He also completed his A Levels in film studies, drama, and English literature at Barking College of Technology. at the East 15 Acting School, part of the University of Essex.

Career

Acting Dyer has worked as an actor, director, and writer. As an actor, his first major role on stage was as Zwanini in the production of Michele Celeste's Hanging the President at Battersea Arts Centre in 1990, He starred as Delroy in the 2000 revival production of Sus by Barrie Keeffe and later reprised this role in the 2010 film adaptation of the play as well as the stage revival at the Young Vic in addition to a UK tour in the same year. For his role in the film adaptation, he won Best Male Performance in Film at the 2011 Screen Nation Film and Television Awards as well as the Best Actor Award at British Urban Film Festival 2015 (in a special edition which considered submissions over the last 1 years0).

Other notable stage appearances by Dyer were: Big White Fog (Almeida Theatre, 2007); and Dyer the first Black British director of a West End musical. Dyer had also directed Williams's play Kingston 14, staged at Theatre Royal Stratford East in 2014.

Since the success of Death of England, Dyer has gone on to direct Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical at Lyric Theatre (2021-2023); Othello at the National Theatre (2022); Wretch 32: HOME, a theatrical performance of Wretch 32's album Home? on the National Theatre stage (2025); and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest at the Old Vic (2026).

Appointments Dyer was a longstanding trustee and associate artist at Theatre Royal Stratford East. In 2020, he was appointed as an Associate of the National Theatre. The following year, he was appointed by Rufus Norris as the National Theatre's Deputy Artistic Director, making him "arguably the most high-profile person of color in British theater".

Personal life Dyer has two children with his wife.

Acting credits

Stage

Film

Television

Writing and directing credits Stage +KeyDenotes upcoming productions

Awards and nominations