Josie Rourke

Institute Steering Group member

Josie Rourke is an acclaimed theatre and film director. Born and educated in Salford, she went on to study English at Cambridge University before rising to prominence in theatre. Josie has earned widespread recognition for her stage works including Coriolanus starring Tom Hiddleston, Saint Joan with Gemma Arterton, and Les Liaisons Dangereuses featuring Janet McTeer and Dominic West. She was also the Artistic Director of both the Bush Theatre and the Donmar Warehouse.
 
In 2018, Josie made her feature film directorial debut with Mary Queen of Scots, starring Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie and earning nominations at the BAFTAs, Academy Awards, and SAG Awards.
 
Bringing her experience as a theatre director to the Institute’s work, Josie has reflected on frameworks, institutions and our places within them. Most recently, she collaborated with the Institute on the theme of ‘trust in oneself’, exploring how Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure invites reflection on the externalisation of ethics and the need to strengthen our moral core to rebuild trust in ourselves.