Zinnie Harris leaves Lyceum
Harris to step down from Associate AD role
Playwright Zinnie Harris is to step down as Associate Artistic Director at the Royal Lyceum Edinburgh, according to a statement issued by her and the theatre today, Thursday 21 May 2026,
Harris joined the Lyceum’s artistic team as an associate director in 2020, under then Artistic Director David Grieg. She was already a Lyceum regular, with such productions as A Number, Rhinoceros, and The Duchess [of Malfi] under her belt.
Zinnie Harris. Pic: Stuart Armitt.
Harris was made Associate Artistic Director in 2022, when the theatre returned from Covid with her The Scent of Roses as the first post-Covid main stage production. Macbeth (an undoing) followed in 2023, returning in 2024, the same year that Harris became Interim Director of Creative Learning at the theatre.
According to the statement, Harris will be “moving on to launch future projects and will remain a close friend of the Lyceum”. She is soon to return in her role as writer and director in a large–scale production for the Lyceum 2026/27 season, to be announced on Tuesday 9 June.
Harris is currently one of three commissions for the TravFest 26, writing and directing Supposing:. Rooted in Greek mythology, yet fiercely contemporary, it explores belief, isolation and the unsettling forces that disrupt ordinary life.
a privilege
Quoted in the statement, Harris says: “I’ve loved my time at The Lyceum. It has been a privilege to work with such brilliant artists, creative teams and audiences. The theatre is a place of real ambition and care, and the staff are committed and dedicated to delivering extraordinary theatre.
“Alongside the productions I have written and directed, I am particularly proud of the Creative Learning team, and what we have achieved together during the past couple of years. I wish everyone at The Lyceum all the best and look forward to what comes next.”
Nicole Cooper and Emmanuella Cole in Macbeth (an Undoing). Pic: Ellie Kurttz
Lyceum Artistic Director James Brining, who took over from David Greig in April 2025, said Harris is “an extraordinary artistic force and her imagination, intelligence and commitment to the work have enriched our stage and inspired colleagues and audiences alike.”
He added: “We are deeply grateful for everything she has brought to the theatre, and I look forward very much to continuing to work with her here at The Lyceum in the future.”
Besides her role at the Lyceum, Harris is the Professor of Playwriting and Screenwriting at St Andrews University. She was Associate Director at the Traverse from 2015 to 2018 and was made a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2018.
ENDS
