Paul Arditti is a British

sound design Sound design is the art and practice of creating auditory elements of media. It involves specifying, acquiring and creating audio using production techniques and equipment or software. It is employed in a variety of disciplines including filmmaking ...

er, working mostly in the UK and the US. He specialises in sound for theatre musicals and plays. He has won awards for his work including two Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, three Drama Desk Awards and a BroadwayWorld.com Fans' Choice Award. In the UK, he has designed sound at the National Theatre, Donmar Warehouse, Bridge Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Court Theatre, Almeida Theatre, Young Vic Theatre, and in the West End, as well as many regional theatres. In September 2015 Paul was appointed an Associate Director at the National Theatre. In the US, he has designed sound for many Broadway and off-Broadway productions, as well as in other New York venues such as St Ann’s Warehouse, New York Theatre Workshop, Brooklyn Academy of Music, and Lincoln Center. Paul studied Drama and English at The

University of Hull The University of Hull is a public research university in Kingston upon Hull, a city in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It was founded in 1927 as University College Hull. The main university campus is located in Hull and is home to the Hu ...

, graduating in 1983.

London work (selected)

*''Brace Brace'' (2024) directed by Daniel Raggett, Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, London *'' Stranger Things: The First Shadow'' (2023) directed by

Stephen Daldry Stephen David Daldry Commander of the Order of the British Empire, CBE (born 2 May 1960) is an English director and producer of film, theatre, and television. He has won three Tony Awards for his work on Broadway theatre, Broadway and an Olivie ...

and Justin Martin, Phoenix Theatre, London *''The Odyssey: Part 5 The Underworld'' (2023) directed by Emily Lim, National Theatre, London *''The Motive And The Cue'' (2023) directed by Sam Mendes, National Theatre, London and Noel Coward Theatre, London *''Guys and Dolls'' (2023) directed by Nicholas Hytner, Bridge Theatre, London *''The Crucible'' (2022) directed by Lyndsey Turner, sound co-designed with Tingying Dong, Olivier Theatre, London *''Jack Absolute Flies Again'' (2022) directed by Emily Burns, Olivier Theatre, London *''Our Generation'' (2022) directed by Daniel Evans, Minerva Theatre, Chichester, Dorfman Theatre, London *''La Belle Sauvage - The Book Of Dust'' (2021) directed by Nicholas Hytner, Bridge Theatre, London *''Caroline, Or Change'' (2018-2021) directed by Michael Longhurst, Minerva Theatre, Chichester, Hampstead Theatre, Playhouse Theatre, London *''Dick Whittington'' (2020) directed by Ned Bennett, Olivier Theatre, London *''The Visit'' (2020) directed by Jeremy Herrin Olivier Theatre, London *''A Very Expensive Poison'' (2019) directed by John Crowley, Old Vic, London *''Tree'' (2019) directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah, Young Vic, London, Manchester International Festival *''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' (2019), directed by Nicholas Hytner, Bridge Theatre, London *''Rutherford and Son'' (2019), directed by Polly Findlay, Lyttelton Theatre, London *''Shipwreck'' (2019) directed by Rupert Goold, Almeida Theatre, London *''The Inheritance'' (2018) directed by Stephen Daldry, Young Vic Theatre, Noel Coward Theatre, London, co-sound-designed with Christopher Reid *''Pericles'' (2018) a musical version by Chris Bush and Jim Fortune directed by Emily Lim, Olivier Theatre, London *''The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie'' (2018), directed by Polly Findlay, Donmar Warehouse, London *''Absolute Hell'' (2018) directed by Joe Hill-Gibbins, National Theatre, London *''Macbeth'' (2018), directed by Rufus Norris, National Theatre, London *''Mary Stuart'' (2018), directed by Robert Icke, Almeida Theatre, Duke of York’s Theatre, London *''Amadeus'' (2017 - 2018) featuring the Southbank Sinfonia, directed by Michael Longhurst, Olivier Theatre, London *''Beginning'' (2018) directed by Polly Findlay, Dorman Theatre, Ambassadors Theatre, London *''Julius Caesar'' (2018) directed by Nicholas Hytner, Bridge Theatre, London *''The Jungle'' (2017) directed by Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin, Young Vic Theatre, London *''Young Marx'' (2017) directed by Nicholas Hytner, Bridge Theatre, London *''Labour Of Love'' (2017) directed Jeremy Herrin, Noel Coward Theatre, London *''Hamlet'' (2017) directed by Kenneth Branagh, RADA, London *''Mosquitoes'' (2017) directed by Rufus Norris, National Theatre, London *''Betrayal'' (2017) directed by Lekan Lawal, Derby Theatre *''A Midsummer Night’s Dream'' (2017) directed by Joe Hill-Gibbins, Young Vic, London *''The Glass Menagerie'' (2017), directed by John Tiffany, Duke of York’s Theatre, London *''Mary Stuart'' (2016) directed by Robert Icke, Almeida Theatre, London *''The Emperor'' (2016), directed by Walter Meierjohann, Maria Theatre, Young Vic, London & HOME, Manchester *''The Threepenny Opera'' (2016) directed by Rufus Norris, Olivier Theatre, London *''If You Kiss Me Kiss Me'' (2016) directed by Aletta Collins, Young Vic Theatre, London *''Red Velvet'' (2014-2016) directed by Indhu Rubasingham, Tricycle Theatre, London and St Ann’s Warehouse, Brooklyn, New York, Garrick Theatre, London *''Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom'' (2016) directed by Dominic Cooke, Lyttelton Theatre, London *'' Wonder.land'' (2015) - director: Rufus Norris,

Royal National Theatre The National Theatre (NT), officially the Royal National Theatre and sometimes referred to in international contexts as the National Theatre of Great Britain, is a performing arts venue and associated theatre company located in London, England, ...

, London *''Everyman'' (2015) - director: Rufus Norris,

, London *''Measure for Measure'' (2015) directed by Joe Hill-Gibbins, Young Vic Theatre, London *''Bakkhai'' (2015) directed by James MacDonald,music by Orlando Gough, Almeida Theatre, London *''

Skylight A skylight (sometimes called a rooflight) is a light-permitting structure or window, usually made of transparent or translucent glass, that forms all or part of the roof space of a building for daylighting and ventilation purposes. History O ...

'' (2014) - director:

, West End, Broadway *'' The Hard Problem'' (2015) - director: Nicholas Hytner,

, London *''Behind the Beautiful Forevers'' (2014) - director: Rufus Norris,

, London *''

A Streetcar Named Desire ''A Streetcar Named Desire'' is a play written by Tennessee Williams and first performed on Broadway on December 3, 1947. The play dramatizes the experiences of Blanche DuBois, a former Southern belle who, after encountering a series of pe ...

'' (2014) - director: Benedict Andrews,

Young Vic The Young Vic Theatre is a performing arts venue located on The Cut, near the South Bank, in the London Borough of Lambeth. The Young Vic was established by Frank Dunlop in 1970. Nadia Fall has been artistic director since 2025, succeeding ...

, West End, Broadway *''

King Lear ''The Tragedy of King Lear'', often shortened to ''King Lear'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is loosely based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his ...

'' (2014) - director:

Sam Mendes Sir Samuel Alexander Mendes (born 1 August 1965) is a British film and stage director, producer, and screenwriter. In 2000, Mendes was appointed a CBE for his services to drama, and he was Knight Bachelor, knighted in the 2020 New Year Honours ...

, London *''King Charles III'' (2014) - director: Rupert Goold,

Almeida Theatre The Almeida Theatre is a 325-seat producing house located on Almeida Street off Upper Street in the London Borough of Islington. The theatre opened in 1980, and produces a diverse range of drama. Successful plays are often transferred to West E ...

, West End, London, Broadway *''The Scottsboro Boys'' (2014) - director:

Susan Stroman Susan P. Stroman (born October 17, 1954) is an American theatre director, choreographer, and performer. Her notable theater productions include ''Oklahoma!'', ''The Music Man'', ''Crazy for You (musical), Crazy for You'', ''Contact (musical), Co ...

, West End *Little Revolution (2014) - director: Joe Hill-Gibbons,

, London *''

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

'' (2014) - director: Nicholas Hytner,

, London *''Charlie and The Chocolate Factory'' (2013) - director:

, Theatre Royal Drury Lane Theatre, London *''The Audience'' (2013) - director:

Gielgud Theatre The Gielgud Theatre is a West End theatre, located on Shaftesbury Avenue, at the corner of Rupert Street, in the City of Westminster, London. The house currently has 994 seats on three levels. The theatre was designed by W. G. R. Sprague and ...

, London, Broadway *''Dr Dee'' (2013) - director: Rufus Norris, Manchester International Festival and

English National Opera English National Opera (ENO) is a British opera company based in London, resident at the London Coliseum in St Martin's Lane. It is one of the two principal opera companies in London, along with The Royal Opera. ENO's productions are sung in E ...

*''The Most Incredible Thing'' by The Pet Shop Boys, director, Javier de Frutos, Sadler's Wells, London *''American Psycho'' (2013) directed by Rupert Goold, Almeida Theatre, London *''Edward II'' (2013) directed by Joe Hill-Gibbins, National Theatre, London *''Feast'' (2013) - director: Rufus Norris, a

Royal Court Theatre The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a West End theatre#London's non-commercial theatres, non-commercial theatre in Sloane Square, London, England, opene ...

and

co-production, London *''In The Republic of Happiness'' (2012) - director:

Dominic Cooke Dominic Cooke (born 1966) is an English director and writer. Early life Born in Wimbledon, London, Wimbledon, south London, Cooke was brought up seeing a lot of theatre as a teenager from free theatre tickets provided by the Inner London Ed ...

, London *''The Magistrate'' (2012) - director: Tim Sheader, National Theatre, London *''Red Velvet'' (2012) by Lolita Chakabarti - director: Indhu Rubasingham,

Tricycle Theatre The Kiln Theatre (formerly the Tricycle Theatre) is a theatre located in Kilburn, in the London Borough of Brent, England. Since 1980, the theatre has presented a wide range of plays reflecting the cultural diversity of the area, as well as n ...

, London *''Three Sisters'' (2012) - director: Benedict Andrews,

, London *''London Road'' (2012) by

Alecky Blythe Alecky Blythe, born 1976, is a British playwright and screenwriter. She has written several plays, including the acclaimed 2011 musical ''London Road (musical), London Road''. Her first play ''Come Out Eli'' won a Time Out Award. ''The Girlfriend ...

and Adam Cork - director: Rufus Norris, National Theatre *''In Basildon'' (2012) - director:

, London *''The Changeling'' (2012) - director: Joe Hill-Gibbons,

London *''Collaborators'' (2012) - director: Nick Hytner, National Theatre, London *''Jumpy'' (2011) by April de Angelis - director: Nina Raine,

Duke of York's Theatre The Duke of York's Theatre is a West End theatre in St Martin's Lane, in the City of Westminster, London. It was built for Frank Wyatt and his wife, Violet Melnotte, who retained ownership of the theatre until her death in 1935. Designed by ...

and

, London *''One Man, Two Guvnors'' (2011) by Richard Bean - director: Nick Hytner, National Theatre and Broadway transfer *''The Veil'' (2011) written and directed by Conor McPherson, Lyttelton Theatre, London *''Blood and Gifts'' (2010) dir: Howard Davies, Lyttelton Theatre, London *''The Beauty Queen of Leenane'' (2010) dir: Joe Hill-Gibbins, Young Vic Theatre, London *''Love The Sinner'' (2010) dir: Matthew Dunster, Cottesloe Theatre, London *''A Ring, A Lamp, A Thing'' (2010) music: Orlando Gough, libretto: Caryl Churchill, dir: James MacDonald. Linbury Studio at The Royal Opera House, London] *''When The Rain Stops Falling'' (2009) director: Michael Attenborough,

, London *''Under The Blue Sky'' (2008) director: Anna Mackmin,

, London *''The Diver'' (2008) director: Hideki Noda, Soho Theatre, London *''The Revenger's Tragedy'' (2008) director: Melly Still,

, London *'' The Year of Magical Thinking'' (2008) director: David Hare, National Theatre, London and

Booth Theatre The Booth Theatre is a Broadway theater at 222 West 45th Street ( George Abbott Way) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Opened in 1913, the theater was designed by Henry Beaumont Herts in the It ...

, Broadway *''Never So Good'' (2008) director: Howard Davies, National Theatre, London *''Happy Now?'' (2008) director: Thea Sharrock, National Theatre, London *''Saint Joan'' (2008) director: Marianne Elliott, National Theatre, London *''

The Member of the Wedding ''The Member of the Wedding'' is a 1946 novel by Southern writer Carson McCullers. It took McCullers five years to complete, although she interrupted the work for a few months to write the novella '' The Ballad of the Sad Café''.McDowell, Mar ...

'' (2007) director: Matthew Dunster, Young Vic Theatre, London *''Vernon God Little'' (2007) director: Rufus Norris, Young Vic Theatre, London *''The Respectable Wedding'' (2007) director: Joe Hill-Gibbins, Young Vic Theatre, London *''Nakamitsu'' (2007) director: Jonathan Munby

Gate Theatre The Gate Theatre is a theatre on Cavendish Row in Dublin, Ireland. It was founded in 1928. History Beginnings The Gate Theatre was founded in 1928 by Hilton Edwards and Micheál MacLiammóir with Daisy Bannard Cogley and Gearóid Ó Lochla ...

, London *''The Pain and The Itch'' (2007) director:

Royal Court A royal court, often called simply a court when the royal context is clear, is an extended royal household in a monarchy, including all those who regularly attend on a monarch, or another central figure. Hence, the word ''court'' may also be app ...

, London *''Hergé's Adventures Of Tintin'' (2005) director: Rufus Norris, Young Vic production, Barbican Theatre and

Playhouse Theatre The Playhouse Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster, located in Northumberland Avenue, near Trafalgar Square, central London. The Theatre was built by F. H. Fowler and Hill with a seating capacity of 1,200. It was rebuilt in ...

, London *''

Cymbeline ''Cymbeline'' (), also known as ''The Tragedie of Cymbeline'' or ''Cymbeline, King of Britain'', is a play by William Shakespeare set in British Iron Age, Ancient Britain () and based on legends that formed part of the Matter of Britain concer ...

'' (2003) director:

, Royal Shakespeare Company

Broadway work (selected)

*''Caroline, Or Change'' (2021) director: Michael Longhurst, Studio 54, New York *''The Inheritance'' (2019) director: Stephen Daldry, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway, New York (co-sound-designed with Christopher Reid) *''Skylight'' (2015) director: Stephen Daldry, Golden Theater, Broadway *''The Audience'' (2015) director: Stephen Daldry, Shoenfeld Theater, Broadway *'' Mary Stuart'' (2009) - director:

Phyllida Lloyd Phyllida Christian Lloyd, (born 17 June 1957) is an English film and theatre director and producer. Her theatre work includes directing productions at the Royal Court Theatre and Royal National Theatre, and opera director for Opera North and ...

Broadhurst Theatre The Broadhurst Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 235 West 44th Street (Manhattan), 44th Street in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Opened in 1917, the thea ...

*''

Billy Elliot The Musical ''Billy Elliot: The Musical'' is a Coming-of-age story, coming-of-age stage musical based on the Billy Elliot, 2000 film of the same name. The music is by Elton John, and the book and lyrics are by Lee Hall (playwright), Lee Hall, who wrote th ...

'' - director:

, all productions, including Imperial Theatre (2008);

Her Majesty's Theatre His Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre situated in the Haymarket, London, Haymarket in the City of Westminster, London. The building, designed by Charles J. Phipps, was constructed in 1897 for the actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who ...

, Melbourne; Capitol Theatre, Sydney; Circustheater, Scheveningen, Netherlands and Victoria Palace Theatre, London. *''

Les Liaisons Dangereuses ''Les Liaisons dangereuses'' (; English: ''Dangerous Liaisons'') is a French epistolary novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, first published in four volumes by Durand Neveu on March 23, 1782. It is the story of the Marquise Isabelle de Merteu ...

'' (2008) director: Rufus Norris, American Airlines Theatre

Other

*''Local Hero'' (2022) director: Daniel Evans with music by Mark Knopfler, Minerva Theatre, Chichester *''Children of Nora'' (2020) director and writer: Robert Icke, Internationaal Theater Amsterdam *''This Is My Family'' (2019) director: Daniel Evans, Minerva Theatre, Chichester Festival *''Local Hero'' (2019) director: John Crowley, with music by Mark Knopfler, Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh *''The Jungle'' (2018-19), director: Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin, St Ann's Warehouse, New York, Curran Theatre, San Francisco *''Caroline, Or Change'' (2017) director: by Michael Longhurst, Chichester Festival Theatre *''A Streetcar Named Desire'' (2016) director: Benedict Andrews, St Ann’s Warehouse, Brooklyn, New York *''The Bee'' (2012) director: Hideki Noda, Japan Society, New York and world tour *''Company'' (2011) by

Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March22, 1930November26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. Regarded as one of the most important figures in 20th-century musical theater, he is credited with reinventing the American musical. He received Lis ...

director: Jonathan Munby,

Sheffield Crucible The Crucible Theatre, or simply The Crucible, is a theatre in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, which opened in 1971. Its name refers to Crucible steel#History of production in England, crucible steel, which was developed in Sheffield in 174 ...

*''

The Cherry Orchard ''The Cherry Orchard'' () is the last play by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. Written in 1903, it was first published by '' Znaniye'' (Book Two, 1904), and came out as a separate edition later that year in Saint Petersburg, via A.F. Marks Pu ...

'' and ''

The Winter's Tale ''The Winter's Tale'' is a play by William Shakespeare originally published in the First Folio of 1623. Although it was grouped among the comedies, many modern editors have relabelled the play as one of Shakespeare's late romances. Some criti ...

'' (2009) director:

Brooklyn Academy of Music The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is a multi-arts center in Brooklyn, New York City. It hosts progressive and avant-garde performances, with theater, dance, music, opera, film programming across multiple nearby venues. BAM was chartered in 18 ...

, New York, and Old Vic Theatre, London *''Crestfall by

Mark O'Rowe Mark O'Rowe is an Irish playwright and screenwriter. Life Mark O'Rowe was born in 1970 in Dublin, Ireland, to parents Hugh and Patricia O'Rowe (to whom he dedicated his 1999 play, ''Howie the Rookie''). He grew up in Tallaght, a working-class ...

'' (2003) director: Garry Hynes,

, Dublin (2003)

Awards and nominations

*''Guys And Dolls:'' WhatsOnStage Nomination for Best Sound Design 2024 *''Stranger Things: The First Shadow:'' Tony Award for Best Sound Design of a Play 2025, WhatsOnStage nomination for Best Sound Design 2024, Olivier Award nomination for Best Sound Design 2024, Drama Desk Award winner for Outstanding Sound Design of a Play. *''The Inheritance'': Drama Desk Award 2019, Oliver Award nomination 2019, Tony Award nomination 2019 *''Amadeus'': Oliver Award nomination for Best Sound Design 2017 *''One Man, Two Guvnors'':

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

nomination for Best Sound Design 2012 *''Saint Joan'':

Olivier Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply The Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognize excellence in professional theatre in London. The awards were originally known as the Society of West End Theatre Aw ...

for Best Sound Design 2008 *''Billy Elliot The Musical'': Tony Award for Best Sound Design 2009, Olivier Award for Best Sound Design 2006, Helpmann Award (Australia) nomination for Best Sound Design 2008, Drama Desk Award for Best Sound Design, Broadwayworld.com Fan's Choice Award for Best Sound Design *'' Festen'': Evening Standard Award for Best Design 2004 and Olivier Award nomination for Best Sound Design 2005 *'' The Pillowman'': Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Sound Design 2005, Olivier Award nomination for Best Sound Design 2004Olivier Award nomination 2004
officiallondontheatre.co.uk, accessed May 18, 2009 *''Crestfall'': Irish Times Theatre Awards nomination Judges' Special Award 2004 *'' Far Away'': Lucille Lortel Award nomination 2004 *''The Chairs'': Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Sound Design 2003 *''Four Baboons Adoring The Sun'': Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Sound Design 1993

References

External links

Official site
*
Internet Off-Broadway DatabaseCredits at broadwayworld.comCredits at playbill.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arditti, Paul Alumni of the University of Hull British sound designers Broadway sound designers Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Place of birth missing (living people) Tony Award winners