Awards
Helen Hayes Award Best Director of a Play 2016 Washington, USA ~ “SALOME”
Helen Hayes Award Best Play 2016 Washington, USA ~ “SALOME”
Helen Hayes Award Best Ensemble in a Play 2016 Washington, USA ~ “SALOME”
Olivier Award Best Revival *Nomination 2015 London, UK ~ “THE CRUCIBLE”
Evening Standard Best Director *Nomination 2014 London, UK ~ “THE CRUCIBLE”
BroadwayWorld UK/West End Best Director 2014 London, UK ~ “THE CRUCIBLE”
Asian Media award Best Live Event 2014 London, UK ~ “NIRBHAYA”
Dora Mavor Moore Award 2014 Toronto, Canada ~ “MIES JULIE”
Elliot Norton Award 2013 Boston, USA ~ MIES JULIE
Naledi Best Director Award 2013
South Africa ~ “MIES JULIE”
Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award 2013
Edinburgh, Scotland ~ “NIRBHAYA”
Scotsman Fringe First Award 2013
Edinburgh, Scotland ~ “NIRBHAYA”
Angel Herald Award 2013
Edinburgh, Scotland ~ “NIRBHAYA”
Best Of Edinburgh Award 2012
Edinburgh, Scotland ~ “MIES JULIE”
Scotsman Fringe First Award 2012
Edinburgh, Scotland ~ “MIES JULIE”
Angel Herald Award 2012
Edinburgh, Scotland ~ “MIES JULIE”
Fleur de Kap Best Director Award 2012
Cape Town, South Africa ~ “MIES JULIE”
Naledi Best Director Award 2008
South Africa ~ "MOLORA"
Naledi Best Cutting Edge Production 2008
South Africa ~ "MOLORA"
TMA Best Director Nomination 2008
United Kingdom ~ "MOLORA"
Drama Desk Award Nomination 2007
New York, USA ~ “AMAJUBA"
Angel Herald Award 2003
Edinburgh, Scotland ~ "AMAJUBA"
FNB Vita Best Director 2001
South Africa ~ "SEZAR"
FNB Vita Best Production 2001
South Africa ~ "SEZAR"
BBC Gold Sony Award 2001
London, UK ~ "WOMAN IN WAITING"
Scotsman Fringe First Award 2000
Edinburgh, Scotland ~ "WOMAN IN WAITING"
FNB Vita Best Director Award 1999
South Africa ~ "SHOPPING & FUCKING"
FNB Vita Best Production Award 1999
South Africa ~ "SHOPPING & FUCKING"
FNB Vita Best Actress in a supporting actress 1996
South Africa ~ Performance in "Kafka Dances"
Yaël Farber - BIO
Yaël Farber is a multiple award-winning director and playwright of international acclaim. Her productions have toured extensively across the world – earming earned her a reputation for hard-hitting, controversial works of the highest artistic standard. Farber most recently directed Elena Ferrante’s MY BRILLIANT FRIEND for the National Theatre of Iceland in Reykjavik (2022). THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH (2021) at The Almeida Theatre, starring 4 time Oscar Nominee Saoirse Ronan, was met with critical acclaim and a nomination for a Best Revival Olivier Award. Her revisioning of HAMLET, starring Oscar nominee Ruth Negga at St Anne’s Warehouse in Brooklyn, NYC (2020) and a NY Times Critic’s Pick originated at The Gate Theatre in Dublin (2018) to powerful acclaim. A selection of other directing credits include Lorca’s BLOOD WEDDING adapted by Marina Carr for The Young Vic, London (2019); Athol Fugard’s BOESMAN & LENA in NYC at Signature Theater (2019) and NYT Critic’s pick; David Harrower’s KNIVES IN HENS at Donmar Warehouse in London (2017). Farber reworked Loraine Hansberry’s unfinished final work LES BLANCS for the National Theatre (2016) in London to powerful critical acclaim. Her SALOMÉ (written and directed by Farber) for Washington’s Shakespeare Theater Company (2015) was nominated for 10 Helen Hayes Awards – and won 7, including Best Director and Best Play 2015. The production transferred to the National theatre in London (2017) to great controversy. Farber’s production of Arthur Miller’s THE CRUCIBLE for The Old Vic (2014)at London’s West End, garnered ten 5-star reviews from the UK’s top national press publications, and an Olivier nomination for Best Revival. The production is one of the most successful in The Old Vic’s illustrious history. NIRBHAYA, directed and written by Farber in India (2013) won a slew of international awards at the 2013 Edinburgh Festival. In 2012, Farber’s MIES JULIE (a rewrite of Strindberg’s “Miss Julie” (2012) took the Edinburgh Festival by storm. It won multiple international awards and toured internationally for several years. She is currently writing the screenplay adaptation of MIES JULIE for film.
A selection of Farber’s awards and significant nominations include:
2 Olivier Best Revival nominations (2022 + 2015) ; Helen Hayes Best Director Award (2016); A Helen Hayes best Play Award (2016); an Evening Standard Best Director Nomination 2015; Broadway World Best Director (2014); Asian Media Award (2014); The Amnesty Freedom of Expression Award (2013); Best of Edinburgh Award (2012); Scotsman Fringe First Awards (2000, 2012, 2013); Herald Angel Awards (2003, 2012, 2013); South Africa’s Fleur du Cap (2012), Vita (1991) and Naledi Awards (2002, 2008, 2013); Boston’s Elliot Norton Award (2013); Canada’s Dora Mavor Moore Award (2014) and a BBC Sony Award (2001). She was named Artist of the Year in her native South Africa (2003).
Her productions have toured across the major cities of the USA, the UK, Africa, Canada, Australia, Japan, Europe, India, United Arab Emirates, Singapore and Hong Kong. She has been an invitee at the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab (NYC), a guest artist at Mabou Mines Theatre Company (NYC), Haus der Kulturen der Welt (Berlin), The Public Theater (NYC) and the Sundance Institute Theatre Lab (Utah). Farber served as Head of the Directing Program at the National Theatre School of Canada between 2009 and 2012.
Farber was named amongst the top 100 South Africans by City Press in 2013. Her plays are published by OBERON BOOKS (London, UK). Read full length Curriculum Vitae >>>
