The Madras College Archive

     


Former Pupil Biographies

Bunny Christie OBE, LLD (1962 - current)

Karen Anne ('Bunny') Christie (born 1962) is a British theatre set designer. She was born in St Andrews, attended Madras College and studied at the Central School of Art in London where she graduated with first class honours. She has won four Olivier Awards and also worked on Kenneth Branagh's Oscar-nominated short film Swan Song. In 2019 she received an O.B.E. for services to British Theatre.

She has worked extensively at the National Theatre designing in all their three theatres, including, most recently, in The Shed - their temporary studio space.
Her work at the National Theatre covers designs for classics but also many new plays and includes intimate studio work like Blurred Lines in The Shed and epic spectacles like Emil and the Detectives in the Olivier, with over 180 children in the company. Her set and costume designs for The Curious Incident of the the Dog in the Night-time began life in the Cottesloe Theatre and subsequently transferred to the West End.

At Madras College she was involved in school drama productions including 'A Midsummer Nights Dream', 'The Caucasian Chalk Circle', Four plays in the newly opened Quad Theatre, 'Twelfth Night' and 'Hay Fever'

AWARDS

  • OBE for Services to Theatre

  • Tony Award Nomination 2019 Best Set Design -INK Broadway

  • Critics Circle Award 2019 Best Set -Company

  • Olivier Award 2019 Best Set Design -Company

  • Evening Standard Award 2019 Best Design -Midsummer Nights Dream -Bridge Theatre

  • Oliver Nomination 2018 Best Set Design -INK

  • Evening Standard Award 2017 Best Design -Red Barn -NT, INK -Almeida, Heisenberg -Whyndhams TheatreTony Award 2015 Best Set Design - Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

  • Olivier Nomination 2015 Best Set Design - Made in Dagenham

  • Olivier Award 2013 Best Set Design - Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

  • Olivier Award 2011 Best Set Design - The White Guard

  • Olivier Award 2003 Best Set Design - Streetcar Named Desire

  • Olivier Nomination 2000 Set Design - Baby Doll

  • Olivier Nomination 1999 Costume Design - As You Like It

  • Evening Standard Award 2000 Best Design - Baby Doll

  • Evening Standard Nomination 2013 - Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

  • Critics Circle Award Best Design 2011 - The White Guard

  • Honorary Doctor of Letters 2014 - St Andrews University