Royal National Theatre - Artistic Directors

Artistic Directors

• Lord Olivier OM (1963–1973)
• Sir Peter Hall CBE (1973–1988)
• Sir Richard Eyre CBE (1988–1997)
• Sir Trevor Nunn CBE (1997–2003)
• Sir Nicholas Hytner (2003–)

Laurence Olivier became artistic director of the National Theatre at its formation in 1963. He was considered the foremost British film and stage actor of the period, and became the first director of the Chichester Festival Theatre – there forming the company that would unite with the Old Vic Company to form the National Theatre Company. In addition to directing, he continued to appear in many successful productions. He became a life peer in 1970, for his services to theatre, and retired in 1973.

Peter Hall took over, to manage the move to the South Bank. His career included running the Arts Theatre between 1956–1959 – where he directed the English language première of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot. He went on to take over the Memorial Theatre at Stratford, and to create a permanent Royal Shakespeare Company, in 1960, also establishing a new base at the Aldwych Theatre for transfers to the West End. He was artistic director at the National between 1973 and 1988; and continues to direct major performances for both the National and the RSC. In 2008, he opened a new theatre, The Rose, and remains its director emeritus.

One of the National's associate directors, Richard Eyre became artistic director in 1988; his experience included running the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh and the Nottingham Playhouse. He was noted for his series of collaborations with David Hare on the state of contemporary Britain.

In 1997, Trevor Nunn became artistic director. He came to the National from the RSC, having undertaken a major expansion of the company into the Swan, The Other Place and the Barbican Theatres. He brought a more populist style to the National, introducing musical theatre to the repertoire.

The current artistic director, Nicholas Hytner took over in April 2003. He previously worked as an associate director with the Royal Exchange Theatre and the National. A number of his successful productions have been made into films.

Under his direction, in the 2009-2010 season, the National Theatre expanded its audience by beginning simulcast of live productions, to cinema venues in the United Kingdom and abroad, through its programme National Theatre Live (NTLive). It is now reaching thousands of new audience members, many of whom would otherwise not have a chance to see high-quality theatre. It broadcast productions of Racine's Phèdre, Alan Bennett's The Habit of Art and Boucicault's London Assurance. In the 2010-2011 season, it presented Hamlet, Frankenstein and Fela!, as well as partnering to present productions of other companies: Complicite's A Disappearing Number and Donmar Warehouse's King Lear.

The National Theatre Live season for 2012 has broadcast Travelling Light and The Comedy of Errors and will broadcast She Stoops to Conquer on 29 March. An encore broadcast of Frankenstein has been announced.

The National Theatre participates in an Entry Pass scheme which allows young people under the age of 26 to purchase tickets for £5 to any production at the theatre.