Michael Boyd
in Directors, Shakespeare and Renaissance Drama
15th November 2018
INTERVIEW: MICHAEL BOYD. Belfast-born director Michael Boyd ran the Royal Shakespeare Company from 2003 and 2012, during which time he stabilised its finances, restored its reputation, oversaw the transformation of its buildings in Stratford and pushed the boat out with The Complete Works festival of 2006. Since then he has been busy as a freelance director but Tamburlaine at the Swan this autumn marked his return to his alma mater. He talks to Dominic Cavendish about Marlowe’s mighty tragedy and considers the challenges facing aspiring directors in these financially and culturally turbulent times. Recorded at the RSC’s offices in London, 18 October 2018.
“Ever since I was a student I’ve seen theatre as a vulnerable art-form, it’s expensive, it is still very class-bound, excessively so, and all institutions need to earn their keep, especially the big ones. It’s good that the RSC and the National took a cut this last time round in order to share the pie around a bit more.”
