The Lyric Hammersmith today announced that Sean Holmes will replace David Farr as its Artistic Director from Spring 2009, when Farr leaves the West London theatre to become an Associate Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Holmes is one of the busiest directors in the business. In the last year alone in London he has directed Moonlight And Magnolias and Twelfth Night at the Tricycle theatre, The Man Who Had All The Luck at the Donmar Warehouse, and a tour of The English Game which came to the Rose Theatre, Kingston. Before the year ends he will also direct Treasure Island at the Theatre Royal Haymarket and return to the Tricycle to direct Loot.
Holmes’s career has also seen him direct the Robert Lindsay-led revival of The Entertainer at the Old Vic and regularly work with the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Speaking about his upcoming challenge, Holmes said: “The first time I saw a show at the Lyric Hammersmith I fell in love with the space. Now as Artistic Director I am deeply excited at the prospect of running a theatre with such a rich and varied history and I look forward to building on the strong foundations left by David Farr during his tenure. The Lyric has always been a place where you expect the unexpected and I intend to continue this tradition with a wide ranging body of work which will engage, surprise and delight our audience.”
The announcement follows the opening night of Spyski, Farr’s last directorial duty as Artistic Director of the Lyric Hammersmith. While Spyski may be the final show that he takes control of in the 559-seat venue, his programming runs until the end of February, when the curtain is due to come down on the London premiere of hit American musical Spring Awakening and Holmes’s tenure will begin.
Jessica Hepburn, Executive Director and Joint Chief Executive of the Lyric Hammersmith, commented: “I’m thrilled that Sean has been appointed. Throughout the process he demonstrated an understanding and love of the Lyric’s history as well as an inspirational vision for the future. It’s the start of a new chapter for the Lyric and I’m really looking forward to working with him.”
MA