Nicholas Hytner, the outgoing Director of the National Theatre, has confirmed that he will form a new producing company with the National’s Executive Director Nick Starr when the pair leave the influential venue in 2015, the BBC has reported.
Speaking at an event at Salford’s Lowry theatre, where the National Theatre’s hit production of War Horse is currently on tour, Hytner confirmed: “I will make theatre for a new company that will, we hope, find new ways of making commercial theatre.”
Though Hytner was quick to add that nothing had been “set in stone”, his words support the many rumours, theories and assumptions that had been made by the arts community since he announced his National Theatre departure last year. He will be succeeded by current Associate Director Rufus Norris.
Hytner, whose hit productions include One Man, Two Guvnors, The History Boys and The Madness Of George III, also suggested that the new company would not focus on producing work directed by him. Instead, much like during his tenure at the National, he will work behind the scenes enabling other directors to flourish, as he did with West End hits including War Horse and The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time.
In entering into such a project, Hytner and Starr follow in the footsteps of former Donmar Warehouse colleagues Michael Grandage and James Bierman who came together following their Donmar collaboration to form the Michael Grandage Company. The Jude Law-led production of Henry V, currently running at the Noël Coward Theatre, is the final production in the Michael Grandage Company’s first theatre season since its launch.