Act’s Larmour Named New Watford Artistic DirectorDate: 5 July 2006
West End producer Brigid Larmour (pictured) has been appointed artistic director of Watford Palace Theatre. She begins on 21 August 2006, eight months after Lawrence Till, who served as artistic director for seven years, left the role vacant.
Larmour was a founding director of Act Productions which, since its inception in 1998, has become one of the West End’s leading independent producers. Her productions for Act have included Lee Hall’s Spoonface Steinberg and revivals of John Osborne’s Epitaph for George Dillon and Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, as well as transfers from subsidised theatres such as Beckett’s Krapp’s Last Tape starring John Hurt and Pinter’s The Homecoming with Ian Holm (both care of the Gate, Dublin) and Jeremy Sams’ National Theatre revival of Michael Frayn’s Noises Off.
Prior to her commercial work, Larmour worked as a director in the subsidised sector, focusing primarily on new work and Shakespeare. After training at the Royal Shakespeare Company, as assistant director to Terry Hands, Larmour worked at Manchester’s Contact Theatre first as associate director (1985 to 1987) then as artistic director (1988 to 1994). From 1994 to 1997, she was at the National Theatre developing and directing a series of interactive “Shakespeare Unplugged” productions for NT Education.
Commenting on her new role, Larmour said: “I am delighted to take on the artistic directorship of Watford Palace Theatre. Lawrence Till leaves behind him a stunningly restored Edwardian theatre and a terrific in-house team. The Palace has a highly respected education department, and a thriving and diverse local community. It is well supported by Arts Council England East, Watford Borough Council, and Hertfordshire County Council, and has both a regional and a national role to play. I am very excited about the future.”
Watford’s chair Peter McInerney added: “The appointment of Brigid Larmour marks the start of an exciting new era for Watford Palace Theatre. Her enthusiasm and vision for WPT is truly inspiring, and I am convinced that Brigid will lead the theatre on an exhilarating artistic journey.”
After more than two years of closure, with numerous delays while undergoing an £8.7 million refurbishment, Watford Palace reopened in October 2004, under Till’s reign. The upcoming autumn/winter season, running from 31 August 2006 to 3 March 2007, has been programmed by literary manager Joyce Branagh and associate director Kirstie Davis, who have been acting as joint artistic directors since Till’s departure. The theatre recently announced that its executive director Mary Caws has also resigned. She’ll leave at the end of the summer, following a handover period with Larmour.
Watford’s new season features new productions of DH Lawrence’s The Daughter-in-Law, Michael Frayn’s Copenhagen, Caryl Churchill’s Top Girls and a Christmas showing of Aladdin. It culminates, from 1 February to 3 March 2007, with the premiere of Skin Deep, the first new stage play by Ben Elton in eight years, which is tipped for a subsequent West End transfer.
- by Terri Paddock
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