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Michael Boyd announces final RSC season, Ravenhill responds to Candide

How to top the World Shakespeare Festival, a 50th anniversary season and the “most-awarded West End musical in history”, Matilda?

Outgoing artistic director Michael Boyd today announced the final season he’s programmed for the Royal Shakespeare Company, with highlights including world premieres of new plays by Mark Ravenhill and Tanika Gupta, and a new production of Hamlet starring Jonathan Slinger. Boyd steps down in September, handing over to his long-time chief associate director Gregory Doran.

“
The last 12 months... point to the healthiest possible future for theatre.”
Michael Boyd, Artistic Director

In the Royal Shakespeare Theatre

His final season, which runs from January through to summer 2013, will include new productions in Stratford-upon-Avon’s main house, the Royal Shakespeare Theatre (which only fully reopened in February 2011), of the bard’s The Winter’s Tale, As You Like It and All’s Well That Ends Well, directed by Lucy Bailey, Maria Aberg and Nancy Meckler respectively.

RSC regular leading man Jonathan Slinger takes the title role in Hamlet for RSC associate director David Farr. Slinger and Farr have collaborated on World Shakespeare Festival productions of Twelfth Night and The Tempest as part of the London-bound “What Country Friends Is This?” series. Slinger’s other recent company credits include the Macbeth, directed by Boyd, an Lenny in Pinter’s The Homecoming.

Hamlet will run in repertoire with As You Like It and All’s Well That Ends Well, with all three productions performed by a single, cross-cast company.

In the Swan Theatre

The Swan Theatre’s 2013 programme will commence with the world premiere of The Empress, a new play by Tanika Gupta, making her RSC debut, directed by Kneehigh artistic director Emma Rice. The play centres on Queen Victoria and her growing attachment to one of her Indian manservants in the royal household.

Rice’s standalone production will be followed by another three-play repertoire performed by another single company, comprising: Michael Fentiman’s new production of Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus; Sean Foley, also making his RSC debut directing Thomas Middleton’s satirical Jacobean classic A Mad World My Masters, which has never before been performed at the RSC; and Mark Ravenhill’s new, as-yet untitled play, directed by Lyndsey Turner.

Ravenhill, author of Shopping and Fucking and the RSC’s current playwright in residence, has written the piece in response to Voltaire’s renowned 1759 satire on blind optimism, Candide, which challenged the Panglossian view that “all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds”.

Swansong statements & stats

Commenting on his final season, Michael Boyd said today in a press statement: “The last 12 months, in which we've celebrated the RSC's 50th birthday in Stratford, opened the most awarded West End musical in history, and launched the World Shakespeare Festival right across the UK, point to the healthiest possible future for theatre. I'm very proud to be programming my last season in our new space with many of the theatre artists who have contributed to its success in the last year, before handing over to Greg Doran who will take the company on to its next decade.”

Boyd’s executive director Vikki Heywood, who steps down along with Boyd this year, added some impressive figures to the recent roll call of achievements, with full financial results due to be released at the company’s September AGM. She said: “The RSC is on great form as we prepare to hand over to the new leadership team. We've had a terrific first full year in our new home (the Royal Shakespeare Theatre fully reopened in February 2011 after a two-year, £112m refit) … We've welcomed more than 500,000 visitors (as well as those who've bought tickets to see a show) through the doors in the last 12 months. With both main houses fully open now, we increased the number of seats available by almost 50% and have played to 84% capacity in Stratford (89% across all locations) in 2011/12.

“Since April, we have celebrated Shakespeare all over the country with artists from every imaginable place in the world, staging more than 70 productions, as well as events and exhibitions, for the World Shakespeare Festival. More than 70 partners have joined us with a million tickets on sale. The scale and reach of the Festival has been extraordinary, and we are only half way through. The RSC alone has already sold more than 250,000 tickets.

“We are delighted that Matilda The Musical continues to win praise from critics and audiences alike, as we begin our preparations for a Broadway transfer in Spring 2013, with our co-producing partners, the Dodgers. Since opening in October at the Cambridge, we've played to more than 300,000 people at an average capacity of 95%. Following our record-breaking seven Olivier awards in April, we've played to 100% houses and advance sales for the Olympic summer period are very healthy.”

Full dates for the RSC’s summer 2013 season have not yet been announced. Public booking will open on 15 October 2012.

- by Terri Paddock

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Internal Links
	Boyd & Heywood Announce 2012 Departure from RSC - 14th Oct 2011 News
	Gregory Doran succeeds Michael Boyd as RSC artistic director - 22nd Mar 2012 News
	RSC Launches World Shakespeare Festival with 50 Arts Orgs - 6th Sep 2011 News
	Exclusive Video: Matilda's Bertie Carvel 'interviews' Tim Minchin at Drama Desk Awards - 10th May 2013 tv
	Matilda the Musical & Kinky Boots lead Tony nominations - 30th Apr 2013 news
	Review Round-up: Matilda storms Broadway - 15th Apr 2013 roundup
	Photos: New production pics released for Matilda - 3rd Jan 2013 photos
	Top Ten: London shows for half term - 23rd Oct 2012 features
	Matilda releases 400k more tickets for Roald Dahl Day - 13th Sep 2012 news
	RSC announces four new girls for West End Matilda - 9th Aug 2012 news
	Matilda the Musical confirms Broadway transfer, opens March 2013 - 20th Jul 2012 news
	David Leonard & Annette McLaughlin take over in Matilda - 1st Jun 2012 news
	Matilda, Faust & Frayn triumph at South Bank Awards - 2nd May 2012 news
	Matilda wins seven, One Man overlooked at 2012 Oliviers - 15th Apr 2012 news
	Matilda, Guvnors & Constellations compete at South Bank Awards - 2nd Apr 2012 news
	Bertie Carvel sets Matilda departure date, show extends - 28th Mar 2012 news
	Matilda, Guvnors & Ladykillers lead the field at 2012 Oliviers - 15th Mar 2012 news
	Sondheim sounds off - 5th Mar 2012 blog
	RSC confirms plans to take WOS Award-winning Matilda to New York - 28th Feb 2012 news
	Jo Caird: Why Can't We Resist Adaptations of Children's Classics? - 9th Jan 2012 blog
	RSC Keeps Control of Matilda on Broadway??? - 9th Jan 2012 gossip
	Matilda The Musical - 25th Nov 2011 reviews
	1st Night Photos: RSC Matilda Swings into West End - 25th Nov 2011 photos
	Review Round-up: Matilda is Top of the Class - 25th Nov 2011 roundup
	Photos: 57th Evening Standard Awards Shortlist - 7th Nov 2011 photos
	RSC Cancels First Five Previews of West End Matilda - 29th Sep 2011 news
	Matilda & Girl Lead Theatre Awards UK Nominations - 29th Sep 2011 news
	Take Ten ... London Autumn Season Highlights - 13th Sep 2011 features
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	Cast Announced for West End Transfer of RSC Matilda - 23rd Aug 2011 news
	Boss Blog: Theatre's Debt to Comedy - 11th Aug 2011 blog
	Christie Brinkley Delays West End Debut in Chicago - 8th Jul 2011 news
	Photos: First Peek at London Matilda's New Look - 19th May 2011 photos
	RSC's Matilda Confirms London Opening, 22 Nov - 19th May 2011 news
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	RSC Sets Dates for Dahl’s Matilda Musical, 9 Nov - 24th Mar 2010 news
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External Links
	www.rsc.org.uk