Alan Finch, managing director of Cameron Mackintosh Ltd, has died aged 61

Alan Finch, managing director of Cameron Mackintosh Limited, has died aged 61.

Mackintosh issued a statement this afternoon, which we’ve printed in full below, describing how: “I have been lucky enough to have Alan lead exceptional teams of theatrical talents across my three international companies over the last ten years. When Alan joined me in 2016, he immediately jumped in at the deep end taking a lead role in ensuring that the huge reconstruction and expansion of the Victoria Palace Theatre could be completed in time for the opening of Hamilton.” 

Finch, who joined CML in 2016, was previously executive director at Chichester Festival Theatre, where current executive director Kathy Bourne and artistic director Justin Audibert said today: “Everyone who knew and worked with Alan, whether at Chichester, in the West End or beyond, is utterly devastated by his premature death. It is hard to believe that we have lost someone of his vision, skill, warmth, humour, and total dedication to theatre.

“Alan’s contribution to Chichester Festival Theatre was immense; it would not be overstating it to say that, together with his long-time friend and colleague Jonathan Church, he saved the theatre from closure. Not only was he instrumental in restoring CFT to artistic and financial health, he also established its future prosperity.”

Born in Mansfield, Finch began his career at Mansfield Civic Theatre, now Mansfield Palace Theatre, aged 16 as a trainee theatre electrician. He joined Nottingham Playhouse as an assistant electrician in 1986 before becoming production manager at Bolton’s Octagon Theatre. He returned to Nottingham Playhouse in 1992 as production manager, working with artistic director Kenneth Alan Taylor.

Finch went on to become technical director at Theatre Royal Plymouth before being appointed general manager in 1999. During his time there, he oversaw the creation of TR2, an £8 million production facility.

In 2005, Finch joined Chichester Festival Theatre as executive director, working alongside artistic director Jonathan Church.

Claire Walker and Hannah Essex, co-CEOs of SOLT and UK Theatre said: “We are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend and colleague Alan Finch. He was a leading figure in our theatre community and has left a lasting legacy on every venue and company he worked at, particularly Chichester Festival Theatre and, for the last decade, at Cameron Mackintosh Ltd. Along with so many others, we are lucky to have personally benefited from his wisdom and guidance and are enormously grateful for the contribution he made to the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre over many years. Our thoughts are with his many colleagues, friends and his beloved family.”

Statement from Cameron Mackintosh:

“The heartbreaking premature loss of Alan Finch has been a terrible shock for everyone who ever had the good fortune of knowing him, both in and out of the theatre. Less than four months ago, a brilliant, wise and much-loved man looked to be in the peak of creativity, fitness and health and then pancreatic cancer took him away from both his beloved personal and professional families.

“I have been lucky enough to have Alan lead exceptional teams of theatrical talents across my three international companies over the last ten years. When Alan joined me in 2016, he immediately jumped in at the deep end taking a lead role in ensuring that the huge reconstruction and expansion of the Victoria Palace Theatre could be completed in time for the opening of Hamilton. While he was presiding over the expansion of our global productions, continual upgrading of all my other theatres and working alongside Drew Cohen to ensure that Music Theatre International remains one of the leading and most successful secondary rights companies in the world, the next crisis he led us through was of course steering the company and the hundreds of people working for us through the devastating repercussions of the worldwide pandemic, which completely shut down the theatre industry, and then going on to develop the footprint for the expansion of my Foundation.

“Being almost 20 years my junior, naturally, the plan was for Alan (alongside my key executive directors across the world) to ensure that my theatrical legacy would seamlessly continue to operate under the auspices of my Foundation for the benefit of future generations, once the final curtain inevitably falls on me. Tragically, God has had other ideas. After 60 years as a producer, I have been able to assemble an extraordinary, talented and loyal team across all my companies to ensure that all my productions remain as sharp and exciting as they were on their first nights. In only ten years, Alan has ensured that this depth of talent has deepened so that our work can continue for as long as the world wants to go to the theatre and see great shows.

“Alan started off as a teenage theatre electrician and I first met him almost 40 years ago when he was running Theatre Royal Plymouth. I knew he was special then. Alan knew how shows came together, from bottom to top, he was an outstanding production manager, he knew how to produce shows and both run and rebuild several of the theatres he worked in – spectacularly, he (alongside Jonathan Church) revived the fortunes and reputation of the Chichester Festival Theatre for over 11 years, completely rebuilding the theatre in the process – a good rehearsal for the Victoria Palace! When they both decided to step away, I was the lucky recipient of Alan’s talent, but Alan had many talents beyond his business acumen – most importantly he was a wonderful human being, naturally brilliant with people and a great communicator. He took an interest in every department in the theatre, from stagehand to leading actor, from the front of house staff to the director or designer; everyone mattered with Alan and that’s why his loss is so deeply felt by everyone who knew him.

“Our hearts go out to his beloved wife, Alison, and his children, Katie and Tom, who have been simply extraordinary supporting him through this incredibly fast and difficult period. However, even as his body took the inevitable toll from the disease, his mind remained totally focused and rational, still dispensing invaluable advice. Till Alan left us he was our guide wanting to ensure that all the exciting plans he had discussed with us could still be carried out without him – and they will. His family, we and the whole theatre world have lost someone unique and precious, who learnt his craft during an amazing period of theatrical training and productivity that no longer exists in the same way.

Thank you Alan, when tomorrow comes you will always be by our side. God bless old friend.”