Youth Theatre Leader Edward Wilson Dies, Age 60

Edward Wilson, the former artistic director of the UK’s National Youth Theatre, passed away this weekend at his home in Los Angeles, where he recently moved to head up the Los Angeles Young Actors Company at the Ivar Theatre in Hollywood. Wilson was 60 and had been battling cancer for the past three years.

Wilson led NYT from 1987 to 2003, during which time the company helped inspire numerous young people who went on to famous careers, including Little Britain’s Matt Lucas and David Walliams, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Con O’Neill, Orlando Bloom and current James Bond, Daniel Craig. Wilson’s NYT productions over the years included a revival of TS Eliot’s Murder in the Cathedral performed by a cast of 100, which the company took to Moscow.

NYT, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2006, credits Wilson with helping shape it into the “dynamic and vibrant organisation that it is today”. Paul Roseby, the current artistic director, paid the following tribute today: ” We are all so deeply saddened by the loss of this great, inspirational, and talented man. Not only did he lead the NYT with such passion and energy fighting so tirelessly on its behalf for so many years, he became a true and loyal friend to so many who would not be where they are today without his love, support and wonderful wit.”

One of Wilson’s loyal friends was Sir Ian McKellen, who served as the company’s honorary vice-president during Wilson’s directorship. Wilson directed McKellen in a one-man show A Knight Out in LA, which McKellen performed in Los Angeles in 2006 to raise funds for Wilson’s new non-profit organisation.

Speaking to a Californian newspaper at the time, Wilson explained that his passion for youth theatre was based on “the philosophy that young people learn about themselves, each other and wider society through active participation in the theater — whether it be onstage, backstage or in front of the house. I’d like to provide the opportunity for young actors to play Othello at age 22.”

Wilson launched his own career as an actor, appearing in British television series of the 1960s and 1970s, including Crown Coat, The Likely Lads, Angels and, most famously, When the Boat Comes In with James Bolam.

– by Terri Paddock