Anthony Clark to leave Hampstead Theatre
Story by Lizzie Guilfoyle
ANTHONY Clark, Artistic Director of Hampstead Theatre since 2003, is stepping down in January 2010, at the end of the venue’s 50th anniversary season.
Talking about his resignation, Clark said:
“This has been a tough decision after a tough, but extremely rewarding seven years. As we come to the end of a year in which we are celebrating past achievements and looking to the future, I feel it is a good time to hand over to a new artistic director, leaving me free to pursue my own freelance interests as a director and writer.
“I am proud of the number of new plays we have produced in my time here, and of the diversity of their form and content. We have seen our core audience grow and remain loyal as well as developing a much wider audience for new writing. I have had the opportunity to produce the plays of some very exciting emerging writers, alongside those of more established playwrights.
“I am thrilled to have encouraged a Creative Learning programme that is seen as an integral part of the company but also serves the local community so effectively. Year on year audiences have increased, and it is now time for someone else to focus the talents and energies of a wonderful staff to make sure audiences and participants get the most out of Hampstead for years to come.”
Clark took over at Hampstead shortly after the theatre had moved into its new purpose-built £15.7 million state-of-the-art facility in north London. Although not all subsequent productions were well received, two transferred to the West End – Simon Mendes da Costa’s Losing Louis and Joe Orton’s What the Butler Saw.
The recruitment process for Clark’s successor will begin this summer.