David Greig extends Lyceum tenure to 2025
Zinnie Harris adds Lyceum associate director role
David Grieg has agreed to extend his tenure as artistic director of the Royal Lyceum theatre for another five years, as Zinnie Harris is announced as a new associate director to the company.
Greig joined the Lyceum as the company’s eighth artistic director when he took over from Mark Thomson in June 2016. He has also announced a new artist attachment scheme, L20, which will start this June, 2020, with applications open in March.
David Greig at work in the rehearsal studio 2017. Photo Aly Wight
Playwright and director Harris is already a Lyceum regular, with such productions as A Number, Rhinoceros, and The Duchess [of Malfi] under her belt. She will join existing associate Wils Wilson – Wind Resistance, Cockpit and The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other – on The Lyceum’s artistic team.
The new artist attachment scheme, L20, is designed to support the career development of theatre artists from “a breadth of creative backgrounds and disciplines”, according to the Lyceum. Artists from underrepresented backgrounds will be prioritised and, in the pilot year, there will be a focus on Edinburgh artists.
The appointment of Harris and the L20 scheme are the first of a series of developments to be unveiled by Greig and come on the back of a hugely successful year for the theatre which saw the world premiere of Local Hero, soon to open at the Old Vic; the UK premiere of Solaris, which transferred to Lyric Hammersmith and the sell out run and West End transfer of David Greig’s Touching the Void.
ambitious artistic vision
The smash-hit national tour of Pride and Prejudice* (*Sort Of), co–produced by the Lyceum with Blood of the Young, is on national tour before arriving at the Lyceum at the end of the month.
To top the year off, at the beginning of January Greig and his co-chief executive Mike Griffiths were named in The Stage newspaper’s annual list of most influential people in UK theatre, coming in as a new entry at number 43.
Brian Ferguson in A Number, directed by Zinnie Harris. Photo: Aly Wight
Announcing the extension of Greig’s tenure, chair of the Lyceum board Shonaig Macpherson promised: “The Lyceum Board is looking forward to supporting David’s ambitious artistic vision, making world class theatre here in Edinburgh that can be shared and enjoyed by audiences here, across the UK, and abroad.”
Greig said: “Last year saw us break audience records, reaching upwards of 135,000 people in the UK and abroad. We’ve welcomed a record number of new audience members into our building, produced new work at small, mid and large scale, had two shows run in the West End, and have seen our shows staged in Glasgow, Melbourne, London, Bristol, Birmingham, Newcastle, and Northampton.
“I feel immensely proud of the team here who have achieved this explosion of creative work against a tough funding backdrop. I’m thrilled, therefore, that The Lyceum board has agreed a new five year contract with me. I’m really looking forward to working with the whole team to continue making the best theatre for audiences in Edinburgh and beyond.”
dramaturgical weight, theatricality and excitement
Describing Harris as hitting “an extraordinary groove re-inventing canonical plays” with her The Duchess [of Malfi], he added: “Together, Wils and Zinnie will bring dramaturgical weight, theatricality and excitement to every season we program, and it is so exciting to have them both on board as creative comrades.”
Harris added: “The Lyceum is one of the best theatres to be working in in the UK right now – so it’s wonderful to be cementing the relationship and joining the team as an associate director. We are already planning a range of projects for the future and I can’t wait to introduce them to our audiences!”
In his statements Greig acknowledged that the Lyceum is growing and changing as a theatre – but that it remains loyal to its large subscriber base, who remain loyal to it.
He said: “We represent Edinburgh to the world, and we are bringing the world to Edinburgh. In this mission we are fortunate to have our loyal subscribers and patrons as fellow travellers. Their support makes it all possible and has given us the confidence we need to take on new challenges and be daring and adventurous in our programme.”
ENDS
