VENUE: British Library Auditorium | London
Nicholas Hytner, film and theatre director and producer, and Artistic Director of the National Theatre since 2003, was knighted in the 2010 Queen's New Years Honours List for his services to British theatre. He has expanded the National's reach and remit to include globally successful shows like WAR HORSE. In 2008, he was voted number 1 of the 100 most influential people in British culture by the UK's Sunday Telegraph Arts Power List.
Hytner's directorial work for theatre includes Shakespear's HENRY V, Alan Bennett's THE HISTORY BOYS (for which he won a Tony in 2006 for Best Director), DON CARLOS and Rodgers and Hammerstein's CAROUSEL for which he won a Laurence Olivier Award and a Tony.
His first Feature film, THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE, was nominated for four Academy Awards and won both the BAFTA and Evening Standard awards for Best British film. He has since directed THE CRUCIBLE with Daniel Day Lewis, which was nominated for two Academy Awards, THE OBJECT OF MY AFFECTION, and the feature version of THE HISTORY BOYS.
Tom Morris interviewed Hytner and led the audience Q&A. Morris was the Associate Director at the National Theatre in London, before taking over as Artistic Director of the Bristol Old Vic theatre in 2009. There he oversaw a £20 million renovation of the building, as well as producing and directing new productions. In 2011 he won the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play for the Broadway production of War Horse.
"Informative, outspoken and inspiring. Nick Hytner's lecture was a superb example of the kind of event the Directors Guild does best." Ivor Benjamin | Chair DGGB