David Farr (theatre director)

David Farr (born 29 October 1969)^[1] is a British writer, theatrical director and Associate Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company.^[2]

David Farr
Born	29 October 1969 Surrey, England, United Kingdom
Nationality	British
Occupation	Theatre director and writer

Background

Farr was brought up in Surrey and educated in Guildford and the University of Cambridge (English Literature double first).

Career

Farr began directing theatre at University and won the Guardian Student Drama Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1991 with Slight Possession starring Rachel Weisz. His professional directorial debut came at The Gate Theatre, Notting Hill under Stephen Daldry. Farr became Artistic Director of The Gate Theatre at the age of twenty five and had that role from 1995 to 1998. He was also Artistic Director of Bristol Old Vic from 2002 to 2005^[3] and Lyric Hammersmith^[4] from 2005 to 2009. In 2009 he joined Royal Shakespeare Company as Associate Director.^[2] He wrote regularly for Spooks for the BBC and is a film writer having co-written the Joe Wright film Hanna, released in 2011.

Professional productions

• The Great Highway, by August Strindberg (The Gate Theatre 1993)
• The Boat Plays (The Gate Theatre 1994)
• Powder Her Face, by Thomas Ades (Almeida Opera 1995)
• The Nativity, by David Farr (Young Vic 2000)
• Coriolanus, by William Shakespeare (RSC and London Old Vic winner critics circle, best lead actor Greg Hicks 2003)
• A Midsummer Night's Dream (Bristol Old Vic, winner best director TMS Awards 2002)
• The Odyssey (Bristol Old Vic 2004)
• The UN Inspector, by Gogol, adapted by David Farr starring Michael Sheen (National Theatre 2005)^[5]
• Tamburlaine, by Christopher Marlowe (The Barbican Centre, London)^[6]
• Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare (RSC and Lyric Hammersmith 2005)
• The Twelfth Night, by William Shakespeare (Royal Shakespeare Company 2012)
• Metamorphosis, by Franz Kafka, music by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis (Lyric Hammersmith 2006)^[7][8]
• The Birthday Party, by Harold Pinter (50th anniversary production, Lyric Hammersmith 2008)^[9]
• Water, a collaboration with Filter Theatre (Lyric Hammsermith 2007)^[10]
• Spyski, a collaboration with Peepolyskus (Lyric Hammersmith 2008)^[11]
• Winters Tale, by William Shakespeare (RSC 2010)^[12]
• King Lear, by William Shakespeare (RSC 2010)^[13]

Playwriting

• Elton John's Glasses (Watford Palace Theatre and West End 1996)
• The Danny Crowe Show (Bush Theatre 2002)
• Crime and Punishment in Dalston (Arcola Theatre 2002 and 2003)
• The Queen must Die (National Theatre, 2003)
• Ruckus in the Garden (National Theatre 2007)
• Night of the Soul (Royal Shakespeare Company 2002)
• The UN Inspector (adaptation from Gogol 2006) Faber 2005 and bilingual edition (French/ English) Presses Universitaires du Mirail 2008 http://w3.pum.univ-tlse2.fr/~The-UN-inspector-L-inspecteur-des~.html
• Metamorphosis (adaptation from Kafka 2006)
• The Heart of Robin Hood (Royal Shakespeare Company 2011/12 season)

Screenwriting

• Spooks (series 4-9)
• Hanna (dir. Joe Wright)
• Outcasts (episode 6-7).
• The Ones Below (2016)
• The Night Manager (2016)
• HHhH (2016)

References

1. "Birthdays". The Guardian (Guardian News & Media). 29 October 2014. p. 43.
2. "RSC - David Farr". Retrieved 2011-01-28.
3. Christiansen, Rupert (13 November 2002). "Innovator ready for a fight - Telegraph". London: telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 28 January 2011.
4. Arendt, Paul (21 October 2004). "Farr says bye to Bristol". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 28 January 2011.
5. National Theatre 2005
6. Guardian October 2005
7. Michael Billington The State of the Nation p.395
8. Independent Sept 2006
9. Evening Standard 13 May 2008
10. Daily Telegraph 22 October 2007
11. Times October 2008
12. Daily Telegraph April 2009
13. Whatsonstage Feb 2010