'˜All of us stood on Sir Peter's shoulders'

SIR PETER Hall, the former director of the National Theatre and founder of the Royal Shakespeare Company, was last night remembered as a 'colossus and visionary' to whom every living playwright owes a debt.

The theatre great died on Monday aged 86, in a London hospital surrounded by his family.

Sir Peter, who was diagnosed with dementia in 2011, founded the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in Stratford-upon-Avon 1960, aged just 30, and stayed there until 1968.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He was appointed the National’s director in 1973, a year after joining Lord Laurence Olivier as co-director.

PRESS ASSOCIATION PhotoPRESS ASSOCIATION Photo
PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo

Under his leadership, the theatre moved from the Old Vic to the South Bank, and Sir Peter remained with the National until 1988.

The National Theatre’s current director Rufus Norris said: “We all stand on the shoulders of giants and Peter Hall’s shoulders supported the entirety of British theatre as we know it.

“All of us, including those in the new generation of theatre-makers not immediately touched by his influence, are in his debt.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“His legendary tenacity and vision created an extraordinary and lasting legacy for us all.”

PRESS ASSOCIATION PhotoPRESS ASSOCIATION Photo
PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo

The Royal Shakespeare Company said it was “greatly saddened by the news”.

Artistic director Gregory Doran remembered Sir Peter as a “colossus and visionary”.

“Not only was he a great director of theatre and opera, he was a politician who fought for the arts.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It is impossible to single out his greatest production,” he said.

Sir Peter created the RSC to realise his vision of a resident ensemble of actors, directors and designers, producing modern and classic texts.

The company played in Stratford and also expanded into the Aldwych Theatre as its first London home.

Playwright Sir David Hare and actors Sir Patrick Stewart, Laurence Fox and Toby Stephens also paid tribute.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Sir David said: “Peter Hall was not only the principal architect of post-war theatre, he founded the Royal Shakespeare Company and moved the National Theatre on to the South Bank, but above all he was the person who insisted that new plays belonged in the classical repertory, on the same stages and given the same status. It was his idea to play (Harold) Pinter alongside Shakespeare. Every living playwright owes him a debt.”

Yorkshire’s Sir Patrick said that the director “transformed classical and modern UK theatre and gave me a career”.

Fox wrote: “He gave me my first theatre job, and boy did he whip you into shape... Rest in peace Sir Peter.”

Sir Peter had an international reputation as the foremost authority on Shakespearean directing and became known for being outspoken about funding for the theatre.

Related topics: