Nicholas Hytner

Sir Nicholas Robert Hytner ( ; born 7 May 1956) is an English theatre and film director, and film producer. He was the artistic director at the Royal National Theatre from 2003 to 2015. His major successes as director include Miss Saigon, The History Boys and One Man, Two Guvnors. He is also known for directing films such as The Madness of King George, The Crucible (1996), The History Boys (2006), and The Lady in the Van (2015). Hytner was knighted in the 2010 New Year Honours for services to drama by Queen Elizabeth II.

Early life and education Hytner was born in the prosperous suburbs of south Manchester in 1956, to barrister Benet Hytner and his wife, Joyce. He is the eldest child of four, and went to university at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, Some of his earliest professional directing work was in opera, including at Kent Opera, Wexford Festival Opera and a production of Rienzi at English National Opera. His first theatre productions were at the Northcott Theatre, Exeter. He then directed a series of productions at the Leeds Playhouse, including The Ruling Class by Peter Barnes, an adaptation of Tom Jones and a musical version of Alice in Wonderland. In 1985 he became an Associate Director of the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, For Hytner, "It just felt like a huge lark... It was gigantic, and I was into gigantic at the time, so I threw everything I knew at it. It was big, honest, moving, brash, kind of crazy. I had no idea that it would take off."

Hytner was on a percentage for both London and New York productions, allowing him (then aged 34) to never need worry about money again.

In 1994, Eyre announced he would be leaving the National Theatre in three years' time. "[It] made me begin to think about the vision that is needed in such a position and the fact that this needs refreshing under every directorate. I very much felt that you had to have a big idea in order to put yourself forward for such a role and as I didn't have this kind of idea at that time, I decided not to apply," Hytner said later.

National Theatre Director (2003–15) When Trevor Nunn announced that he would be leaving the National Theatre, Hytner "really felt that this time I had a strong sense of what the NT should be doing under a new Director. I had a long conversation with Christopher Hogg, then Chairman of the NT Board, and Tom Stoppard about my ideas for the NT's future. These included a redefinition of how it might be possible to use the theatre spaces and opening up the NT to new audiences by lowering prices for some performances." He took over from Nunn in April 2003.

Hytner's role as Director of the National involved decisions about what plays are staged. "Essentially what I do is produce 20 shows a year here," he stated in one interview.

Under Hytner's directorship, the National innovated with Sunday openings, The reduced price seasons were credited with achieving high usage for the Olivier auditorium – between 90% and 100% full during the summer months compared to a historic average of 65%, with no loss in overall income, In his role as Director of National Theatre, he appeared on the Cultural Exchange as part of the Radio Four programme Front Row, where he chose The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart as his work of art.

The London Theatre Company (2017–present) Hytner and Nick Starr founded the London Theatre Company opening a new 900-seat adaptable commercial theatre, Bridge Theatre near Tower Bridge in October 2017. Hytner directed the inaugural production of Young Marx followed by productions such as the hit immersive revivals of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar in 2018, A Midsummer Night's Dream in 2019 and Guys and Dolls which ran from March 2023 until January 2025.

The London Theatre Company also opened another venue with 59 Productions, The Lightroom in King's Cross, London in February 2023 used for immersive artist-led exhibitions which will also eventually become a theatrical space.

Opera and film Hytner has worked extensively in opera, with many of his productions achieving critical acclaim and commercial success – his English National Opera staging of The Magic Flute was in repertory for 25 years. But Hytner has described himself (to an opera-related audience) as "someone who is unimpressed by his own work on the operatic stage".

Similarly, most of Hytner's films have achieved critical and commercial success, with The Madness of King George winning BAFTA and Evening Standard awards for best British film, but he still sees himself as primarily a theatre practitioner. "I think I'm a theatre director who does other stuff," he has said. "I can't see myself as a film-maker. I love doing opera when ever I've done it, but I always see myself as visiting from the theatre, which is where I belong. The real film-maker thinks with a camera, which is something I just can't do."

Works Film Year Title Director Producer 1994 The Madness of King George 1996 The Crucible 1998 The Object of My Affection 2000 Center Stage 2006 The History Boys 2015 The Lady in the Van 2025 The Choral

Television Year Title Notes 2013 National Theatre Live: 50 Years On Stage TV special 2020 Talking Heads 3 episodes

Theatre

Opera + Opera produced by Nicholas Hytner House Opera Composer First production