Bill Kenwright has announced the appointment of his first artistic director at Theatre Royal Windsor. Commencing May 2020, a Windsor Theatre Royal Summer Season will take place each year, under the directorship of Sean Mathias.
Bill Kenwright says: “Since I acquired Theatre Royal Windsor over twenty years ago there have been several changes in regional theatre. Most producing houses have been affected, probably none more so than Theatre Royal Windsor, which has no public subsidy whatsoever.
As the next chapter in trying to establish Windsor Theatre Royal, again, as a major theatrical force, I’ve asked Sean to be the theatre’s artistic director for a four monthly annual season. We’ve talked about it for a couple of years now – and I am really pleased to say that he has agreed to start next year. He is not only a great director but also a passionate lover of all things theatre.”
Sean Mathias said: “Theatre Royal Windsor is an absolute gem of a theatre and I’m delighted and honoured that Bill has invited me to helm my first summer season there. I hope to bring a company of some of our best actors together to explore and invigorate classic texts and to give audiences a dynamic experience that will put Windsor centre stage once more in our ever-changing British theatre landscape.”
Sean’s inaugural season will run from May – Sept 2020 and will include Hamlet and The Cherry Orchard.
Sean Mathias is one of this country’s foremost directors. His multi-award-winning career includes productions at the National Theatre, The Kennedy Centre, The Mark Taper Forum, Paris, Sidney and Cape Town, and many productions on Broadway.
Anne-Marie and Jon Woodley who manage the Theatre Royal said: “Sean is undoubtedly one of the UK’s finest directors, and after working with him on the Exorcist this Summer he is also an absolute joy to have around! Windsor is very lucky indeed!!”
Sean Mathias is a British Theatre Director, Film Director and Writer.
He has written a number of plays including the award winning A Prayer for Wings, and the screenplay for the award-winning BBC film The Lost Language of Cranes.
In 2009/2010 Sean was the Artistic Director of Theatre Royal Haymarket and his legendary production of Waiting for Godot played two seasons at the theatre, as well as touring the UK and internationally. In 2013 he directed and co-produced Two Plays in Rep, comprising Beckett’s Godot and Pinter’s No Man’s Land on Broadway at the Cort Theatre. His production of No Man’s Land, starring Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart, was the highest grossing play in the history of the Wyndham’s Theatre. Earlier this year he directed the UK premiere of Martin Sherman’s play Gently Down the Stream at the Park Theatre. He directed the award-winning film Bent.
He has won various awards including WhatsOnStage Award, Evening Standard Award, Critics’ Circle Award, a Fringe First at Edinburgh and the Prix de la Jeunesse at Cannes.
Theatre Royal Windsor is situated in the shadows of Windsor Castle and is one of the few completely unsubsidised producing theatres that operates all year round outside London. When the famous theatre was on the brink of administration in 1997 Bill Kenwright, who as a young actor in the 60’s and 70’s had been hugely encouraged by John Counsell, took over the theatre’s lease. His company Bill Kenwright Ltd has been looking after the future of this beautiful theatre ever since.
