The History of Production of the Works of Harold Pinter
Terry Hands (1941)
Mr Terry Hands (Male)
Nationality: English
Born: 9 January 1941
Director. Hands rose to prominence in the 1960s and 70s producing and directing some of the most innovative theatrical work of the time. Following his training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA), Hands founded the Liverpool Everyman theatre in 1964 where he directed T.S. Eliot's Murder in the Cathedral, John Osborne's Look Back in Anger, Arnold Wesker's The Four Seasons and Shakespeare's Richard III. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in 1966 where he oversaw the direction of the company's early touring initiative, Theatregoround. Hands was later appointed as joint artistic director of the RSC (with Trevor Nunn) in 1977 and, over the years, directed a huge range of critically acclaimed productions, working with some of the company's finest actors. Immediately prior to this between 1972-78, Hands worked as a consultant director at the Comédie-Française in Paris which further cemented his status as one of the UK's leading and most highly sought after directors on the continent where he also worked at the Burgtheater in Vienna and the Teatro Stabile di Genova in Italy. Hands would go on to oversee the RSC's turbulent relocation to the Barbican Arts Centre (London) in 1982 before becoming sole artistic director in 1987. The, in 1989, Hands announced he would be stepping down from the role in 1991. During his final years with the company, Hands brought in some of the UK's leading directors (including Nicholas Hytner, Deborah Warner and Sam Mendes) and actors (including Ralph Fiennes, Simon Russell Beale, Imogen Stubbs and Mark Rylance). Between 1997-2015, Hands served as the artistic director of Clwyd Theatr Cymru and is widely credited for turning the organisation into the leading theatre in Wales. He was appointed CBE in 2007 for his services to drama.
Training and Education
Undergraduate degree
University of Birmingham (Training & Education | Est. 1900)
733 Ring Rd S, Birmingham, Warwickshire B15 2TP, England
English Literature
Drama school
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) (Training & Education | Est. 1904)
62-64 Gower St, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 6ED, England
Other Names
Terence David Hands (Birth name)
Terence David Hands (Birth name)
Productions
No productions have been added to this person record yet.
Linked People
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Linked Awards
CBE
2007
Resources
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Sources
Simon Trowbridge's The Company
Simon Trowbridge, The Company: a Biographical Dictionary of the Royal Shakespeare Company, 3rd ed. (Oxford: Editions Albert Creed, 2013)
Biography
This source provides a comprehensive index and brief biographies for key actors, directors, designers and writers who have worked regularly with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Hands' entry can be found on pp. 208-211. An entry for Harold Pinter can be found on pp. 375-377.