Peter Hall (1930 - 2017)

Sir Peter Hall (Male)

Nationality: English

Born: 22 November 1930

Died: 12 September 2017

Director. Described as ‘the single most influential figure in modern British theatre’ (Michael Billington, The Guardian, 2017), Sir Peter Hall is widely celebrated for both his own directorial work and for the establishment and development of key subsidised institutions in the UK.

In 1960, he founded the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) – formally changing its name in 1961 – serving as its Artistic Director until 1968.

After being appointed director of the National Theatre (NT) in 1973, Hall was responsible for overseeing the move from the company's base at the Old Vic Theatre to the purpose-built complex on London’s South Bank. After leaving the NT in 1988, he formed the Peter Hall Company (1988 – 2011). In 2003 he became the founding director of the Rose Theatre Kingston. He was also an internationally renowned opera director, serving as artistic director of Glyndebourne from 1984 to 1990.

During a career spanning half a century, Hall staged the English-language première of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot at the Arts Theatre London in 1955 and the world première of Harold Pinter’s Homecoming in 1965 alongside a landmark production of Shakespeare’s Hamlet starring David Warner for the RSC.

In addition to the world première of The Homecoming, Hall’s longstanding creative relationship with Pinter saw him direct productions of The Collection (1962), Landscape and Silence (1969), and the world première of Old Times (1971) all for the RSC as well as world premières of No Man’s Land (1975) starring John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson and Betrayal (1978) for the National Theatre.

Training and Education

Undergraduate degree

University of Cambridge   (Training & Education | Est. Unknown)

The Old Schools, Trinity Ln, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB2 1TN, England

Other Names

No other Name have been added to this person record yet.

Productions

The Collection (Stage Premiere: Aldwych Theatre) (1962)

Creative | Director

Notes: co-directed with Harold Pinter

The Homecoming (Premiere: Aldwych) (1965)

Creative | Director

Notes:

Sunday Night Presenting: How to Stop Worrying and Love the Theatre (1966)

Creative | Interviewee

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The Homecoming (The Music Box, NYC) (1967)

Creative | Director

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Silence (Aldwych Theatre) (1969)

Creative | Director

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Landscape (Aldwych Theatre) (1969)

Creative | Director

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Old Times (Premiere: Aldwych Theatre) (1971)

Creative | Director

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The Homecoming (1973)

Creative | Director

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Landscape (RSC tour) (1973)

Creative | Director

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No Man's Land (Premiere: Wyndham's) (1975)

Creative | Director

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Betrayal (Premiere: National Theatre) (1978)

Creative | Director

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Landscape (National Theatre) (1980)

Creative | Director

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Family Voices (Stage Premiere: National Theatre) (1981)

Creative | Director

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Family Voices (1981)

Creative | Director

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Victoria Station / Other Places (Stage Premiere: Cottesloe Theatre) (1982)

Creative | Director

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A Kind of Alaska / Other Places (Stage Premiere: Cottesloe Theatre) (1982)

Creative | Director

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Family Voices / Other Places (Cottesloe Theatre) (1982)

Creative | Director

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Samuel Beckett: 1906-89 (1990)

Creative | Interviewee

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The Homecoming (Comedy Theatre) (1991)

Creative | Director

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Omnibus - Gielgud: Scenes from Nine Decades (1994)

Creative | Interviewee

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The Genius of Shakespeare (2000)

Creative | Interviewee

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Betrayal (Bath - Oxford - London Tour) (2003)

Creative | Director

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Betrayal (Theatre Royal, Brighton Tour) (2004)

Creative | Director

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Old Times (Theatre Royal, Bath tour) (2007)

Creative | Director

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Archive on 4: Pinter on Air (2009)

Creative | Interviewee

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Appears In

A Tribute to Harold Pinter (Lords Cricket Ground) (2009)
Reader (Age: Not Specified)

Hall spoke about Harold Pinter

Performer

Linked People

Lucy Hall (1969)

Relationship: Child

Linked Awards

CBE

1963

Knighthood

1977

For services to the theatre

Resources

No resources have been added to this person record yet.

Sources

Peter Hall's Autobiography

Sir Peter Hall, The Autobiography of Peter Hall: Making an Exhibition of Myself (London: Oberon Books, 2000)

Autobiography

National Theatre Blog

https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/blog/sir-peter-hall-1930-2017

URL

A brief biography of Hall's career including comments on his work from subsequent Artistic Directors of the National Theatre [accessed 6 February 2018].

The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2017/sep/12/peter-hall-obituary-british-theatre-rss-national

URL

Obituary by Michael Billington for The Guardian, 12/9/17 [accessed 6 February 2018].

Peter Hall's Diaries

Peter Hall, Peter Hall's Diaries: the Story of a Dramatic Battle, ed. by John Goodwin (London: Oberon, 2000)

Published diary

First published in UK in 1983 by Hamish Hamilton Ltd.