The History of Production of the Works of Harold Pinter
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
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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)
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Silence (Aldwych Theatre) (1969)
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Landscape (Aldwych Theatre) (1969)
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Old Times (Premiere: Aldwych Theatre) (1971)
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The Homecoming (1973)
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Landscape (RSC tour) (1973)
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No Man's Land (Premiere: Wyndham's) (1975)
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Betrayal (Premiere: National Theatre) (1978)
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Landscape (National Theatre) (1980)
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Family Voices (Stage Premiere: National Theatre) (1981)
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Family Voices (1981)
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Victoria Station / Other Places (Stage Premiere: Cottesloe Theatre) (1982)
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A Kind of Alaska / Other Places (Stage Premiere: Cottesloe Theatre) (1982)
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Family Voices / Other Places (Cottesloe Theatre) (1982)
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Samuel Beckett: 1906-89 (1990)
Creative | Interviewee
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The Homecoming (Comedy Theatre) (1991)
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Omnibus - Gielgud: Scenes from Nine Decades (1994)
Creative | Interviewee
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The Genius of Shakespeare (2000)
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Betrayal (Bath - Oxford - London Tour) (2003)
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Betrayal (Theatre Royal, Brighton Tour) (2004)
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Old Times (Theatre Royal, Bath tour) (2007)
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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.