Fiona Mountford talks to the Young Vic’s David Lan about the case for arts funding and the commercialisation of publicly-funded theatres.
It might be built around an old butcher’s shop, but from humble beginnings spring great things: the Young Vic is currently the most successful theatre in the country. It wiped the floor with the likes of the National and the Royal Court at this year’s Olivier Awards, securing a mighty 11 nominations and winning four, principally for Ivo Van Hove’s radical rethinking of the Arthur Miller classic A View From The Bridge.
In the autumn, this production will transfer to Broadway, no less, while back in London SE1 actor of the moment Rory Kinnear is about to open in Kafka’s The Trial. There is, it seems, only one thing to ask of artistic director David Lan and it’s a joyous one: where did it all go so right?
Lan, 63, smiles a little hesitantly. “That’s not a fair question!” He reflects. “We try to challenge the best artists to do the thing they’ve always wanted to do, to dream the dream. People want the challenge and the ambition.” Is there anything you want to improve upon? “We could improve everything. If a show comes off, that just means it’s harder to do the next one. I run this place very personally. I don’t do a balanced programme. I do the shows I want to do in the productions that I want to see them in... Keep reading on The Independent
It might be built around an old butcher’s shop, but from humble beginnings spring great things: the Young Vic is currently the most successful theatre in the country. It wiped the floor with the likes of the National and the Royal Court at this year’s Olivier Awards, securing a mighty 11 nominations and winning four, principally for Ivo Van Hove’s radical rethinking of the Arthur Miller classic A View From The Bridge.
In the autumn, this production will transfer to Broadway, no less, while back in London SE1 actor of the moment Rory Kinnear is about to open in Kafka’s The Trial. There is, it seems, only one thing to ask of artistic director David Lan and it’s a joyous one: where did it all go so right?
Lan, 63, smiles a little hesitantly. “That’s not a fair question!” He reflects. “We try to challenge the best artists to do the thing they’ve always wanted to do, to dream the dream. People want the challenge and the ambition.” Is there anything you want to improve upon? “We could improve everything. If a show comes off, that just means it’s harder to do the next one. I run this place very personally. I don’t do a balanced programme. I do the shows I want to do in the productions that I want to see them in... Keep reading on The Independent