James Dacre

James Charles Dacre (born May 1984) is a British theatre, opera and film director and producer. He was artistic director of Royal & Derngate Theatres in Northampton from 2013-2023[1] and prior to that held Associate Director roles at The New Vic Theatre, Theatre503 and The National Youth Theatre.

James Dacre
Born
James Charles Dacre

May 1984 (age 39)
EducationEton
Alma mater
OccupationTheatre director
TitleArtistic director, Royal & Derngate
Parents
RelativesPeter Dacre (grandfather)
Websitewww.jamesdacre.com

Early years

James Dacre was born in 1984,[2] the son of Paul Dacre, former editor of the Daily Mail.[3] He won a King's Scholarship to Eton[4] where he won the Newcastle Scholarship. He then studied Theology, Religion and Philosophy of Religion[5] at Jesus College, Cambridge[6] where he edited Varsity, the student newspaper[7] and directed at the ADC, taking several productions to the Edinburgh Festival.[3] On graduating, he won a Fulbright Scholarship and Shubert Fellowship to study Theatre Directing at Columbia University School of the Arts in New York.[8] Dacre then worked as an assistant director to twelve directors including Anne Bogart, Robert Woodruff and Silviu Purcărete, and trained on the ITV/Channel 4 regional theatre director scheme[9] at the New Vic Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent.

Career

On returning from America, Dacre directed and produced The Mountaintop,[10] which transferred to the West End and went on to become the surprise winner of the 2010 Olivier Award for Best New Play.[11] Subsequently, he became Associate Director at the New Vic Theatre and Theatre503[12] and directed in the West End and at Shakespeare's Globe, Royal Exchange Theatre, Royal National Theatre and many regional theatres before taking up his current role at Royal & Derngate. He held this role for a decade, producing more than 120 shows of which 60 toured both nationally and internationally and 42 transferred to London[13] and were recognised with Olivier, Evening Standard, WhatsOnStage and The Stage awards.[14]  

In 2015, Royal & Derngate won the UK Theatre Award for Best Presentation of Touring Theatre,[15] for an ambitious season of productions staged nationwide, including the world premiere of Arthur Miller's The Hook[16][17] produced to mark the centenary of his birth[18][19] and Shakespeare's King John[20] staged at Shakespeare's Globe, Salisbury Cathedral,[21] Temple Church and The Holy Sepulchre to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the signing of Magna Carta.[22]

In 2016, Royal & Derngate was shortlisted for The Stage's Regional Theatre of the Year Award,[23] having reached more than half a million audiences across the UK and toured to over 65 theatres that year. Also in 2016, Dacre's production of The Herbal Bed[24] won Best Touring Production at the UK Theatre Awards.[25] In 2019/20 the venue was chosen as Outstanding Theatre of the Year by Michael Billington[26] won the Olivier Award for Best Family Entertainment.[27] Dacre directed the world premiere of The Two Popes by Anthony McCarten with Anton Lesser and Nicholas Woodeson,[28] which was subsequently adapted into the 2020 Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominated film The Two Popes.

Selected work

References
  1. "James Dacre announced as new artistic director at Royal & Derngate". Evening Standard. 4 April 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  2. "James Charles DACRE". Companies House. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  3. Cavendish, Dominic (21 January 2013). "James Dacre interview: 'In ten minutes almost a thousand men were slaughtered'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  4. Lawson, Mark (16 September 2014). "James Dacre: Theatres must learn to collaborate more". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  5. djg39@cam.ac.uk (16 December 2013). "Alumni profiles – Faculty of Divinity". divinity.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  6. Coveney, Michael (15 August 2004). "A new Dacre take on morality". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  7. "James Dacre brings his acclaimed version of Shakespeare's 'King". The Independent. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  8. "James Dacre: Director". ideastap.com. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  9. "Directors, alumni and past participants – RTYDS". rtyds.co.uk. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  10. "James Dacre: American words, British production". The Independent. 23 March 2010. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  11. Malvern, Jack. "Katori Hall wins Best New Play title at Olivier Awards". Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  12. "Theatre503 appoints new associate directors | News | The Stage". The Stage. 18 August 2015. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  13. Henley, Matthew (13 October 2022). "James Dacre to step down as artistic director of Royal and Derngate".
  14. "James Dacre to step down as Artistic Director of Royal & Derngate after a decade next Spring". 13 October 2022.
  15. "Franco-British Young Leader Biographies" (PDF). francobritish.org.
  16. Smith, David (2016). "Interview with Director James Dacre". The Arthur Miller Journal. 11 (1): 37–47. doi:10.5325/arthmillj.11.1.0037. JSTOR 10.5325/arthmillj.11.1.0037.
  17. Masters, Tim (24 November 2014). "Unseen Arthur Miller drama set for world premiere". BBC News. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  18. Trueman, Matt (10 June 2015). "Arthur Miller's The Hook: world premiere for 'snarling beast of a play'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  19. Sulcas, Roslyn (24 June 2015). "Arthur Miller's Screenplay 'The Hook' Finds a Home Onstage in England". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  20. "King John, Shakespeare's Globe, review: 'could hardly be more timely'". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  21. "Salisbury International Arts Festival 2015 diary: Day 4". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  22. "King John, by the Globe Theatre, at the Salisbury Festival | Magna Carta Trails". magnacartatrails.com. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  23. "The Stage Awards 2016 | The Stage". The Stage. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  24. "'The Herbal Bed', Shakespeare's daughter and modern media intrusion". The Independent. 8 February 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  25. "UK Theatre Award Winners 2016". uktheatre.org.
  26. Odell, Carly (14 October 2022). "Royal & Derngate's artistic director stepping down after 10 years at the helm of Northampton theatre". Northampton Chronicle.
  27. Orme, Steve (26 October 2020). "Worst Witch wins Olivier for Northampton theatre". British Theatre Guide.
  28. Howson, Amanda (26 September 2022). "Gripping drama The Two Popes returns to Royal & Derngate in Northampton". Northampton Chronicle.
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