SAFE TO CREATE WITHOUT FEAR | Professor David Thacker | TEDxUniversityofBolton

Professor David Thacker
Professor of Theatre at the University of Bolton, UK

David Thacker was Artistic Director of the Octagon Theatre Bolton for six years from 2009 until 2015 when he stepped down to become Professor of Theatre at the University of Bolton, taking on the new role of Associate Artistic at the Octagon.

An extraordinarily prolific director at the Octagon – he has directed 36 productions – during his time there the Theatre enhanced its regional and national reputation. The Octagon presented an astonishing 52 main auditorium productions, more than any other regional theatre in the country. At the 2016 Manchester Theatre Awards his productions (including Arthur Miller’s version of Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People) received six awards including all the major acting awards and Best Production (An Enemy of the People) – the first time that any director has achieved this in the history of the Awards and their predecessor, The Manchester Evening News Awards. He also received a personal achievement award for his outstanding achievements as Artistic Director.

A leading theatre, film and television director, David has directed over 150 productions throughout the UK and internationally. Six of his productions have transferred to the West End.

His first major role in British Theatre was as Artistic Director of the Duke’s Playhouse, Lancaster – at the time the youngest Artistic Director in the country. Success there led to his appointment as Director of the Young Vic, where he was well known for his accessible and contemporary productions of Shakespeare and developed his well-documented relationship with Arthur Miller, directing 11 of his plays in 15 productions at the Young Vic, the National Theatre, the Octagon Theatre; in the USA, Israel and for the BBC.

He left the Young Vic to go to the Royal Shakespeare Company as Director-in- Residence, directing nine productions including Pericles for which he was awarded two Olivier Awards.
He then moved into television drama directing more than 30 films for the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and WGBH Boston (USA) including his critically acclaimed film of The Mayor of Casterbridge and a feature-length BBC film, Faith set in the 1984/5 Miners’ Strike. David was Artistic Director of the Octagon Theatre Bolton for 6 years from 2009 until 2015 when he stepped down to become Professor of Theatre at the University of Bolton, taking on the new role of Associate Artistic at the Octagon. An extraordinarily prolific director at the Octagon – he has directed 36 productions – during his time there the Theatre enhanced its regional and national reputation. The Octagon presented an astonishing 52 main auditorium productions, more than any other regional theatre in the country. At the 2016 Manchester Theatre Awards his productions (including Arthur Miller’s version of Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People) received 6 awards including all the major acting awards & Best Production (An Enemy of the People) – the first time that any director has achieved this in the history of the Awards and their predecessor, The Manchester Evening News Awards. He also received a personal achievement award for his outstanding achievements as Artistic Director..More info This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx