Legendary ex-Artistic Director of the National Theatre, Nicholas Hytner, equally known as an opera director, takes us behind the scenes of Britain’s greatest theatre to talk about his multifarious experiences, working with many of the UK’s leading actors, musicians and designers.

He discloses the back stories behind some of his spectacular successes such as The History Boys, Stuff Happens and One Man, Two Guvnors, stage gossip, and reveals his vision for his latest ambitious project, the new Bridge Theatre.

Nicholas Hytner was Director of the National Theatre from 2003 to 2015. He presided over more than 200 different plays, directing 30 of them, with stellar casts that included actors such as Alan Bennett, Maggie Smith, Mike Leigh, Daniel Day-Lewis, Michael Gambon and Helen Mirren. He is also the director of many acclaimed films, including The Madness of King George, The History Boys, The Lady in the Van and The Crucible, and has directed many productions for the Royal Opera House, English National Opera and Glyndebourne, as well as several European opera houses. He was made a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2009 and knighted in 2010. The Bridge Theatre, the London home of the new company he has formed with Nick Starr, opened in 2017.

Sir David Hare is a playwright and film-maker. He has written over 30 stage plays including The Secret Rapture, Racing Demon, Skylight, Amy’s View, The Blue Room, Via Dolorosa, Stuff Happens, The Absence of War, The Judas Kiss and The Red Barn. For film and television, he has written over 25 screenplays which include Licking Hitler, Wetherby, Damage, The Hours, The Reader, Denial and Collateral. In a millennial poll of the greatest plays of the 20th century, five of the top 100 were his.

This event is not included in the multi-buy discount.