Sir Trevor Robert Nunn (born 14 January 1940) is an English theatre director and lyricist. He has been the artistic director for the

Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and opens around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, Stratf ...

, the

Royal National Theatre The National Theatre (NT), officially the Royal National Theatre and sometimes referred to in international contexts as the National Theatre of Great Britain, is a performing arts venue and associated theatre company located in London, England, ...

, and, currently, the

Theatre Royal Haymarket The Theatre Royal Haymarket (also known as Haymarket Theatre or the Little Theatre) is a West End theatre in Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in use. Samuel Foote ...

. He has directed dramas for the stage, including ''

Macbeth ''The Tragedy of Macbeth'', often shortened to ''Macbeth'' (), is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, estimated to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the physically violent and damaging psychological effects of political ambiti ...

'', as well as opera and musicals, such as ''

Cats The cat (''Felis catus''), also referred to as the domestic cat or house cat, is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species of the family Felidae. Advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that the ...

'' (1981) and ''

Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' (, ) is a 19th-century French literature, French Epic (genre), epic historical fiction, historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published on 31 March 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. '' ...

'' (1985). Nunn has been nominated for the

Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical The Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical has been given since 1960. Before 1960 there was only one award for both play direction and musical direction, then in 1960 the award was split into two categories: ''Dramatic'' and ''Musical''. Wi ...

, the

Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play Tony may refer to: People and fictional characters * Tony the Tiger, cartoon mascot for Frosted Flakes cereal * Tony (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Gregory Tony (born 1978), American law enforcement officer * ...

, the

Laurence Olivier Award for Best Director The Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director is an annual award presented by the Society of London Theatre in recognition of achievements in commercial London theatre. The awards were established as the Society of West End Theatre Awards in 1976, an ...

, and the

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Direction of a Musical is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in theatre across collective Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. The award ...

, winning Tonys for ''Cats'', ''Les Misérables'', and ''

Nicholas Nickleby ''Nicholas Nickleby'', or ''The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby'', is the third novel by English author Charles Dickens, originally published as a serial from 1838 to 1839. The character of Nickleby is a young man who must support his ...

'' and the Olivier Awards for productions of ''

Summerfolk ''Summerfolk'' () is a play by Maxim Gorky written in 1904 and first published in 1905 by Znaniye (''1904 Znaniye Anthology'', book Three), in Saint Petersburg.

'', ''

The Merchant of Venice ''The Merchant of Venice'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. A merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan taken out on behalf of his dear friend, Bassanio, and provided by a ...

'', ''

Troilus and Cressida ''The Tragedy of Troilus and Cressida'', often shortened to ''Troilus and Cressida'' ( or ), is a play by William Shakespeare, probably written in 1602. At Troy during the Trojan War, Troilus and Cressida begin a love affair. Cressida is forc ...

'', and ''Nicholas Nickleby''. In 2008, ''

The Telegraph ''The Telegraph'', ''Daily Telegraph'', ''Sunday Telegraph'' and other variant names are often names for newspapers. Newspapers with these titles include: Australia * The Telegraph (Adelaide), ''The Telegraph'' (Adelaide), a newspaper in Adelaid ...

'' named Nunn among the most influential people in

British culture The culture of the United Kingdom is influenced by its History of the United Kingdom, combined nations' history, its interaction with the cultures of Europe, the individual diverse cultures of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and ...

. He has also directed works for film and television.

Early years

Trevor Nunn was born on 14 January 1940 in

Ipswich Ipswich () is a port town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in Suffolk, England. It is the county town, and largest in Suffolk, followed by Lowestoft and Bury St Edmunds, and the third-largest population centre in East Anglia, ...

, England, to Dorothy May Piper and Robert Alexander Nunn, a cabinetmaker. As a small boy, Trevor loved reading but his parents had little money for books. However, an aunt had more books, including the complete works of

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

which he read whenever the family visited her. In the end, his aunt gave it to him.Sir Trevor Nunn, interviewed on ''

Desert Island Discs ''Desert Island Discs'' is a radio programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4. It was first broadcast on the BBC Forces Programme on 29 January 1942. Each week a guest, called a " castaway" during the programme, is asked to choose eight audio recordin ...

'', repeat broadcast on

BBC Radio 4 Extra BBC Radio 4 Extra (formerly BBC Radio 7) is a British digital radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It mostly broadcasts archived repeats of comedy, drama and documentary programmes, and is the sister station of Radio 4. It is the pri ...

, 5 April 2015. He was educated at Northgate Grammar School, Ipswich, and

Downing College, Cambridge Downing College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge and currently has around 950 students. Founded in 1800, it was the only college to be added to the university between 1596 and 1869, and is often described as the oldest of ...

. At Northgate, he had an inspiring English teacher, Peter Hewett, who also directed the school plays. Hewett encouraged him to sit the scholarship exam in Cambridge in the hope of studying under

F. R. Leavis Frank Raymond "F. R." Leavis ( ; 14 July 1895 – 14 April 1978) was an English literary critic of the early-to-mid-twentieth century. He taught for much of his career at Downing College, Cambridge, and later at the University of York. Leav ...

at Downing. Hewett also persuaded the headmaster to help with the cost of Nunn staying in Cambridge to take the exam. Nunn's father could not afford it and the headmaster had refused at first so Nunn was close to giving up. At Downing, Nunn began his stage career and first met contemporaries

Ian McKellen Sir Ian Murray McKellen (born 25 May 1939) is an English actor. He has played roles on the screen and stage in genres ranging from Shakespearean dramas and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction. He is regarded as a British cu ...

and

Derek Jacobi Sir Derek George Jacobi (; born 22 October 1938) is an English actor. Known for his roles on stage and screen as well as for his work at the Royal National Theatre, he has received numerous accolades including a Tony Award, a BAFTA Award, two ...

. In 1962, he directed ''Macbeth'' for

The Marlowe Society The Marlowe Society is a Cambridge University theatre club for Cambridge students. It is dedicated to achieving a high standard of student drama at Cambridge. The society celebrated its centenary over three years (2007–2009) and in 2008 there wa ...

and he directed that year's

Footlights The Cambridge Footlights, commonly referred to simply as Footlights, is a student sketch comedy troupe located in Cambridge, England. Footlights was founded in 1883, and is one of Britain's oldest student sketch comedy troupes. The comedy so ...

. He also won a director's scholarship, becoming a trainee director at the

Belgrade Theatre The Belgrade Theatre is a live performance venue in Coventry, England. It was the first civic theatre to be built in Britain after the Second World War and is now a Grade II listed building. Background Coventry was the fastest growing city in ...

Coventry Coventry ( or rarely ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands county, in England, on the River Sherbourne. Coventry had been a large settlement for centurie ...

."Stars Over Broadway: Trevor Nunn"

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

, accessed 16 November 2011.

Career

In 1964, Nunn joined the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and in 1968 he was appointed its artistic director, a position he held until 1986 (latterly with

Terry Hands Terence David Hands, (9 January 1941 – 4 February 2020) was an English theatre director. He founded the Liverpool Everyman Theatre and ran the Royal Shakespeare Company for thirteen years during one of the company's most successful periods; ...

from 1978). Nunn's first wife,

Janet Suzman Dame Janet Suzman (born 9 February 1939) is a South African-born British actress who had a successful early career in the Royal Shakespeare Company, later replaying many Shakespearean roles on television. In her first film, '' Nicholas and Alexa ...

, appeared in many of his productions, such as the 1974 televised version of his ''

Antony and Cleopatra ''Antony and Cleopatra'' is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The play was first performed around 1607, by the King's Men at either the Blackfriars Theatre or the Globe Theatre. Its first appearance in print was in the First Folio published ...

''. Nunn directed the RSC production of ''Macbeth'' starring Ian McKellen in the title role and

Judi Dench Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Widely considered one of Britain's greatest actors, she is noted for her versatility, having appeared in films and television, as well as for her numerous roles on the stage ...

Lady Macbeth Lady Macbeth is a leading character in William Shakespeare's tragedy ''Macbeth'' (). As the wife of the play's tragic hero, Macbeth (a Scottish nobleman), Lady Macbeth goads her husband into committing regicide, after which she becomes quee ...

in 1976. Nunn staged the action of the drama with not only the paying audience, but also the audience of all of the actors in the production not in the ongoing scene—they sat on wooden crates just beyond the main playing space. Nunn became a leading figure in theatrical circles, and was responsible for many significant productions, such as the RSC's version of

Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English novelist, journalist, short story writer and social critic. He created some of literature's best-known fictional characters, and is regarded by many as the great ...

's ''The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby'', co-directed with John Caird, and a 1976 musical adaptation of the Shakespeare play ''

The Comedy of Errors ''The Comedy of Errors'' is one of William Shakespeare's early plays. It is his shortest and one of his most farcical comedies, with a major part of the humour coming from slapstick and mistaken identity, in addition to puns and word play ...

''. A director of musicals in the non-subsidised sector, Nunn directed ''Cats'' (1981), formerly the longest running musical in Broadway's history, and the first English production of ''Les Misérables'' in 1985, also with John Caird, which ran in London until the summer of 2019. Nunn also directed the little-known 1986 Webber–Rice musical ''

Cricket Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...

'', at

Windsor Castle Windsor Castle is a List of British royal residences, royal residence at Windsor, Berkshire, Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, about west of central London. It is strongly associated with the Kingdom of England, English and succee ...

. Besides ''Cats'' and ''Les Misérables'', Nunn's other musical credits include ''

Starlight Express '' Starlight Express'' is a 1984 musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. It tells the story of a young but obsolete steam engine, Rusty, who races in a championship against modern locomotives of diesel and el ...

'' and ''

Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard is a boulevard in the central and western part of Los Angeles, California, United States, that stretches from the Pacific Coast Highway (California), Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, Pacific Palisad ...

''. In September 1997, he became the

's artistic director, a position he retained until 2003. Later London credits include ''

My Fair Lady ''My Fair Lady'' is a musical theatre, musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story, based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play ''Pygmalion (play), Pygmalion'' and on the Pygmalion (1938 film), 1938 film ...

'', ''

South Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...

'' (at the Royal National Theatre), '' The Woman in White'', ''

Othello ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'', often shortened to ''Othello'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare around 1603. Set in Venice and Cyprus, the play depicts the Moorish military commander Othello as he is manipulat ...

'' and '' Acorn Antiques: The Musical!'' (2005), ''

The Royal Hunt of the Sun ''The Royal Hunt of the Sun'' is a 1964 play by Peter Shaffer that dramatizes the relation of two worlds entering in a conflict by portraying two characters: Atahuallpa Inca and Francisco Pizarro. Performance history Premiere ''The Royal H ...

'', ''

Rock 'n' Roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...

'' and ''

Porgy and Bess ''Porgy and Bess'' ( ) is an English-language opera by American composer George Gershwin, with a libretto written by author DuBose Heyward and lyricist Ira Gershwin. It was adapted from Dorothy Heyward and DuBose Heyward's play ''Porgy (play), ...

'' in 2006 at the

Savoy Theatre The Savoy Theatre is a West End theatre in the Strand in the City of Westminster, London, England. The theatre was designed by C. J. Phipps for Richard D'Oyly Carte and opened on 10 October 1881 on a site previously occupied by the Savoy ...

(an abridged version with dialogue instead of

recitative Recitative (, also known by its Italian name recitativo () is a style of delivery (much used in operas, oratorios, and cantatas) in which a singer is allowed to adopt the rhythms and delivery of ordinary speech. Recitative does not repeat lines ...

s, unlike Nunn's first production of the opera). He directed ''We Happy Few'', a play by his third wife

Imogen Stubbs Imogen Stubbs (born 20 February 1961) is an English actress and writer. Her first leading part was in '' Privileged'' (1982), followed by '' A Summer Story'' (1988). Her first play, ''We Happy Few'', was produced in 2004. In 2008 she joined ' ...

, in 2004. Stubbs often appears in his productions, including the 1996 ''Twelfth Night'' film. Nunn directed a modern production of Shakespeare's ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

'' in 2004, which starred

Ben Whishaw Benjamin John Whishaw (born 14 October 1980) is an English actor. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Ben Whishaw, various accolades, including three British Academy Television Awards, two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Aw ...

in the title role, and Imogen Stubbs as Gertrude, and was staged at

The Old Vic The Old Vic is a 1,000-seat, nonprofit producing theatre in Waterloo, London, England. It was established in 1818 as the Royal Coburg Theatre, and renamed in 1833 the Royal Victoria Theatre. In 1871 it was rebuilt and reopened as the Royal ...

theatre in London. In 2007, he directed the RSC productions of ''

King Lear ''The Tragedy of King Lear'', often shortened to ''King Lear'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is loosely based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his ...

'' and ''

The Seagull ''The Seagull'' () is a play by Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov, written in 1895 in literature, 1895 and first produced in 1896 in literature#Drama, 1896. ''The Seagull'' is generally considered to be the first of his four major plays. It dramati ...

'', which played at Stratford before embarking on a world tour (including the

Brooklyn Academy of Music The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is a multi-arts center in Brooklyn, New York City. It hosts progressive and avant-garde performances, with theater, dance, music, opera, film programming across multiple nearby venues. BAM was chartered in 18 ...

) and then playing at the

New London Theatre The Gillian Lynne Theatre (formerly the New London Theatre) is a West End theatre located on the corner of Drury Lane and Parker Street in Covent Garden in the London Borough of Camden. The Winter Garden Theatre occupied the site until 1965. On ...

from November 2007. The two plays both starred Ian McKellen,

Romola Garai Romola Sadie Garai ( ; born 6 August 1982) is a Hong Kong-born British actress and film director. Known for her extensive work on stage and screen, she often acts in period films. Her early film roles include '' Nicholas Nickleby'' (2002), '' ...

Frances Barber Frances Barber (née Brookes, born 13 May 1958) is an English actress. She received Olivier Award nominations for her work in the plays '' Camille'' (1985), and '' Uncle Vanya'' (1997). Her film appearances include three collaborations with ...

Sylvester McCoy Percy James Patrick Kent-Smith (born 20 August 1943), known professionally as Sylvester McCoy, is a Scottish actor. Gaining prominence as a physical comedian, he became best known for playing the seventh incarnation of the Doctor in the long ...

, and

William Gaunt William Charles Anthony Gaunt (born 3 April 1937 in Pudsey, West Riding of Yorkshire) is an English actor. He became widely known for television roles such as Richard Barrett in ''The Champions'' (1968–1969), Arthur Crabtree in '' No Place ...

. Nunn's television production of ''King Lear'' was screened on

Boxing Day Boxing Day, also called as Offering Day is a holiday celebrated after Christmas Day, occurring on the second day of Christmastide (26 December). Boxing Day was once a day to donate gifts to those in need, but it has evolved to become a part ...

, 2008 with McKellen in the title role. In 2008, he returned to the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry (the theatre where he started his career) to direct

Joanna Murray-Smith Joanna Murray-Smith (born 17 April 1962) is an Australian playwright, screenwriter, novelist, librettist, and newspaper columnist. Early life and education Joanna Murray-Smith was born on 17 April 1962 in Mount Eliza, Victoria. Her father was ...

's adaptation of

Ingmar Bergman Ernst Ingmar Bergman (14 July 1918 – 30 July 2007) was a Swedish film and theatre director and screenwriter. Widely considered one of the greatest and most influential film directors of all time, his films have been described as "profoun ...

's film ''

Scenes from a Marriage ''Scenes from a Marriage'' () is a 1973 Swedish television miniseries written and directed by Ingmar Bergman. Over the course of six hour-long episodes, it explores the disintegration of the marriage between Marianne (Liv Ullmann), a divorce la ...

'', starring Imogen Stubbs and

Iain Glen Iain Alan Sutherland Glen (born 24 June 1961) is a Scottish actor. He has appeared as Dr. Alexander Isaacs/Tyrant in three films of the Resident Evil (film series), ''Resident Evil'' film series (2004–2016) and as Ser Jorah Mormont, Jorah Morm ...

. Nunn's musical adaptation of ''

Gone with the Wind Gone with the Wind most often refers to: * Gone with the Wind (novel), ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell * Gone with the Wind (film), ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel Gone with the Wind ...

'' opened at the New London Theatre in April 2008 and, after poor reviews, closed on 14 June 2008 after 79 performances. In December 2008, he directed a revival of ''

A Little Night Music ''A Little Night Music'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler. Inspired by the 1955 Ingmar Bergman film '' Smiles of a Summer Night'', it involves the romantic lives of several couples. Its title is a ...

'' at the

Menier Chocolate Factory The Menier Chocolate Factory is a 180-seat Off-West End theatre, which comprises a bar and theatre offices. It is located at the rear of a former 1870s Menier Chocolate, Menier Chocolate Company factory at 53 Southwark Street, a major street i ...

, which transferred to the West End at the

Garrick Theatre The Garrick Theatre is a West End theatre, located in Charing Cross Road, in the City of Westminster, named after the stage actor David Garrick. It opened in 1889 with ''The Profligate'', a play by Arthur Wing Pinero, and another Pinero play, ...

in 2009. The production transferred to Broadway, opening in November 2009, with

Catherine Zeta-Jones Catherine Zeta-Jones (; born 25 September 1969) is a Welsh actress. Recognised for her versatility, she has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and a Tony Award. In 2010, she was appointed Comm ...

as Desiree Armfeldt and

Angela Lansbury Dame Angela Brigid Lansbury (October 16, 1925 – October 11, 2022) was an Irish-British and American actress, producer, and singer. In a career spanning 80 years, she played various roles on stage and screen. Among her numerous accolades wer ...

as Madame Armfeldt. Other members of the original London cast also transferred with the production. The production closed in January 2011 after 425 performances. In 2010, Nunn directed a revival of the

Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948) is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End theatre, West End and on Broadway theatre, Broad ...

musical ''

Aspects of Love ''Aspects of Love'' is a musical with music and book by Andrew Lloyd Webber, and lyrics by Don Black and Charles Hart. It is based on the 1955 novel by David Garnett. The piece focuses on the romantic entanglements of actress Rose Vibert, ...

'' from July to September 2010 at the Menier Chocolate Factory and the play ''

Birdsong Bird vocalization includes both bird calls and bird songs. In non-technical use, bird songs (often simply ''birdsong'') are the bird sounds that are melodious to the human ear. In ornithology and birding, songs (relatively complex vocalization ...

'', which opened in September 2010 at the Comedy Theatre, based on the

Sebastian Faulks Sebastian Charles Faulks (born 20 April 1953) is a British novelist, journalist and broadcaster. He is best known for his historical novels set in France – '' The Girl at the Lion d'Or'', ''Birdsong'' and '' Charlotte Gray''. He has also pu ...

novel of the same title. Nunn marked his debut as artistic director of the Theatre Royal Haymarket with a revival of ''

Flare Path ''Flare Path'' is a play by Terence Rattigan, written in 1941 and first staged in 1942.Darlow, Michael"Terence Rattigan, Biography – War", ''Official Terence Rattigan website''. Retrieved 2011-02-22. Set in a hotel near an RAF Bomber Command ...

'' (as part of the playwright,

Terence Rattigan Sir Terence Mervyn Rattigan (10 June 191130 November 1977) was a British dramatist and screenwriter. He was one of England's most popular mid-20th-century dramatists. His plays are typically set in an upper-middle-class background.Geoffrey Wan ...

's, centenary year celebrations). The production, starring

Sienna Miller Sienna Rose Diana Miller (born 28 December 1981) is an American-British actress. Born in New York City and raised in London, she began her career as a photography model, appearing in the pages of Italian '' Vogue'' and for the 2003 Pirelli Cale ...

James Purefoy James Brian Mark Purefoy (born 3 June 1964) is an English actor. He played Marcus Antonius in the HBO series ''Rome'', Nick Jenkins in '' A Dance to the Music of Time'', college professor turned serial killer Joe Carroll in the series '' The Fo ...

and

Sheridan Smith Sheridan Caroline Sian Smith (born 25 June 1981) is an English actress and singer. She came to prominence after playing a variety of characters in sitcoms, including '' The Royle Family'' (1999–2000), ''Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Cri ...

, opened in March 2011 and closed in June 2011, and was followed by productions of ''

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead ''Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead'' is an absurdist, existential tragicomedy by Tom Stoppard, first staged at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1966. The play expands upon the exploits of two minor characters from Shakespeare's ''Hamle ...

'', (June–August 2011) and ''

The Tempest ''The Tempest'' is a Shakespeare's plays, play by William Shakespeare, probably written in 1610–1611, and thought to be one of the last plays that he wrote alone. After the first scene, which takes place on a ship at sea during a tempest, th ...

'', starring

Ralph Fiennes Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes (; born 22 December 1962) is an English actor, film producer, and director. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Ralph Fiennes, various accolades, including a British Academy Film ...

(September–October 2011). His final production at the Haymarket, ''

The Lion in Winter ''The Lion in Winter'' is a 1966 play by James Goldman, depicting the personal and political conflicts of Henry II of England, his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine, their children and their guests during Christmas 1183. It premiered on Broadway at the ...

'' (November 2011 – January 2012), starred

Joanna Lumley Dame Joanna Lamond Lumley (born 1 May 1946) is an Indian-born British actress, presenter, author, television producer, activist and former model. She has won two BAFTA TV Awards for her role as Patsy Stone in the BBC sitcom ''Absolutely Fabulo ...

and Robert Lindsay. Nunn returned to the Haymarket in 2014 to direct the play ''

Fatal Attraction ''Fatal Attraction'' is a 1987 American psychological thriller film directed by Adrian Lyne and written by James Dearden, based on his 1980 short film '' Diversion''. It follows Dan Gallagher ( Michael Douglas), an attorney who cheats on his ...

''. For Christmas 2018, Nunn directed a revival of ''

Fiddler on the Roof ''Fiddler on the Roof'' is a musical theatre, musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and musical theatre#Book musicals, book by Joseph Stein, set in the Pale of Settlement of Russian Empire, Imperial Russia in or around 19 ...

'' at the Menier Chocolate Factory, before transferring to the

Playhouse Theatre The Playhouse Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster, located in Northumberland Avenue, near Trafalgar Square, central London. The Theatre was built by F. H. Fowler and Hill with a seating capacity of 1,200. It was rebuilt in ...

in London's West End for a limited season in spring 2019. The production starred

Andy Nyman Andrew Nyman (born 13 April 1966) is an English actor, director, writer, singer and magician. He was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for his performance as Tevye in the 2019 West End revival of ''Fiddler on the Roof''. Early life and ...

as Tevye and

Judy Kuhn Judy Kuhn (born May 20, 1958) is an American actress, singer and activist, known for her work in musical theatre. A four-time Tony Award nominee, she has released four studio albums and sang the title role in the 1995 film ''Pocahontas'', includ ...

as Golde. In 2020, he was due to direct a new musical ''Identical'' based on '' The Parent Trap''. It was due to have its world premiere at the

Nottingham Playhouse Nottingham Playhouse is a theatre in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England. It was first established as a repertory theatre in 1948 when it operated from a former cinema in Goldsmith Street. Directors during this period included Val May and F ...

before transferring to the

Theatre Royal, Bath The Theatre Royal in Bath, England, was built in 1805. A Grade II* listed building, it has been described by the Theatres Trust as "One of the most important surviving examples of Georgian theatre architecture". It has a capacity for an audien ...

, over the summer of 2020. However, due to the

COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom The COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom is a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In the United Kingdom, it has resulted in confirm ...

, the production was delayed until August 2022. In 2023 he directed

Oliver Cotton Oliver Charles Cotton (born 20 June 1944) is an English actor and playwright, known for his prolific work on stage, TV and film. He remains best known for his role as Cesare Borgia in the BBC's 1981 drama series '' The Borgias''. Early life Cott ...

's play ''The Score'' at the Theatre Royal, Bath, with Brian Cox playing

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (German: Help:IPA/Standard German, �joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque music, Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety ...

. The production and cast transferred to the

Theatre Royal, Haymarket The Theatre Royal Haymarket (also known as Haymarket Theatre or the Little Theatre) is a West End theatre in Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in use. Samuel Foote ...

in 2025.

Film and opera

Nunn has directed opera at

Glyndebourne Glyndebourne () is an English country house, the site of an opera house that, since 1934, has been the venue for the annual Glyndebourne Festival Opera. The house, located near Lewes in East Sussex, England, is thought to be about six hundre ...

. He re-staged his Glyndebourne production of Gershwin's ''Porgy and Bess'' for television in 1993, and was highly praised. He has directed for film, including '' Lady Jane'' (1986), ''

Hedda Hedda is a feminine given name, sometimes a diminutive form (hypocorism) of Hedvig, Hedwig or variants thereof. Bearers of the name include: People Women * Hedda Østberg Amundsen (born 1998), Norwegian cross-country skier * Hedvig Hedda Ander ...

'', an adaptation of

Hedda Gabler ''Hedda Gabler'' () is a play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. The world premiere was staged on 31 January 1891 at the Residenztheater in Munich. Ibsen himself was in attendance, although he remained back-stage.Meyer, Michael Lever ...

, and a 1996 film version of Shakespeare's ''

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night, or What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Viola an ...

''.

Personal life

Nunn has been married three times and has five children. He was married to actress Janet Suzman from 17 October 1969 until their divorce in 1986. They have one son. From 1986 until their 1991 divorce, he was married to Sharon Lee-Hill, with whom he has two children, including

Laurie Laurie may refer to: Places * Laurie, Cantal, France, a commune * Laurie, Missouri, United States, a village * Laurie Island, Antarctica Music * Laurie Records, a record label * ''Laurie'' (EP), a 1992 album by Daniel Johnston * "Laurie (Stran ...

.Dickson, Andrew
"Trevor Nunn Life in Theatre"
''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

'', 18 November 2011 In 1994, he married actress Imogen Stubbs with whom he has two children, including

Ellie Ellie or Elly is a given name. The name stands on its own or can be a shortened form of any of the numerous female names beginning with the syllable El-, in particular Elizabeth, Eleanor, or Elvira. It can also be a short form of Elaine, Elena ...

. In April 2011 Stubbs announced their separation. Nunn was in a brief relationship with

Nancy Dell'Olio Annunziata "Nancy" Dell'Olio (born 23 August 1961) is an Italian-American lawyer and media personality. She first came to public notice as the girlfriend of football manager Sven-Göran Eriksson. Early life Annunziata Dell'Olio was born in New ...

in 2011. In 1998, Nunn was named in a list of the biggest private financial donors to the Labour Party. In 2002, he was knighted. In 2014, Nunn told ''

'' that Shakespeare was his religion. "Shakespeare has more wisdom and insight about our lives, about how to live and how not to live, how to forgive and how to understand our fellow creatures, than any religious tract. One hundred times more than the Bible. I'm sorry to say that. But over and over again in the plays there is an understanding of the human condition that doesn't exist in religious books."

Credits

Broadway

Source:

Internet Broadway Database The Internet Broadway Database (IBDB) is an online database of Broadway theatre productions and their personnel. It was conceived and created by Karen Hauser in 1996 and is operated by the Research Department of The Broadway League, a trade asso ...

* ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a Comedy (drama), comedy play written by William Shakespeare in about 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One s ...

'' (as original producer) – 20 January 1971 – 13 March 1971 * ''

Old Times ''Old Times'' is a play by Harold Pinter. It was first performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Aldwych Theatre in London on 1 June 1971. It starred Colin Blakely, Dorothy Tutin, and Vivien Merchant, and was directed by Peter Hall. ...

'' (as original producer) – 16 November 1971 – 26 February 1972 * ''

London Assurance ''London Assurance'' (originally entitled ''Out of Town'') is a five-act comedy co-authored by Dion Boucicault and John Brougham. While the play was collaboratively written by both playwrights, after the play's initial premiere Broughman, who o ...

'' (as original producer) – 5 December 1974 – 12 January 1975 * ''

Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a Detective fiction, fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a "Private investigator, consulting detective" in his stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with obser ...

'' (as original producer) – 12 November 1974 – 4 January 1976 * '' Piaf'' – 5 February 1981 – 28 June 1981 * ''The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby'' – 4 October 1981 – 3 January 1982 * ''

All's Well That Ends Well ''All's Well That Ends Well'' is a play by William Shakespeare, published in the First Folio in 1623, where it is listed among the comedies. There is a debate about the date of its composition, with possible dates ranging from 1598 to 1608. ...

'' – 13 April 1983 – 15 May 1983 * ''

Good In most contexts, the concept of good denotes the conduct that should be preferred when posed with a choice between possible actions. Good is generally considered to be the opposite of evil. The specific meaning and etymology of the term and its ...

'' (as original producer) – 13 October 1982 – 30 January 1983 * ''André De Shields'

Harlem Nocturne "Harlem Nocturne" is a jazz standard written by Earle Hagen (music) and Dick Rogers (lyrics) in 1939 for the Ray Noble orchestra, of which they were members. The song was chosen by the big-band leader Randy Brooks the next year as his theme song ...

'' (featuring songs with lyrics by Trevor Nunn) – 18 November 1984 – 30 December 1984 * ''

Cyrano de Bergerac Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac ( , ; 6 March 1619 – 28 July 1655) was a French novelist, playwright, epistolarian, and duelist. A bold and innovative author, his work was part of the libertine literature of the first half of the 17th ce ...

'' (as original producer) – 16 October 1984 – 19 January 1985 * ''

Much Ado About Nothing ''Much Ado About Nothing'' is a Shakespearean comedy, comedy by William Shakespeare thought to have been written in 1598 and 1599.See textual notes to ''Much Ado About Nothing'' in ''The Norton Shakespeare'' (W. W. Norton & Company, 1997 ) p. ...

'' (as original producer) – 14 October 1984 – 16 January 1985 * ''The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby'' – 24 August 1986 – 12 October 1986 * ''

Chess Chess is a board game for two players. It is an abstract strategy game that involves Perfect information, no hidden information and no elements of game of chance, chance. It is played on a square chessboard, board consisting of 64 squares arran ...

'' – 28 April 1988 – 25 June 1988 * ''Starlight Express'' – 15 March 1987 – 8 January 1989 * ''Aspects of Love'' – 8 April 1990 – 2 March 1991 * '' Arcadia'' – 30 March 1995 – 27 August 1995 * ''Sunset Boulevard'' – 17 November 1994 – 22 March 1997 * ''

Amy's View ''Amy's View'' is a play written by British playwright David Hare. It premiered in London at the Royal National Theatre's Lyttelton Theatre on 13 June 1997, directed by Richard Eyre and starring Judi Dench, Ronald Pickup and Samantha Bond ...

'' (as original producer) – 15 April 1999 – 18 July 1999 * '' Closer'' (as original producer) – 25 March 1999 – 22 August 1999 * '' Not About Nightingales'' – 25 February 1999 – 13 June 1999 * ''Rose'' written by Martin Sherman (as original producer) – 12 April 2000 – 20 May 2000 * ''Cats'' – 7 October 1982 – 10 September 2000 * ''

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

'' (as original producer) – 11 April 2000 – 21 January 2001 * ''

Noises Off ''Noises Off'' is a 1982 farce by the English playwright Michael Frayn. Frayn conceived the idea in 1970 while watching from the wings a performance of '' The Two of Us'', a farce that he had written for Lynn Redgrave. He said, "It was funni ...

'' (as original producer) – 1 November 2001 – 1 September 2002 * ''Chess'' – 22 September 2003 (Benefit Concert) * ''

Vincent in Brixton ''Vincent in Brixton'' is a 2002 play by Nicholas Wright. The play premiered at London's National Theatre with Jochum ten Haaf in the title role. It transferred to the Playhouse Theatre and later to Broadway. It focuses on artist Vincent v ...

'' (as original producer) – 6 March 2003 – 4 May 2003 * ''Les Misérables'' – 12 March 1987 – 18 May 2003 * ''

Oklahoma! ''Oklahoma!'' is the first musical theater, musical written by the duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs's 1931 play, ''Green Grow the Lilacs (play), Green Grow the Lilacs''. Set in farm country outside the town of ...

'' – 21 March 2002 – 23 February 2003 * ''The Woman in White'' – 17 November 2005 – 19 February 2006 * ''Rock 'n' Roll'' – 4 November 2007 – 9 March 2008 * ''Les Misérables'' (revival) – 9 November 2006 – 6 January 2008 * ''A Little Night Music'' – 13 December 2009 – 11 January 2011 * ''Cats'' – 31 July 2016 – 30 December 2017

West End

Source:

Shakespeare Birthplace Trust The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust (SBT) is an independent registered educational charity based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England, that came into existence in 1847 following the purchase of William Shakespeare's birthplace for preser ...

* ''Cats'' – 1981 * ''Starlight Express'' – 1984 * ''Les Misérables'' – 1985 * ''Chess'' – 1986 * ''

The Baker's Wife ''The Baker's Wife'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and the book by Joseph Stein, based on the 1938 French film of the same name by Marcel Pagnol and Jean Giono. The musical premiered in the West End in 1989 for a short ...

'' – 1989 * ''Aspects of Love'' – 1989 * ''Sunset Boulevard'' – 1993 * ''Oklahoma!'' – 1998 * ''South Pacific'' – 2001 * ''My Fair Lady'' – 2001 * ''

Anything Goes ''Anything Goes'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse, revised considerably by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madc ...

'' – 2002 * ''The Woman in White'' – 2004 * ''We Happy Few'' - 2004 * ''Acorn Antiques: The Musical!'' – 2005 * ''Porgy and Bess'' – 2006 * ''Royal Hunt of the Sun'' - 2006 * ''King Lear'' – 2007 * ''The Seagull'' – 2007 * ''Gone with the Wind'' – 2008 * ''A Little Night Music'' – 2009 * '' Inherit the Wind'' – 2009 * ''Birdsong'' – 2010 * ''Aspects of Love'' – 2010 * ''The Lion in Winter'' – 2011 * ''Flare Path'' – 2011 * ''Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead'' - 2011 * ''The Tempest'' - 2011 * '' A Chorus of Disapproval'' – 2012 * ''Fatal Attraction'' – 2014 * ''Fiddler on the Roof'' – 2019 * ''Identical'' - 2022 * ''The Score'' - 2025

Film

Source: ''Contemporary British and Irish Film Directors'' * ''Hedda'' (director and adaptation) (1975) * ''Lady Jane'' (director) (1986) * ''Twelfth Night: Or What You Will'' (director and adaptation) (1996) *''

Red Joan ''Red Joan'' is a 2018 British spy drama film, directed by Trevor Nunn, from a screenplay by Lindsay Shapero. The film stars Sophie Cookson, Stephen Campbell Moore, Tom Hughes, Ben Miles, Nina Sosanya, Tereza Srbova, and Judi Dench. The fi ...

'' (director) (2018) * ''Prisoner C33'' (2022)

Television

* ''Every Good Boy Deserves Favour'' (1979) * ''

BBC2 Playhouse ''BBC2 Playhouse'' is a British anthology television series of one-hour episodes produced by the BBC. Among its many performers were Helen Mirren, Daniel Day-Lewis, Judi Dench, Liam Neeson, Paul Scofield, Deborah Kerr, Ben Kingsley, Donald ...

'' (TV series) – (1 episode, 1979) * ''The Three Sisters'' (1981 TV movie of Chekhov's ''

Three Sisters (play) ''Three Sisters'' () is a play by the Russian author and playwright Anton Chekhov. It was 1900 in literature, written in 1900 and first performed in 1901 at the Moscow Art Theatre. The play is often included on the shortlist of Chekhov's outs ...

'') * ''

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby ''Nicholas Nickleby'', or ''The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby'', is the third novel by English author Charles Dickens, originally published as a serial from 1838 to 1839. The character of Nickleby is a young man who must support his ...

'' (1982 TV mini-series) * ''

'' (1990 TV movie) * ''Porgy and Bess'' (1993 TV movie of Nunn's

production) * ''

'' (1999 TV movie) * ''The Merchant of Venice'' (2001 TV movie) * ''King Lear'' (2008 TV Movie) * Series ''Shakespeare Uncovered'', season 1, episode 4 (2012) ''

Awards and nominations

, - , 1975 , ''London Assurance'' , Drama Desk Award Unique Theatrical Experience , , - , 1977 , ''Macbeth'' , Laurence Olivier Award for Best Director , , - , 1979 , ''Once in a Lifetime'' , Laurence Olivier Award for Best Director , , - , 1980 , ''The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby'' , Laurence Olivier Award for Best Director , , - , 1981 , ''Cats'' , Laurence Olivier Award for Best Director , , - , 1982 , ''The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby'' , Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play , , - , 1983 , ''All's Well that Ends Well'' , Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play , , - , 1983 , ''All's Well that Ends Well'' , Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play , , - , 1983 , ''Cats'' , Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical , , - , 1987 , ''Les Misérables'' , Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical , , - , 1987 , ''Starlight Express'' , Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical , , - , 1989 , ''Othello'' , Laurence Olivier Award for Best Director , , - , 1990 , ''Aspects of Love'' , Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical , , - , 1994 , ''Arcadia'' , Laurence Olivier Award for Best Director , , - , 1995 , ''Sunset Boulevard'' , Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical , , - , 1995 , ''The Merchant of Venice'' / ''Summerfolk'' , Laurence Olivier Award for Best Director , , - , 1995 , ''Sunset Boulevard'' , Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical , , - , 1995 , , Golden Plate Award of the

American Academy of Achievement The American Academy of Achievement, colloquially known as the Academy of Achievement, is a nonprofit educational organization that recognizes some of the highest-achieving people in diverse fields and gives them the opportunity to meet one ano ...

, , - , 1999 , ''Not About Nightingales'' ,

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in the theatre across collective Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. The award ...

, , - , 1999 , ''Not About Nightingales'' , Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play , , - , 1999 , ''Oklahoma!'' , Laurence Olivier Award for Best Director , , - , 2000 , ''Summerfolk'' / ''The Merchant of Venice'' / ''Troilus and Cressida'' , Laurence Olivier Award for Best Director , , - , 2001 , ''

The Cherry Orchard ''The Cherry Orchard'' () is the last play by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. Written in 1903, it was first published by '' Znaniye'' (Book Two, 1904), and came out as a separate edition later that year in Saint Petersburg, via A.F. Marks Pu ...

'' , Laurence Olivier Award for Best Director , , - , 2002 , ,

Laurence Olivier Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply The Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognize excellence in West End theatre, professional theatre in London. The awards were originally known as the Society of We ...

for Outstanding Achievement , , - , 2002 , ''Oklahoma!'' , Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical , , - , 2002 , ''Oklahoma!'' , Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical , , - , 2012 , , Induction into the

American Theater Hall of Fame The American Theater Hall of Fame was founded in 1972 in New York City. The first head of its executive committee was Earl Blackwell. In an announcement in 1972, he said that the new ''Theater Hall of Fame'' would be located in the Uris Theatre, ...

, , - , 2020 , ''Fiddler on the Roof'' , Laurence Olivier Award for Best Director , , - Sources: Internet Broadway Database, Tony Awards Database (broadwayworld.com), Drama Desk History, Olivier Awards: Past Nominees and Winners"Olivier Awards, Past Nominees and Winners"
olivierawards.com, accessed 17 November 2011

References

External links

* *
Scenes from a Marriage preview

Michael Jackson's Peter Pan obsession – by Trevor Nunn 2009
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nunn, Trevor 1940 births Alumni of Downing College, Cambridge Commanders of the Order of the British Empire English film directors English theatre directors Fellows of Downing College, Cambridge Fellows of St Catherine's College, Oxford Knights Bachelor Living people Laurence Olivier Award winners People from Ipswich People educated at Northgate Grammar School, Ipswich Shakespearean directors

Early years

Career

Film and opera

Personal life

Credits

Broadway

West End

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

References

Further reading

External links