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Thanks for What You've Done, EdwardDateline: 6th July, 2003Amonst all the high profile jopb changes that have gone on in theatre in the last twelve months or so (at the National, the RSC, the Donmar, the Almeida, West Yorkshire Playhouse and so on), one has passed almost unnoticed, the departure of Edward Wilson from the National Youth Theatre after being its director for sixteen years. Since it was founded by Michael Croft (incidentally coining the phrase Youth Theatre) almost fifty years ago, the NYT has been the training ground for many actors and actresses who have gone on to become leading lights of British theatre and for many more who have become the unsung stalwarts of the professional and amateur theatre. In the first nine years of its life, it concentrated entirely on Shakespeare. 1965 saw the addition of Shaw to the programme (The Devil's Disciple) and the following year a contemporary play (Little Malcolm and His Struggle Against the Eunuchs) was added to the programme. Peter Terson's Zigger Zagger, a play about football supporters, was commissioned by the NYT in the following year and then, gradually, the net was widened and the range of work grew larger. In 1975, for the first time, there was no Shakespeare in the programme. For a short period from 1965 it had an offspring: the North East branch, based at the Sunderland Empire (where, incidentally, I became the photographer a year or two later), which provided a springboard for many NE actors, among the most notable being George Irving and Ed Wilson himself. Wilson took over as director in 1985. About 3,000 people between the ages of 13 and 21 apply to join the NYT each year and they have a wide variety of interests, for, although the majority want to act, there are positions and courses in all backstage departments too. The NYT makes a major contribution to the health of British theatre and I, for one, would not want to allow Edward Wilson's leaving to pass without acknowledging his contribution the development and success of the company. Thanks for what you've done, Edward! Articles Indices:
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