Stephen Daldry

Abstract

Stephen Daldry became Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre in 1993, after working at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield (1985–88) and at London’s Gate Theatre (1989–92). He first came to international prominence in 1992, when he directed a revival of J. B. Priestley’s An Inspector Calls at the National Theatre, a production which earned him numerous awards. In 1993, he directed an acclaimed revival of Sophie Treadwell’s Machinal, also at the National. While at the Royal Court, Daldry directed, among others, Arnold Wesker’s The Kitchen (1994), Ron Hutchinson’s Rat in the Skull (1995), Caryl Churchill’s This is a Chair (1997) and David Hare’s Via Dolorosa (1998). In 1997, he signed a deal with Working Title Films which eventually led to his feature film debut as director, Billy Elliot (2000), nominated for an Oscar for Best Director. His second feature film, The Hours (2002), was recognized with eight Oscar nominations, including one for Best Director, and won the Oscar for Best Actress (Nicole Kidman). Although he left the Royal Court in 1998, he returned to direct Caryl Churchill’s Far Away in 2000 and her A Number in 2002. In 2005 he directed Billy Elliot: The Musical at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London, and the film The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay. The interview that follows was conducted in London on 9 February 2004.