In 2003 Michael Boyd was appointed as the Royal Shakespeare Company’s (RSC) new Artistic Director. His mission: to revive the fortunes of the UK’s most celebrated repertoire. So, when Boyd declared his intention to “knock Shakespeare off his podium” by scaling down the number of works produced by the RSC written by its namesake, was it just a ploy for publicity, or a simply a frank statement of intent. And more importantly can the RSC survive with less of the Bard?
Thanks to the success of its Complete Works Festival, 2006 was the most successful year in the RSC’s recent history, which makes the timing of Boyd’s announcement, in November last year, seem extraordinarily bold to say the least. Not that Boyd is a stranger to taking dauntless action. As a director he was not afraid to spill blood in the name of bringing Shakespeare to the attention, and appreciation, of audiences. However, as a director he was able to legitimate his decisions through reference to his interpretation of the Stratfordian script. So too, in his executive capacity, Boyd insists that giving more weight to collaborations with living writers is in keeping with the history of the RSC.
