Bill Alexander (director) explained

Bill Alexander
Birth Name:William Alexander Paterson
Birth Date:23 February 1948
Birth Place:Hunstanton, Norfolk, England
Yearsactive:1974–present
Occupation:Theatre director
Children:2

William Alexander Paterson (born 23 February 1948) known professionally as Bill Alexander is a British theatre director who is best known for his work with the Royal Shakespeare Company and as artistic director of Birmingham Repertory Theatre. He currently works as a freelance, internationally as a theatre director and most recently as a director of BBC Radio 4 drama.

Early years

William Alexander Paterson was born in Hunstanton, Norfolk, England, on 23 February 1948[1] to William and Rosemary Paterson (née McCormack). He was a boarder at St. Lawrence College, Ramsgate, Kent before going on to Keele University (1969–1973) where he studied English and founded an experimental theatre group called Guerilla Theatre based on the principles of the Polish theatre director Jerzy Grotowski.[2]

Early career

In 1974, Alexander began his career as a Trainee Director at the Bristol Old Vic. His productions included Butley by Simon Gray, How the Other Half Loves by Alan Ayckbourn, Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Blythe Spirit by Noël Coward.[3] [4] [5] [6] In 1975 he joined the Royal Court Theatre as an assistant director. His production of Class Enemy by Nigel Williams[7] won the Binkie Beaumont Award for Best New Director.

At the Royal Shakespeare Company

Alexander joined the RSC in 1977 as assistant to Trevor Nunn and John Barton. Initially, he worked in the RSC's two studio theatres: The Warehouse in London (primarily devoted to new plays) and The Other Place in Stratford (dedicated to a mixture of new plays and the re-discovery of classics by performing them on a small scale).[8] He also worked at The Pit studio space which replaced The Warehouse when the RSC moved to the Barbican.[9]

In 14 years at the RSC, Alexander's studio productions included Factory Birds by James Robson (Warehouse), Captain Swing by Peter Whelan (TOP), Tartuffe by Molière (PIT),[10] Volpone by Ben Jonson (TOP and PIT), The Accrington Pals by Peter Whelan (Warehouse),[11] Cymbeline by William Shakespeare (TOP and PIT) with Harriet Walter as Imogen.[12]

Alexander's first production on the RSC main stage was Richard III (with Antony Sher as Richard) in 1984. This production, for which Anthony Sher won the Olivier Award for Best Actor later transferred to the Barbican.[13]

In 1980 he directed Harold Pinter's Betrayal at the Cameri Theatre, Tel Aviv.

In 1986, Alexander's production of The Merry Wives of Windsor won him the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Director.[14] In 2014, Michael Billington, the Guardian's theatre critic chose this production as one of his 'Best'.[15]

Alexander's other productions for the RSC included A Midsummer Nights Dream (1986) with Sean Bean as Robin Starveling, Twelfth Night with Harriet Walter as Viola, and Deborah Findlay as Olivia 1987/88,[16] The Merchant of Venice with Antony Sher as Shylock in 1987, Cymbeline with David Bradley and Harriet Walter in 1998,[17] Much Ado About Nothing in 1991,[18] The Taming of the Shrew in 1992,[19] and Titus Andronicus in 2003.[20] About the latter Alexander said,"I've also discovered what I like about Titus: it's the best play about revenge that I can think of. Revenge is such a difficult idea to deal with. Everyone knows it's "a bad thing", yet everyone understands the phrase "revenge is sweet". Titus shows revenge's seductiveness, the impulse in us all that the law is there to control. It is a work of lurid genius because it reminds us of the fundamental truths about the role of law in a just society."[21]

Birmingham Repertory Theatre

Alexander left the RSC to become artistic director and Chief Executive of the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in 1992.[22] His productions there included:

Later work

Alexander's work since 2000 has included:

Awards

In 1978, Alexander received the Binkie Beaumont Award for Best New Director and in 1986, the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Director for The Merry Wives of Windsor at the RSC.

Personal life

In 1977, Alexander married actor and painter Juliet Harmer.[54] They have two daughters[54] and four grandchildren.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Encyclopedia: ALEXANDER, Bill. Who's Who in the Theatre. 1. 10. Gale Research Company. 1981. 0083-9833. Ian Herbert.
  2. Web site: Early Drama - Keele University. www.keele.ac.uk. 2015-10-01.
  3. Web site: Production of Butley Theatricalia. theatricalia.com. 2015-10-04.
  4. Web site: Production of Twelfth Night Theatricalia. theatricalia.com. 2015-10-04.
  5. Web site: Production of How the Other Half Loves Theatricalia. theatricalia.com. 2015-10-04.
  6. Web site: Production of Blithe Spirit Theatricalia. theatricalia.com. 2015-10-04.
  7. Web site: Poster V&A Search the Collections. collections.vam.ac.uk. 15 March 1976 . 2015-10-04.
  8. Web site: Production of Captain Swing Theatricalia. theatricalia.com. 2015-10-04.
  9. Web site: Production of Money Theatricalia. theatricalia.com. 2015-10-04.
  10. Book: Chambers, Colin. Inside the Royal Shakespeare Company: Creativity and the Institution. Routledge. 2004-02-24. 9781134616312.
  11. Web site: Production of The Accrington Pals Theatricalia. theatricalia.com. 2015-10-04.
  12. Web site: Production of Cymbeline Theatricalia. theatricalia.com. 2015-10-04.
  13. Web site: Richard III · British Universities Film & Video Council. bufvc.ac.uk.
  14. News: Best Shakespeare productions: The Merry Wives of Windsor. Michael. Billington. 15 April 2014. The Guardian.
  15. News: Best Shakespeare productions: The Merry Wives of Windsor. The Guardian. 2015-10-04. Michael. Billington. 2014-04-15.
  16. Web site: 1987/88.
  17. Web site: Cymbeline · British Universities Film & Video Council. bufvc.ac.uk.
  18. Web site: Much Ado About Nothing, Alexander/Surrey, Royal Shakespeare Company, April 1991. www.ahds.rhul.ac.uk. 2015-09-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20150930072445/http://www.ahds.rhul.ac.uk/ahdscollections/docroot/shakespeare/performancedetails.do?performanceId=11740. 30 September 2015. dead.
  19. Web site: Productions 1960 - 2008 | Royal Shakespeare Company | Theatre . 28 September 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150929040040/http://www.rsc.org.uk/explore/shakespeare/plays/the-taming-of-the-shrew/1960-2008.aspx . 29 September 2015 . dead.
  20. Web site: Titus Andronicus · British Universities Film & Video Council. bufvc.ac.uk.
  21. News: Off with their hands. Bill. Alex. er. 22 September 2003. The Guardian.
  22. Web site: Birmingham Rep cast notes.
  23. Web site: REP100: Spotted in the archive - A String of Shakespeare at Birmingham Repertory Theatre. www.birmingham-rep.co.uk. 2015-10-04. Made Media. Ltd.
  24. Web site: About Us.
  25. Web site: THEATRE / The glitter of acid-etched gilt: Paul Taylor on Bill. . 2015-09-29. 1993-06-09.
  26. Web site: www.haroldpinter.org - Plays. www.haroldpinter.org. 2015-09-29.
  27. Web site: THEATRE / The best little whorehouse in Dublin. . 2015-09-29. 1994-09-17.
  28. Web site: Production of Macbeth Theatricalia. theatricalia.com. 2015-10-04.
  29. Web site: review The Alchemist Birmingham Rep. . 2015-09-29. 1996-09-17.
  30. Web site: Theatre; Divine Right Birmingham Rep. . 2015-09-29. 1996-04-24.
  31. Web site: 'Hamlet' by William Shakespeare 1998. Programme pages, 15 of 40. at Birmingham Repertory Theatre. www.birmingham-rep.co.uk. 2015-10-04. Made Media. Ltd. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304073122/http://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/rep100/4196. 4 March 2016. dead.
  32. Web site: 'Frozen' by Bryony Lavery 1998. Programme pages, 35 of 40. at Birmingham Box. www.birmingham-box.co.uk. 2015-09-29. Made Media. Ltd.
  33. Web site: Arts: Theatre - Plain, unvarnished gospel truth. . 2015-09-29. 1999-12-15.
  34. News: Theatre review: Twelfth Night. The Guardian. 2015-09-29. James. Hopkin. 2000-10-17.
  35. Web site: A life less ordered. . 2015-10-04. 2002-10-15.
  36. Web site: TV stars come out in Earnest. www.northamptonchron.co.uk. 2015-10-04.
  37. Web site: London Theatre Guide News / Ian Holm withdraws from Mappa Mundi 02. www.londontheatre.co.uk. 2015-10-04.
  38. News: Off with their hands. The Guardian. 2015-10-04. Bill. Alex. 2003-09-22.
  39. Web site: Theatre review: King Lear at Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford. www.britishtheatreguide.info. 2015-10-04. January 2004.
  40. Web site: Bill Alexander. www.shakespeareinitaly.eu. 2015-10-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20151007042406/http://www.shakespeareinitaly.eu/index.php?p=12. 7 October 2015. dead.
  41. Web site: The School of Night. 2015-10-04.
  42. Web site: Lowe brings Glamour to Nottingham Playhouse at Nottingham Playhouse. www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk. 2015-09-29.
  43. News: Bette and Joan, Arts Theatre, review. 2015-10-04. 2011-05-11. Spencer. Charles.
  44. Web site: LAMDA Faculty and Staff LAMDA. www.lamda.org.uk. 2015-09-29.
  45. Web site: Northwest Classical Theatre Company uses something small to lure illustrious director. 11 October 2012. 2015-09-29.
  46. Web site: Ann Pinnington Productions presents the World Premiere of Bette & Joan by Anton Burge. 4 April 2011 . 2015-09-29.
  47. Web site: Urbino – Summer School 2015. www.shakespeareinitaly.eu. 2015-09-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20150930154422/http://www.shakespeareinitaly.eu/summer-school/index.php?p=21. 30 September 2015. dead.
  48. Web site: Iris Murdoch: The Sea, the Sea, Drama - BBC Radio 4. BBC. 2015-09-29.
  49. Web site: Review: The Merchant of Venice, Redgrave. Bristol 24/7. 2015-09-29. 2015-02-20.
  50. Web site: The Two Gentleman of Verona – Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. 2017-02-25.
  51. Web site: Archive for as You Like It at LAMDA, London. 2017. [LONDON].
  52. Web site: 50 Years of Fish & Chips - Aldeburgh Fish & Chips. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/UlNa8sGGblQ . 2021-12-21 . live. Aldeburgh Fish & Chips. 24 January 2018. YouTube.
  53. Web site: About Us - Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
  54. Web site: Bill Alexander. 5 January 2016. Birmingham Rep Co UK.

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