Theatr Clwyd's artistic director, Tamara Harvey, is to join the Royal Shakespeare Company as its new co-artistic director.
Harvey’s arrival at Theatr Clwyd in 2015 marked the beginning of a remarkable turnaround for Wales’ biggest producing theatre. The organisation’s focus on developing Welsh voices and artists with over 50 world premieres – many of which have gone on to tour Wales and the UK – has brought a new vibrancy to the venue.
Alongside stage success, significant changes to Theatr Clwyd’s approach to community work, as well as the redevelopment of the building, have been industry-leading and helped Theatr Clwyd to become The Stage's Regional Theatre of the Year last year.
“The words 'life-changing' are overused, but Theatr Clwyd has genuinely changed my life," said Harvey. "This is where I learned to be an artistic director, where I became a mother, where I’ve directed some of the work of which I’m most proud, and where I’ve had one of the most important collaborative relationships of my career with the brilliant (executive director) Liam Evans-Ford.
"It will be heart wrenching to leave the team here– they're world class theatre makers as well as properly lovely humans – but I do so knowing our theatre will continue to be a vital home for our communities and a cultural beacon for Wales."
Major production successes in Mold have included the Olivier Award-winning Home, I’m Darling, UK Theatre Award-winning The Assassination of Katie Hopkins, Mold Riots in the streets of Mold, with a company of over 250 people, and the immersive hit show The Great Gatsby.
Home, I’m Darling opened at Theatr Clwyd in co-production with London’s National Theatre before transferring to the West End and touring the UK.
Harvey’s new role as co-artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company will be alongside Daniel Evans, who joins from the Chichester Festival Theatre.