David has worked for the Royal Shakespeare Company and won Olivier Awards for his production of Pericles. Les Smith talks to David Thacker about his love of Shakespeare and how he seeks to make his plays accessible to a modern audience.

David Thacker’s interest in Shakespeare was nurtured, as for so many people, by his English teachers at Wellingborough Grammar School. It was there that he learned, off by heart, Romeo’s death speech – for no other reason than it moved him deeply.

This interest in Shakespeare was developed further at the University of York where he read English and, it became a passion by the time he graduated, leading him to stay at York to take an MA in Shakespeare, taught by the eminent Shakespearean scholar Professor Philip Brockbank.

At the University of York David discovered his enthusiasm for theatre, directing five student productions including Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale and Pericles, Prince of Tyre, which played to critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Festival.

At Edinburgh Pericles also played in Straughton Jail, to an audience including amongst other lifers, Ian Brady, the Moors Murderer. It was the impact of this performance that convinced David to try to make a career in theatre and immediately afterwards he became an ASM at York Theatre Royal, rapidly promoted to DSM, SM and, within a year, Assistant to the Director.

David has to date directed 15 plays by Shakespeare in 22 productions for companies such as The Dukes in Lancaster, the Young Vic, the BBC and the RSC. His production of Pericles at the RSC received two Olivier Awards for Director of the Year and Best Revival.