Royal Shakespeare Company Sets Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey as Co-Artistic Directors

Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey will be the co-artistic directors of the U.K.’s Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), the Bard-centric troupe based in Stratford-Upon-Avon, from June 2023.

Gregory Doran, who served as artistic director for a decade from 2012, decided to step down earlier this year and has taken on the role of artistic director emeritus until the end of 2023. He will direct his 50th production for the company in spring 2023.

At the request of the RSC board, Erica Whyman will continue as acting artistic director until June 2023, and she will then leave to pursue a freelance career.

Evans is currently artistic director of Chichester Festival Theatre and Harvey is artistic director of Theatr Clwyd. They are regular collaborators and applied together for the position.

Evans’ work as an actor has spanned Shakespeare, Sondheim and Sarah Kane, at the RSC, National Theatre, Royal Court, Donmar Warehouse, Menier, Sheffield and on Broadway. He’s the recipient of two Olivier Awards for his Sondheim performances. In 2009, he was appointed artistic director of Sheffield Theatres and in 2016, he took up the position at Chichester. During his tenure, CFT produced 17 world premieres, while five shows transferred to London or Broadway.

Harvey’s work as a freelance director has included Shakespeare, classic revivals, new writing and musical theatre, at theaters in the West End, around the U.K. and in the U.S. She took up her position at Theatr Clwyd in 2015, where, together with executive director Liam Evans-Ford, she has built partnerships and co-productions across the U.K., including with the National Theatre, Paines Plough, the Sherman Theatre, National Theatre of Wales, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, ETT, Sheffield Theatres, the NHS, Social Services, the National Youth Theatre of Wales and the National Trust.

Shriti Vadera, chair of the RSC board, said: “They bring a brilliant track record of artistic achievement with a strong commitment to education, communities and championing diverse talent and voices, alongside a proven strategic ability to lead major companies. Their partnership heralds an exciting vision for the future of the RSC to attract world-class artistic talent, captivate today’s audiences with Shakespeare, classics and new work, and increase radically the reach and impact of our pioneering learning, partnerships and digital work.”

Evans said: “I was fortunate to see so many inspiring performances at Stratford during my teenage years; and later celebrated my 21st birthday there during my first professional job post-drama school. So, to be returning to the RSC as its co-artistic director is immensely meaningful to me. To do so alongside Tamara is a joy and a privilege. We share deep-rooted values and an ambitious vision for the company.”

Harvey added: “We bring a shared belief in all that the RSC can be – a home for radical, relevant theatre made by artists from across the U.K. and the wider world. A global community inspired by Shakespeare, bringing together myriad voices to tell the stories of our time – and of all time.”