David Aukin Productions

★★★ Theatre ★★★

Hampstead Theatre, 1972-1981, first as Executive Director, then, in 1978, Artistic Director.

Haymarket Theatre, Leicester, 1982-1985, Artistic Director.

National Theatre, 1985-90 joint appointment with Richard Eyre.

At Hampstead, Aukin pursued the theatre’s policy of encouraging new writing including premieres of Translations by Brien Friel, The Hothouse by and also directed by Harold Pinter, and Ecstasy by Mike Leigh. He interspersed this with the occasional revival which included a new version by Pam Gems of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya directed by Nancy Meckler with a cast that included Ian Holm, Nigel Hawthorne and Alison Steadman.

At the Haymarket he produced the musical of Me and My Girl, directed by Mike Ockrent starring Robert Lindsay and Emma Thompson which transferred to the West End and Broadway. Other productions which transferred included John Osborne’s The Entertainer, with Peter Bowles, and Peter Nichols’ Passion Play. The theatre’s Associate, Nancy Meckler, established a studio resident company which toured the regions including London. His Head of Design was the artist and playwright John Byrne.

At the National, numerous productions including Brien Friel’s Fathers and Sons directed by Michael Rudman, Boucicault’s The Shaugraun directed by Howard Davies, and Martin Sherman’s Bent, directed by Sean Mathias.

He has also been Chair of Oval House Arts Centre, Soho Theatre, and is a past President of the Society of West End Theatres.

 
 

David Aukin Productions Ltd

Email: david@aukin.co.uk

Consultant and Executive Producer for
Film, Television and Theatre

Theatre: 1969-1990

Includes…

1969-1971

Two seasons of the French based company Le Grand Magic Circus et Ses Animaux Tristes with Jerome Savary, and a season of the New York based company The Open Theatre directed by Joe Chaikin, all at The Roundhouse. Also a co-founder of Foco Novo and, later, Joint Stock, and involvement with Freehold Theatre and The People Show.

Hampstead Theatre

The Elephant Man (1977)
Writer: Bernard Pomerance. Dir: Roland Rees. Cast. David Scofield, Jenny Stoller. World Premiere as a co-production between Hampstead Theatre and Foco Novo. Transferred the National Theatre. Later played off-Broadway and then transferred to Broadway.

Abigail’s Party (1977)
Devised and directed by Mike Leigh. World Premiere Cast: Alison Steadman, Tim Stern, Janine Duvitski, John Salthouse. Production transferred to BBC Play for Today.

Ecstasy (1979)
Devised and directed by Mike Leigh. World Premiere. Cast: Ron Cook, Julie Walters, Stephen Rea, Jim Broadbent.

The Hothouse (1980) by Harold Pinter
World Premier. Dir: Harold Pinter. Cast: Derek Newark, James Grant, Angela Pleasance, Robert East. Transfer to West End.

Translations (1981) by Brien Friel
London Premiere in association with Field Day. Dir: Donald McWhinnie. Cast: Ian Bannen, Stephen Rea. Transfer to Lyttleton Theatre N.T.

Haymarket Theatre, Leicester

Me and My Girl (1984) by Noel Gay
World Premiere Dir: Mike Ockrent. Writer: Stephen Fry. Cast: Emma Thompson, Robert Lindsay, Olivier Best Actor in a Musical. Transferred to West End, Olivier Best Musical and Broadway, winner of 3 Tonys for Robert Lindsay, Mike Ockrent, and Maryann Plunkett.

The Entertainer (1986) by John Osborne
Dir: Robin Lefevre. Cast: Peter Bowles. Transferred to the West End

Macbeth Shakespeare (1985)
Dir: Nancy Meckler. Cast: Julie Walters, Bernard Hill and members of The People Show who also designed the set.

National Theatre

Sunday in the Park with George (1990)
UK premiere. Olivier Award Best Musical. Music and Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim. Book: James Lapine. Dir: Stephen Pimlott. Cast: Philip Quast, Olivier for Best Actor in a Musical, Maria Friedman, Olivier for Best Actress in a Musical.

Ghetto by Joshua Sobol
UK Premiere. Evening Standard Best Play. Dir: Nicholas Hytner. English version: David Lan. Cast: Alex Jennings, Maria Friedman Independent Production

Dance of Death (2003) by Strindberg
Dir: Sean Mathias. New translation by Richard Greenberg. Cast: Ian McKellen, Frances de la Tour, Owen Teale. Presented at the Lyric Theatre, West End. UK Premiere