Michelle Terry Named As Globe Theatre’s New Artistic Director
Michelle Terry is set to take over from departing artistic director Emma Rice at London’s Globe Theatre. The celebrated Shakespearean actor will start as artistic director designate at Shakespeare’s Globe in October, but will not take over fully from Rice until April 2018.
“I am so proud and excited that I will be in the privileged position where I can offer artists the opportunity to come together to reclaim and rediscover not only Shakespeare but the work of his contemporaries, alongside new work from our current writers,” Terry said of her appointment. “For us to then share those stories with an audience that demands an unparalleled honesty, clarity, and bravery is all a dream come true.”
As Terry gestures toward in her statement, The Globe is an institution peculiarly beholden to its history. A modern reconstruction of the Elizabethan playhouse associated with the work of William Shakespeare, its twin goals of celebrating both the historical playwright’s work, and that of new theatrical visionaries have not always gelled successfully. Departing artistic director Emma Rice announced she was stepping down after only some six months in the role, and has previously spoken out about her clashes with the theatre’s board. She cited lack of “respect” for her creative vision as a key reason for her leaving the post. In a blog post on the Globe’s website back in April, Rice stated candidly that she felt “excluded from the rooms where decisions are made,” but cheered on her successor “with a war cry of hope.”
Terry — who wowed audiences last year in her performance as Henry V — is no stranger to theatrical experimentation. The Globe’s chief executive, Neil Constable, welcomed her appointment, commenting that “audiences have loved her sparkling and intelligent performances on our stage over the years.” “Now they will have the opportunity to see her fresh artistic vision come to life as she moves into a new phase of her impressive career.”
