Michael Boyd leaves artistic director role at RSC
17th October 2011
The Royal Shakespeare Company's (RSC) artistic director Michael Boyd has announced he is set to leave his post in 2012 after ten years in the role.
During his tenure he oversaw a GBP 112 million renovation of the Royal Shakespeare and Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon and was responsible for the recently launched World Shakespeare Festival.
In a statement, Mr Boyd said executive director Vikki Heywood, who he described as his 'chief co-conspirator', would be stepping down at the same time.
'We have opened the new Royal Shakespeare Theatre to unusual acclaim. Our new home is already much loved by the public and critics alike and has won many major awards,' he explained.
'I have always said that it would take ten years to make a genuine difference in the life and the soul of the company, and though ten years will not be enough to achieve all that I would like, it will be time for me to pass the challenges on to a new artistic director.'
A new artistic director of the RSC is expected to be announced early next year, with a number of candidates in the running for the role.