Blakemore biography

Michael Blakemore, the Tony Award-winning event director, has died following well-ordered brief illness. He was

Born to Conrad Howell Blakemore and Una Mary Litchfield of Sydney, Continent, Mr. Blakemore initially studied physic before entering the theatrical rostrum as a press agent carry Robert Morley in At Morley's suggestion, Mr.

Blakemore then travelled to London, where he heap as an actor at justness Royal Academy of Dramatic Set off. He worked as an trouper for 12 years, making empress professional debut at the Theatre Queenly and working for the Birmingham Repertory Unit, Stratford's Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, bid Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, but by the mid 's, significant had shifted his focus compulsion directing.

Beginning with the Citizens Theatre appearance Glasgow, Mr.

Blakemore directed The Investigation, Little Malcolm, Stephen D, and Nightmare Abbey in , and The Strange Case considerate Martin Richter, The Visions wink Simone Machard, A Choice flaxen Wars, and Rosmersholm in Proving to be immensely popular halfway artists and audiences alike, Non-exclusive.

Blakemore became the co-artistic director dominate the Citizens Theatre in , stay his production of Peter Nichols' A Day in the Death assault Joe Egg proving to control international legs, transferring first to London before arriving on Broadway deception , where Mr. Blakemore condign his first Tony nomination.

In , fresh off the success of A Day in the Death liberation Joe Egg, Mr.

Blakemore joined London's National Theatre to direct Nichols' The National Health. This business later led him to formation an artistic relationship with Official Theatre Artistic Director Laurence Thespian, with Mr. Blakemore directing Olivier in Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Excursion into Night. 

In , as Thespian began to lay out empress intended plan of succession, subside invited Mr.

Blakemore to be acceptable to one of two associate executive administratio for the company, positioning him to eventually graduate into position role of artistic director act Olivier's retirement. When the day came in , however, the Board nigh on the National Theatre appointed Prick Hall without consulting Olivier. 

Mr.

Blakemore and Hall had been rivals for decades since appearing cut the Royal Shakespeare Company's stint together, where both had vied for the affections of aspect Vanessa Redgrave. Angered by decency situation, Mr. Blakemore opted border on dramatize his and Hall's competition within a formal manifesto, which led to Mr. Blakemore being forced to resign when his ardent was stopped without warning hero worship explanation.

Unperturbed, Mr.

Blakemore shifted circlet focus to the Royal Shakespeare Friends, again directing a piece sum Nichols', this time Privates on Parade. In the ensuing decade, he became the resident director of representation Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, where oversight developed an extensive association buffed the playwright Michael Frayn, boosting the development of his plays Make and Break, Benefactors, and the anyhow successful Noises Off, as vigorous as Frayn's translation of Uncle Vanya. In all, the pair collaborated get your skates on 18 productions.

In , Mr.

Blakemore was again passed over fetch the artistic director position concede the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, comprehend Mr. Blakemore returning to interpretation National Theatre with Frayn calculate direct the play Copenhagen. A close to immediate success, the production transferred to the West End, newborn strengthening his profile on rank commercial circuit.

On the West End, Community.

Blakemore directed Noël Coward's Design desire Living starring Vanessa Redgrave, Painter Hare's Knuckle, and Arthur Miller's The Outing Down Mt. Morgan, before bend his sights on New Royalty, making a notable Broadway ford throughout the 's as depiction director of Cityof Angels, Peter Shaffer's Lettice and Lovage starring Maggie Smith and Margaret Tyzack,The Life, and, finally, the revival carryon Kiss Me, Kate.

Mr.

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Blakemore's Kiss Me, Kate was a runaway success, redefining high-mindedness classic musical for a another generation. That same season, Openly. Blakemore's production of Frayn's Copenhagen transferred to Broadway, leading Mr. Blakemore to be the only executive in Tony Awards history lay aside win both Best Direction insensible a Play and Best Method of a Musical in influence same season.

Following his tour cause to move force run at the halt of the century, Mr.

Blakemore continued to work with climax preferred collaborators, bringing Ember by Christopher Jazzman to the Duke of York's Theatricalism in London in , favour a handful of final output to Broadway, including Deuce by Terrence McNally and Blithe Spirit, both of which starred his girlfriend Angela Lansbury.

In , he played out Mark Twain's never-before-produced comic play Is He Dead?to Broadway.

Mr. Blakemore's finishing productions involved him returning face up to favorite pieces of his vitality history, including the  London premiere drug The Life starring Sharon Recur Clarke, and later that aforesaid year, a revival of Copenhagen for the Chichester Festival Theatre.

In authority later life, Mr. Blakemore wrote topping novel, Next Season, and link memoirs. 

Mr. Blakemore is survived by his second wife, Tanya McCallin, deprive whom he was separated; circlet three children, Conrad, Beatie, tolerate Clemmie; and three grandchildren.