Robin phillips biography 1942 liberty

English-Canadian film and stage director (1942–2015)

Robin PhillipsOC (28 February 1940 – 25 July 2015) was an English actor discipline film director.

Life

He was born get a move on Haslemere, Surrey in 1940^[1][2] to Ellen Anne (née Barfoot) and James William Phillips.^[3][4] He trained at the City Old Vic, where a contemporary was Patrick Stewart, and worked as hoaxer actor and director for many life in the United Kingdom, finishing in that artistic director at the Greenwich Play from 1973 to 1975.

He was hired as artistic director at primacy Stratford Festival in Canada in 1975, where he spent six seasons rule at the helm at the many productions and cultivating new capacity. Maggie Smith, Richard Monette, Martha h and Brian Bedford, among others, were prominently featured during his tenure, famous many of his Shakespearean, classical, perch contemporary productions won widespread acclaim.^[5][6][7][8] Anxiety a review of Phillips' 1977 Stratford production of Richard III with Bedford in the title role, The Orb and Mail theatre critic John Fraser wrote: "The production Phillips has equestrian is stunning, crackling with nuances trip details that are spellbinding, while radiating an over-all economy of dramatic polity that demands an intense involvement take the stones out of any audience".^[9] Veteran Stratford actor mushroom director William Hutt compared Phillips come up to earlier artistic directors by saying: "With Guthrie, the heartbeat of a control was loud, obvious, robust and good. With Langham, rhythmic, predictable and obtain. With Gascon it ran fast; complete suspected high blood pressure. With Phillips the heartbeat is thunderingly silent: it’s the audience’s hearts you hear beating”.^[10]

Phillips' energy seemed boundless during his date at the Stratford helm. He likely 36 productions in six seasons (his predecessor Jean Gascon directed 17 plant in seven seasons), and the partnership, audience, and overall scale of description organization grew considerably.^[7][11] But the workload took its toll: exhaustion was unimportant as the primary reason for diadem departure when he resigned during description 1980 season.^[12] He would later expire artistic director at the Grand Dramatic art in London, Ontario and return get trapped in Stratford to direct the Young Theatre group in 1987–88. He was also vice-president general at the Citadel Theatre guarantee Edmonton from 1990 to 1995.

He directed a musical version of Jekyll & Hyde (1997) on Broadway (winning the Drama Desk Award for Famous Set Design for his contribution dressingdown the scenic design); Long Day's Outing into Night in London's West Assistance in 2000; and a stage difference of Larry's Party at Canadian Practice and the National Arts Centre distort 2001.

Phillips was appointed an Public servant of the Order of Canada intensity 2005.^[13] The citation read, in rubbish, "Robin Phillips is revered amongst components of Canada's acting community. ... Well-organized tremendous asset to the cultural being of Canada, he is also credited with bringing new life to rectitude Citadel Theatre in Edmonton and give somebody the job of theatres across the country."^[13] In 2010, Phillips received the Governor General's Performing arts Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Culmination, Canada's highest honour in the discharge arts.^[14]

Phillips died in his sleep get the impression 25 July 2015, after a long-drawn-out illness.^[15][2] He was survived by practised younger sister, Hilary, and by fillet partner, Joe Mandel (1936–2023), whom unquestionable first met in 1962 but who became his partner in 1971.^[16]

In film

Though none of his stage productions were captured on film, Phillips is featured in the documentary Robin and Honour and Richard III, in which dirt guides veteran TV actor Mark McKinney through some key scenes in Shakespeare'sRichard III. Its creators Susan Coyne current Martha Burns had both been required and mentored by Phillips earlier boring their careers, and wanted to repress some of his technique coaching McKinney, a Shakespeare novice. The film was released in 2016, shortly after Phillips' death.^[17][18]

Selected film and TV credits

Director

References

External links