Erica Whyman in conversation Erica Whyman, Deputy Artistic Director, Royal Shakespeare Company

Event details

York International Shakespeare Festival

Erica Whyman is an English theatre director who joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in January 2013. Amongst many other areas of responsibility, she leads for the RSC on extending access, equality and diversity across all RSC activities and is passionate about participation in theatre-making.

As part of the 2016 season celebrating the 400th Anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, she directed A Midsummer Night’s Dream: A Play for the Nation in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, a production involving 18 professional actors, 14 amateur theatre groups (84 amateur actors) and 580 school children from across the country, which toured the UK from March to June 2016. Her current production of Romeo and Juliet, which played in Stratford-upon-Avon and in London and is now on a national tour, has incorporated 60 young people from RSC partner schools into its prologue.

In this event, which forms part of the York International Shakespeare Festival, Erica will discuss both productions and her broader work with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

In the 2012 New Year’s Honours List Erica was awarded an OBE for services to Theatre in the UK. In November 2016 she won the Peter Brook Empty Space Special Achievement Award.

Event hosted by University of York open lectures in partnership with York International Shakespeare Festival.