Frank Dunlop (director)
Encyclopedia
Frank Dunlop is a British
theatre director.
, read English at University College London
where he is now a Fellow, and studied with Michel Saint-Denis
at the Old Vic
theatre school in London.
Dunlop was appointed CBE
in 1977 and received the Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Literature
presented to him by the French government in 1987.
in 1955 where, a year later, he became its resident director, writing and staging Les Frere Jacques. He made his West End debut at the Adelphi Theatre
in 1960 with a production of The Bishop's Bonfire.
He took over the helm at the Nottingham Playhouse
from 1961–1964, including the inaugural season of the newly-built theatre in 1963, and then directed several plays in London, Oklahoma and Edinburgh. In 1966 he founded The Pop Theatre Company at the Edinburgh Festival
, with productions of The Winter's Tale (also seen in Venice and London) and The Trojan Women.
Dunlop also produced the theatrical production of Oblomov, based on the novel by Russian writer Ivan Goncharov
. The play opened at London's Lyric Theatre
on 6 October 1964, and starred Spike Milligan
as Oblomov, and Joan Greenwood
as his wife Olga. The play ran for a record-breaking five weeks at the Lyric, before being retitled Son of Oblomov and moved to the Comedy Theatre in London's West End, with Dunlop once again the producer.
as Associate Director, and worked as Administrative Director from 1968 to 1971, where he directed Home and Beauty (1968) The White Devil
(1969) and The Captain of Köpenick starring Paul Scofield
(1971).
While at the National, then located at the Old Vic, he took a crucial career step with the creation of The Young Vic
in 1969. His productions for them included The Tricks of Scapino and The Taming of the Shrew
(1970); The Comedy of Errors
(1971); Genet's The Maids
, Deathwatch and The Alchemist
(1972); an acclaimed revival of Rattigan's French Without Tears, and his own play Scapino
(1974); and Macbeth
(1975). The original, high camp production of Bible One: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, starring Gary Bond
, was created by him with the Young Vic company at the Edinburgh Festival in 1972, and transferred to the Round House in November 1972.
's Sherlock Holmes, starring John Wood
, at the Aldwych Theatre
in London, which then enjoyed a long run in New York; where he again directed Scapino, starring Jim Dale
, also seen in Los Angeles, Australia and Norway.
Dunlop's other New York successes included Habeas Corpus
(1975) and The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1978), During this period he founded and for two years ran the BAM
Theatre Company, directing for them The New York Idea, Three Sisters
, The Devil's Disciple
, The Play's the Thing and Julius Caesar
.
Back in England he directed Rookery Nook
for the Birmingham Rep and the Theatre Royal Haymarket (1979), and returning to New York the following year he directed Camelot
starring Richard Burton
.
Dunlop ran the Edinburgh Festival for eight triumphant years from 1984-1991.
He has staged opera, including Carmen
at the Royal Albert Hall
, and in the summer of 2004 Jim Dale starred in the premiere of his adaptation of Kathrine Kressman Taylor
's short epistolary novel Address Unknown at the Promenade Theatre on Broadway.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
theatre director.
Early life
Dunlop was born in Leeds, England to Charles Norman Dunlop and Mary Aarons. He was educated at Beauchamp CollegeBeauchamp College
The Beauchamp College is a comprehensive upper school and further education community college, in Oadby, a town on the outskirts of Leicester, England.-Admissions:...
, read English at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
where he is now a Fellow, and studied with Michel Saint-Denis
Michel Saint-Denis
Michel Saint-Denis , dit Jacques Duchesne, was a French actor, theater director, and drama theorist whose ideas on actor training have had a profound influence on the development of European theater from the 1930s on.Michel Saint-Denis was born in Beauvais, France, the nephew of Jacques Copeau, who...
at the Old Vic
Old Vic
The Old Vic is a theatre located just south-east of Waterloo Station in London on the corner of The Cut and Waterloo Road. Established in 1818 as the Royal Coburg Theatre, it was taken over by Emma Cons in 1880 when it was known formally as the Royal Victoria Hall. In 1898, a niece of Cons, Lilian...
theatre school in London.
Dunlop was appointed CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
in 1977 and received the Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Literature
Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
The Ordre des Arts et des Lettres is an Order of France, established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture, and confirmed as part of the Ordre national du Mérite by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963...
presented to him by the French government in 1987.
Career
Dunlop founded and directed his own young theatre company, The Piccolo Theatre in Manchester (1954), and directed The Enchanted at the Bristol Old VicBristol Old Vic
The Bristol Old Vic is a theatre company based at the Theatre Royal, King Street, in Bristol, England. The theatre complex includes the 1766 Theatre Royal, which claims to be the oldest continually-operating theatre in England, along with a 1970s studio theatre , offices and backstage facilities...
in 1955 where, a year later, he became its resident director, writing and staging Les Frere Jacques. He made his West End debut at the Adelphi Theatre
Adelphi Theatre
The Adelphi Theatre is a 1500-seat West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiving house for a variety of productions, including many musicals...
in 1960 with a production of The Bishop's Bonfire.
He took over the helm at the Nottingham Playhouse
Nottingham Playhouse
The Nottingham Playhouse is a theatre in Nottingham, England. It was first established as a repertory theatre in the 1950s when it operated from a former cinema. Directors during this period included Val May and Frank Dunlop.-The building:...
from 1961–1964, including the inaugural season of the newly-built theatre in 1963, and then directed several plays in London, Oklahoma and Edinburgh. In 1966 he founded The Pop Theatre Company at the Edinburgh Festival
Edinburgh Festival
The Edinburgh Festival is a collective term for many arts and cultural festivals that take place in Edinburgh, Scotland each summer, mostly in August...
, with productions of The Winter's Tale (also seen in Venice and London) and The Trojan Women.
Dunlop also produced the theatrical production of Oblomov, based on the novel by Russian writer Ivan Goncharov
Ivan Goncharov
Ivan Alexandrovich Goncharov was a Russian novelist best known as the author of Oblomov .- Biography :Ivan Goncharov was born in Simbirsk ; his father was a wealthy grain merchant and respected official who was elected mayor of Simbirsk several times...
. The play opened at London's Lyric Theatre
Lyric Theatre (London)
The Lyric Theatre is a West End theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster.Designed by architect C. J. Phipps, it was built by producer Henry Leslie with profits from the Alfred Cellier and B. C. Stephenson hit, Dorothy, which he transferred from the Prince of Wales Theatre to open...
on 6 October 1964, and starred Spike Milligan
Spike Milligan
Terence Alan Patrick Seán "Spike" Milligan Hon. KBE was a comedian, writer, musician, poet, playwright, soldier and actor. His early life was spent in India, where he was born, but the majority of his working life was spent in the United Kingdom. He became an Irish citizen in 1962 after the...
as Oblomov, and Joan Greenwood
Joan Greenwood
Joan Greenwood was an English actress. Born in Chelsea, she studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Her husky voice, coupled with her slow, precise elocution, was her trademark...
as his wife Olga. The play ran for a record-breaking five weeks at the Lyric, before being retitled Son of Oblomov and moved to the Comedy Theatre in London's West End, with Dunlop once again the producer.
The National and The Young Vic
In 1967, he joned the National TheatreRoyal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
as Associate Director, and worked as Administrative Director from 1968 to 1971, where he directed Home and Beauty (1968) The White Devil
The White Devil
The White Devil is a revenge tragedy from 1612 by English playwright John Webster . A notorious failure when it premiered, Webster complained the play was acted in the dead of winter before an unreceptive audience. The play's complexity, sophistication and satire made it a poor fit with the...
(1969) and The Captain of Köpenick starring Paul Scofield
Paul Scofield
David Paul Scofield, CH, CBE , better known as Paul Scofield, was an English actor of stage and screen...
(1971).
While at the National, then located at the Old Vic, he took a crucial career step with the creation of The Young Vic
The Young Vic
The Young Vic is a theatre on the Cut, located near the South Bank, in the London Borough of Lambeth. It specialises in giving opportunities to young actors and directors. The theatre is publicly subsidised and has a high artistic reputation. Playwright David Lan has been the theatre's artistic...
in 1969. His productions for them included The Tricks of Scapino and The Taming of the Shrew
The Taming of the Shrew
The Taming of the Shrew is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1591.The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the Induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunken tinker named Sly into believing he is actually a nobleman himself...
(1970); The Comedy of Errors
The Comedy of Errors
The Comedy of Errors is one of William Shakespeare's earliest plays. It is his shortest and one of his most farcical comedies, with a major part of the humour coming from slapstick and mistaken identity, in addition to puns and word play. The Comedy of Errors is one of only two of Shakespeare's...
(1971); Genet's The Maids
The Maids
The Maids is a play by the French dramatist Jean Genet. It was first performed at the Théâtre de l'Athénée in Paris in a production that opened on 17 April 1947, which Louis Jouvet directed...
, Deathwatch and The Alchemist
The Alchemist (play)
The Alchemist is a comedy by English playwright Ben Jonson. First performed in 1610 by the King's Men, it is generally considered Jonson's best and most characteristic comedy; Samuel Taylor Coleridge claimed that it had one of the three most perfect plots in literature...
(1972); an acclaimed revival of Rattigan's French Without Tears, and his own play Scapino
Scapino
Scapino, Scappino, or Scapin, is a zanni character from the commedia dell'arte. His name is related to the English word "escape" in reference to his tendency to flee from fights, even those he himself begins. He has been dated to the last years of the 16th century, and his creation is sometimes...
(1974); and Macbeth
Macbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
(1975). The original, high camp production of Bible One: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, starring Gary Bond
Gary Bond
Gary Bond was an English film and television actor.-Biography:Bond was born in Liss, Hampshire, England....
, was created by him with the Young Vic company at the Edinburgh Festival in 1972, and transferred to the Round House in November 1972.
Broadway and beyond
For the RSC in 1974 he directed a revival of William GilletteWilliam Gillette
William Hooker Gillette was an American actor, playwright and stage-manager in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who is best remembered today for portraying Sherlock Holmes....
's Sherlock Holmes, starring John Wood
John Wood (English actor)
John Wood, CBE was an English actor.-Biography:Wood was born in Derbyshire and studied law at Jesus College, Oxford where he was president of the Oxford University Dramatic Society. Changing to drama, Wood became known as a stage actor, appearing in numerous West End productions as well as on...
, at the Aldwych Theatre
Aldwych Theatre
The Aldwych Theatre is a West End theatre, located on Aldwych in the City of Westminster. The theatre was listed Grade II on 20 July 1971. Its seating capacity is 1,200.-Origins:...
in London, which then enjoyed a long run in New York; where he again directed Scapino, starring Jim Dale
Jim Dale
Jim Dale, MBE is an English actor, voice artist, singer and songwriter. He is best known in the United Kingdom for his many appearances in the Carry On series of films and in the US for narrating the Harry Potter audiobook series, for which he received two Grammy Awards, and the ABC series Pushing...
, also seen in Los Angeles, Australia and Norway.
Dunlop's other New York successes included Habeas Corpus
Habeas Corpus (play)
Habeas Corpus is a comedy stage play by the English author Alan Bennett. It was first performed at the Lyric Theatre in London on 10 May 1973, with Alec Guinness and Margaret Courtenay in the lead roles....
(1975) and The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1978), During this period he founded and for two years ran the BAM
Brooklyn Academy of Music
Brooklyn Academy of Music is a major performing arts venue in Brooklyn, a borough of New York City, United States, known as a center for progressive and avant garde performance....
Theatre Company, directing for them The New York Idea, Three Sisters
Three Sisters (play)
Three Sisters is a play by Russian author and playwright Anton Chekhov, perhaps partially inspired by the situation of the three Brontë sisters, but most probably by the three Zimmermann sisters in Perm...
, The Devil's Disciple
The Devil's Disciple
The Devil's Disciple is an 1897 play written by Irish dramatist, George Bernard Shaw. The play is Shaw's eighth, and after Richard Mansfield's original 1897 American production it was his first financial success, which helped to affirm his career as a playwright...
, The Play's the Thing and Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar (play)
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, also known simply as Julius Caesar, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1599. It portrays the 44 BC conspiracy against...
.
Back in England he directed Rookery Nook
Rookery Nook (play)
Rookery Nook is a 1926 British comedic play written by Ben Travers. It was based by Travers on his own 1923 novel Rookery Nook, about a series of confusions over an unoccupied house. It was first performed at the Aldwych Theatre in London, and became one of the Aldwych Farces.-Adaptations:In 1930 a...
for the Birmingham Rep and the Theatre Royal Haymarket (1979), and returning to New York the following year he directed Camelot
Camelot (musical)
Camelot is a musical by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe . It is based on the King Arthur legend as adapted from the T. H. White tetralogy novel The Once and Future King....
starring Richard Burton
Richard Burton
Richard Burton, CBE was a Welsh actor. He was nominated seven times for an Academy Award, six of which were for Best Actor in a Leading Role , and was a recipient of BAFTA, Golden Globe and Tony Awards for Best Actor. Although never trained as an actor, Burton was, at one time, the highest-paid...
.
Dunlop ran the Edinburgh Festival for eight triumphant years from 1984-1991.
He has staged opera, including Carmen
Carmen
Carmen is a French opéra comique by Georges Bizet. The libretto is by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée, first published in 1845, itself possibly influenced by the narrative poem The Gypsies by Alexander Pushkin...
at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
, and in the summer of 2004 Jim Dale starred in the premiere of his adaptation of Kathrine Kressman Taylor
Kathrine Taylor
Kathrine Kressmann Taylor or Kressmann Taylor was an American author, known mostly for her Address Unknown , a novel written as a series of letters between a Jewish art dealer, living in San Francisco, and his business partner, who had returned to Germany in 1932...
's short epistolary novel Address Unknown at the Promenade Theatre on Broadway.