The Estate of Michael Blakemore

Director

Biography

Michael Blakemore (18th June 1928 – 10th December 2023)  was born in Sydney.  Initially training as an actor, he made his debut as a director at the Glasgow Citizens’ Theatre in 1966.

In 2000 Michael became the only director to win Tony Awards for Best Director of a Play and a Musical in the same year for Copenhagen and Kiss Me Kate.  Of the productions he has directed in London 15 have won either the Evening Standard or Olivier Award in the categories of Best Play, Best Comedy or Best Musical.

His directing career spanned half a century, and he was awarded the AO (from Australia) and the OBE in 2003.

Credits

Theatre

Production Company Notes
THE LIFE
2017
Amy Anzel, Matt Chisling and Catherine Schreiber

Book by David Newman, Ira Gasman, and Cy Coleman with additional material by Michael Blakemore

Blithe Spirit
2014
West End

by Noel Coward

BLITHE SPIRIT
2015
USA Tour
BLITHE SPIRIT
2009
Broadway

By Noel Coward

AFTERLIFE
2008
National Theatre

By Michael Frayn

IS HE DEAD?
2007
Broadway

By Mark Twain

DEUCE
2007
Broadway

By Terrence McNally

EMBERS
2006
West End

Adapted by Christopher Hampton from the novel by Sandor Marai

THREE SISTERS
2003
West End

By Anton Chekhov, trans. Christopher Hampton

DEMOCRACY
2003
National Theatre/West End

By Michael Frayn

COPENHAGEN
1998
National Theatre/West End/France/Broadway/Australia

By Michael Frayn
Tony & Drama Desk Award
Moliere Award
Helpmann Award

KISS ME KATE
1999
Broadway/West End

By Cole Porter
Tony & Drama Desk Award
London Critics’ Circle Award

ALARMS & EXCURSIONS
1998
West End

By Michael Frayn

THE LIFE
1997
Broadway

By Cy Coleman
Drama League Award

DEATH DEFYING ACTS
1995
Off-Broadway

By Woody Allen, David Mamet & Elaine May

CITY OF ANGELS
1993
West End

By Larry Gelbart, Cy Coleman, David Zippel

HERE
1993
Donmar Warehouse

By Michael Frayn

THE RIDE DOWN MT. MORGAN
1991
West End

By Arthur Miller

AFTER THE FALL
1990
National Theatre

By Arthur Miller

CITY OF ANGELS
1989
Broadway

By Larry Gelbart, Cy Coleman, David Zippel

UNCLE VANYA
1988
West End

By Anton Chekhov, trans. Michael Frayn

LETTICE & LOVAGE
1987
West End/Broadway

By Peter Shaffer

BENEFACTORS
1984
West End

By Michael Frayn

ALL MY SONS
1981
West End

By Arthur Miller

MAKE & BREAK
1980
Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith/West End

By Michael Frayn

TRAVELLING NORTH
1980
Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith

By David Williamson

DEATHTRAP
1978
West End

By Ira Levin

KNUCKLE
1978
West End

By David Hare

PRIVATES ON PARADE
1977
Royal Shakespeare Company

By Peter Nichols

CANDIDA
1977
West End

By Bernard Shaw

SEPARATE TABLES
1976
West End

By Terence Rattigan

PLUNDER
1976
National Theatre

By Ben Travers

GRAND MANOEUVRES
1974
National Theatre

By A.E. Ellis

THE CHERRY ORCHARD
1973
National Theatre

By Anton Chekhov, trans. Ronald Hingley

DESIGN FOR LIVING
1973
West End

By Noel Coward

DON'S PARTY
1973
Royal Court

By David Williamson

THE FRONT PAGE
1972
National Theatre

By Ben Hecht & Charles MacArthur
Pays & Players Award

MACBETH
1972
National Theatre

By William Shakespeare

FORGET-ME-NOT LANE
1970
Greenwich Theatre

By Peter Nichols
Variety Magazine London Drama Critics’ Award

LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT
1970
National Theatre

By Eugene O’Neill with Laurence Olivier as James Tyrone
Plays & Players Award

THE NATIONAL HEALTH
1968
National Theatre

By Peter Nichols

THE RESISTABLE RISE OF ARTURO UI
1968
West End

By Bertolt Brecht

WIDOWERS' HOUSES
1968
Royal Court

By Bernard Shaw

A DAY IN THE DEATH OF JOE EGG
1967
West End/Broadway

By Peter Nichols

Film

Production Company Notes
COUNTRY LIFE
1994
AFFC/Dalton Films

Writer & Director
FCCA Award for Best Screenplay Adaptation

PRIVATES ON PARADE
1982
Handmade Films/Paragon

By Peter Nichols

A PERSONAL HISTORY OF THE AUSTRALIAN SURF
1981

Writer & Director
Standard Film Award

Opera

Production Company Notes
TOSCA
1992
Welsh National Opera

By Puccini

Other

Production Company Notes
STAGE BLOOD
2013
Faber & Faber

A memoir of five years in the life of the National Theatre

ARGUMENTS WITH ENGLAND
2004
Faber & Faber

A memoir

AUSTRALIA FAIR
1985
Methuen

An anthology

NEXT SEASON
1968
Simon & Schuster

A novel
Still in print with Applause Books

The Estate of Michael Blakemore
The Estate of Michael Blakemore
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