The Stage

The Stage 100

Published Wednesday 7 January 2009 at 15:35

So, another 12 months comes to an end in Theatreland. And it’s still standing.

As the financial crisis bites across the world and Broadway begins shedding shows like pine needles off a Christmas tree, it’s actually remarkable how little affected UK theatre has been - thus far.

Sure, it’s tough out there, but, generally speaking, we’ve seen very few casualties as a result of the credit crunch - no matter what some producers might like to claim - either in the West End or the regions.

Who knows what 2009 will hold, though.

No West End theatres have changed hands this year and, for the most part, the status quo remains - this is reflected in the top end of The Stage 100, which is fairly static.

There are four new entries in the top 20. David Tennant, whose Doctor Who fan base has helped him become theatre’s biggest box office draw, Alex Poots, whose management of the Manchester International Festival has seen it quickly establish itself as a very serious rival to its Edinburgh counterpart, David Pugh and Dafydd Rogers, who return to the top 20 thanks to Brief Encounter, God of Carnage and Calendar Girls, and Judy Craymer - our highest new entry, who has helped translate the stage success of Mamma Mia! into a global hit movie that reaped the biggest box office takings ever of a film in the UK and worldwide raked in more than the latest Bond flick.

There is also some movement among the existing residents of the top 20. Michael Grandage is the highest mover, shooting up to the third spot, which he shares with Nicholas Hytner - a man whom he is widely tipped to succeed at the National. Elsewhere, a quietish year for our former number one David Ian - now shorn of his ties to US giant Live Nation - sees him slip down the list.

Rupert Goold continues to climb, while other recent entrants to the top 20, such as Jonathan Church, have firmly established their places among the theatre elite.

Also worth noting is the movement of Kevin Spacey up to 11th place. Not too long ago, he was deemed persona non grata by certain sections of the media, but he has really turned things round at the Old Vic and was seriously pushing for a place in the top ten this year.

As ever, though, it’s disappointing to note that theatre is still a world dominated by white, middle-aged men. Over the years, Nica Burns, Sonia Friedman, Rosemary Squire, Sally Greene and Jude Kelly (the latter absent from the top 20 this year) have all broken into the formerly male-only echelons of the top end of the list, but there has never been a black or Asian figure pushing for a berth in the upper tiers.

Much of this must be down to a distinct lack of opportunities. Still, we live in hope that if the US can elect a black president…

Next, some housekeeping. Just to remind everyone who is, and is not, eligible for inclusion in the list.

Entrants must be directly involved in the artistic process. So, if we are listing a representative of an organisation, we list the artistic, rather than the executive director. This means there is no space in The Stage 100 for figures such as Nick Starr at the NT and Tony Hall at the ROH, who would otherwise be shoo-ins.

Publicists and administrators, or those working for organisations linked to theatre, but not directly involved in making theatre (eg, Equity) are also not included.

Thirdly, once one representative of a company is listed, anyone else from said company is excluded. So, Lloyd Webber represents the whole of the Really Useful Group, meaning that a leading figure such as Nick Allott is absent from the list.

And finally, just to note that in our Q&As this year, we’ve asked our interviewees to suggest who they believe should be top of the tree and we’d ask you to do the same. Please visit www.thestage.co.uk/stage100 to make your views known. We’ll publish a reader’s top ten later in the year.

Below is the full list. A more complete version, including interviews with Judy Craymer, Emma Rice and Paul Latham, is printed in the December 31 edition of The Stage.

1. Cameron Mackintosh

2. Andrew Lloyd Webber

=3. Michael Grandage

=3. Nicholas Hytner

5. Howard Panter/Rosemary Squire

6. Bill Kenwright

7. Nica Burns/Max Weitzenhoffer

8. Michael Boyd

9. Nick Thomas/Jon Conway

10. Judy Craymer

11. Kevin Spacey/Sally Greene

12. Sonia Friedman

13. Dominic Cooke

14. Rupert Goold

15. Bill Taylor

16. Jonathan Church

17. David Ian

18. David Pugh/Dafydd Rogers

19. Alex Poots

20. David Tennant

Directors:

• Howard Davies
• Gregory Doran
• Marianne Elliott
• Jonathan Kent
• Simon McBurney
• Katie Mitchell
• Tom Morris
• Trevor Nunn
• Matthew Warchus
• Samuel West
• Emma Rice

Off-West End/fringe:

• David Jubb/David Micklem
• Natalie Abrahami/Carrie Cracknell
• Sasha Regan
• Josie Rourke
• Tania Harrison

Producers:

• David Babani
• Bob Boyett/Bill Haber
• Martin Dodd/Peter Frosdick
• Mark Goucher
• Richard Jordan
• Adam Kenwright
• Kim Poster
• Mark Rubinstein
• Edward Snape
• Stephen Waley-Cohen
• Kenny Wax/Michael Harrison

Regional/subsidised:

• Michael Attenborough
• Hedda Beeby
• Gemma Bodinetz
• Ian Brown
• Marcus Davey
• Dominic Dromgoole
• David Farr
• Vicky Featherstone/John Tiffany
• Hamish Glen
• Peter Hall
• Dominic Hill
• Rachel Kavanaugh
• Jude Kelly
• Paul Kerryson
• David Lan
• Kerry Michael
• Braham Murray/Greg Hersov/Sarah Frankcom
• Graham Sheffield
• John Stalker
• Simon Stokes
• Paul Latham

Performers:

• Eileen Atkins
• Michael Ball
• Kenneth Branagh
• Brian Conley
• Ralph Fiennes
• Michael Gambon
• Clare Higgins
• Douglas Hodge
• Derek Jacobi
• Elena Roger
• Simon Russell Beale
• Patrick Stewart
• Penelope Wilton

Playwrights:

• Alan Ayckbourn
• Richard Bean
• Lee Hall
• David Hare
• Anthony Neilson
• Harold Pinter
• Polly Stenham
• Tom Stoppard
• Roy Williams

Design/technical:

• Felix Barrett
• Rob Howell
• Tom Piper
• Rae Smith/Adrian Kohler
• Rafael Vinoly

Opera/dance:

• Matthew Bourne
• Edward Gardner
• Akram Khan
• Monica Mason/Antonio Pappano
• Alistair Spalding