History: Artistic Directors - Leslie Lawton 1979-84
In the autumn of 1979, after enjoying a conspicuously successful career as actor and Artistic Director of the Liverpool Playhouse, Leslie Lawton began five roller-coaster years in Edinburgh, succeeding Stephen Macdonald as Artistic Director of the Royal Lyceum Theatre Company. On his appointment, Leslie Lawton was charged with reversing the dwindling audiences and making the theatre commercially sound by devising a ‘popular’ programme, but at the same time reconciling this popularity with the inclusion of ‘serious’ works and the ‘classics’.
The aim of the Board of the Lyceum was clear. Leslie Lawton was to present a popular, crowd-pleasing programme, whilst at the same time never compromising the ideals of Tom Fleming, and the work of Clive Perry, Richard Eyre, Bill Bryden and Stephen Macdonald in establishing the Royal Lyceum Theatre Company, in Edinburgh, as the putative National Theatre of Scotland.
This task was further complicated by the fact that from the very beginning, Lawton was viewed with some suspicion, especially by the Edinburgh theatre establishment. They were critical, in particular, about his choice of plays, musical shows above all, which were thought to be too populist, perhaps, for a theatre of the Lyceum’s tradition as custodian of all that was best in Scottish and in world theatre. In addition, this situation was not helped by Leslie Lawton’s sometimes contentious manner, but more so by his being both actor and Artistic Director, which made him vulnerable to charges of self-indulgence and vanity.
Leslie Lawton immediately signalled his very different approach to programming by choosing ‘Side by Side by Sondheim’ to open his first season. This was the first time that a large-scale musical had been produced by the Company. It was an immediate success, and was followed during Leslie’s time as director by other highly acclaimed productions of Broadway and London West End shows. ‘Cabaret’ with Leslie Lawton as Master of Ceremonies was the Christmas production in his first year, and in later seasons Lyceum audiences enjoyed ‘Chicago’, ‘Guys and Dolls’, ‘King of Hearts, ‘Piaf’, ‘Tommy’ and Benny Green’s ‘Regards to Broadway.’ These productions were extremely popular and attracted large audiences with good box office returns. In addition he offered a wide range of comedies and classics by Shaw, Coward, Rattigan, Ayckbourn and Stoppard, as well as plays by Shakespeare, Ibsen and Brecht in addition to new work by Joe Orton, David Mamet and Mike Leigh.
Scottish theatre was well represented. J M Barrie’s ‘Mary Rose’ and James Bridie’s ‘Mr Bolfry’ were revived, as was Bill Bryden’s ‘Willie Rough’ and John Byrne’s satirical ‘Normal Service’. New Scottish writing was encouraged. Hector Macmillan was commissioned to write ‘Capital Offence’, and other new Scottish work included Stewart Conn’s ‘Herman’, ‘Time Present’ by Tom Gallacher and Sue Glover’s haunting ‘The Seal Wife’.
Much of Lawton’s vision was centred on the studio space of the Little Lyceum, where work of a more experimental kind could be explored, and where Leslie Lawton not only directed, but acted in several plays. In his first year he programmed this more intimate space with such work as David Mamet’s ‘American Buffalo’, a new adaptation of Ibsen’s ‘A Doll’s House’ by Tom Gallacher, a world premiere ‘The Quartet’ by Ronald Mavor, and in a particularly creative piece of programming, linking the Little Lyceum with the main theatre playing ‘Bent’ and ‘Privates on Parade’ with largely the same cast.
Leslie Lawton had already shown his commitment to education with, for instance, his appointment of Donald Campbell as Writer in Residence and one of his most important initiatives was his launch in 1981 of ‘Upstage’ which encouraged a new young audience to come to the Lyceum. Sponsored by the Bank of Scotland, schoolchildren could see plays for only 50 pence. ‘Teach-ins’ and workshops were held for productions of Shaw, Miller and a production of Brecht’s ‘Antigone’ was performed by ‘Upstage’ members.
It was with typical wit, and particularly appropriate, that Lawton’s final production at the Lyceum was Noel Coward’s ‘Present Laughter’. As he had done with such success at Liverpool Playhouse five years previously, he played the central part of Garry Essendine, the temperamental, self-regarding and extravagant actor-manager on the eve of his departure abroad. It was a brilliant performance, and it is especially pleasing to read the critics glowing reviews and descriptions of rapturous applause which filled the crowded auditorium when he took his final bow and the curtain fell on Leslie Lawton’s five remarkable years in Edinburgh.
In 1984, at the end of five contentious years, Lawton ended his connection with Edinburgh and with the Royal Lyceum. It had not always been a happy time, and he was at times a lonely figure, finding it difficult to be welcomed and accepted in Edinburgh. But when we consider his wide and brave programming, to which we have alluded in brief above, it is salutary to recall that in five years, Leslie Lawton had been responsible for 82 productions, amongst which were 37 Scottish, 11 world and 5 European premieres, 8 West End or Broadway hits, and many ‘serious’ and ‘classic’ plays. Leslie Lawton may have been a controversial figure, but it would be a mistake to fault his efforts to fulfil the remit that he had been given on his appointment as Artistic Director of the Royal Lyceum Theatre.
Leslie Lawton continues to direct productions both in Britain and abroad and is currently working with the National Theatre of Israel.
Mike Ridings 2005