Annie Castledine

Ann "Annie" Castledine (26 February 1939 – 4 June 2016), was a British theatre director, teacher and dramaturg.

Described in The Guardian as "one of the arts world's best-known secrets" who "shaped some of the most influential players in British theatre" and had a "genius for doing work that is unfashionable".

Peter Brook described her as an "outstanding director of European classical and contemporary plays".

She was regarded as an expert on the dramas of Bertolt Brecht, William Shakespeare, Anton Chekhov and Henrik Ibsen, as well as being noted for her championing of new talent in British theatre and the arts, including work with new playwrights and the training of new directors.

In supporting the development of British theatre, she was often likened to Joan Littlewood – the "mother of modern (English) theatre".

Born in 1939, Ann Castledine grew up in Yorkshire and initially worked as a teacher.

She attended the University of York as a mature student and turned to theatre directing in the 1970s.

She was the eldest child of three born to Ida Castledine (née Armstrong) and Walter Cecil Castledine, who worked as an electrical engineer employed by the National Coal Board at coal mines including Kiveton Park Colliery.

Her mother worked to run the household and bring up three children, while also donating time to the NSPCC.

Ida and Cecil were keen on plays and theatre and placed an emphasis on education as a means of betterment.

Castledine claimed to have been well-versed with Greek and Roman mythology and literature at the age of 5.

A bright student, she considered her early career prospects to be firmly established by her gender and class – in press interviews she recalled making the choice to work as a teacher, having been presented with a choice between becoming a teacher or becoming a nurse.

Castledine attributed some of her early interest in theatre directing to the influence of Honor Mathews, who had been the head of drama at Goldsmiths College, London, during her own training.

After working in London state schools as a teacher, and as senior lecturer in drama at Bulmershe College, Castledine attended the University of York as a mature student and found herself becoming preoccupied with directing plays.

This early work was spotted by Michael Winter, the then director of York's Theatre Royal, who offered her the chance to be his Arts Council trainee in 1979.

Much of Castledine's theatrical work was carried out on a freelance basis and involved productions for a great number of British theatres and companies, including the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre.

Prior to which she was Associate Artistic Director at Theatr Clwyd (1985–87).

She also worked regularly at Chichester Festival Theatre.

While based in York, early in her directing career, Castledine ran her own small production company – Northern Studio Theatre.

Later in her career, she frequently collaborated with Complicité.

Repeat collaborators included Stephen Daldry, Neil Bartlett, Simon McBurney, Annabel Arden, Josette Bushell-Mingo, Iona McLeish, Kathryn Hunter, Marcello Magni, Maureen Lawrence, Gillian Wright, Bryony Lavery, Beatrix Campbell, Corin Redgrave, Kika Markham, Jane Birkin, Mark Wheatley Polly Irvin, Roger Allam, Colin Ellwood and Catherine Bailey.

Selected productions include:

By Annie Castledine and Pier Productions:

Directed by Castledine and produced by Catherine Bailey Productions:

Produced by Annie Castledine:

Directed by Annie Castledine:

Castledine was also a long-standing Patron of the British Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme, serving alongside fellow Patrons Phyllida Lloyd, Trevor Nunn, Adrian Noble, Michael Boyd, Michael Grade and Michael Billington.

Her career also included periods as the artistic director for Derby Playhouse (1987–90).

She died in June 2016, aged 77, in hospital in Eastbourne.

Castledine was survived by her sister, brother, five nieces and a nephew.

This family includes the classicist Helen Morales.