LIVING THEATRE develops and produces drama and musical theatre for stage production
LIVING MUSIC creates concert performances, new operas and curates festival experiences
LIVING ARTS releases podcasts, radio plays, live broadcasts and films
Current Projects
Living Theatre is co-producing Terence Rattigan’s Summer 1954 with Sian Philipps, Nathaniel Parker and Lolita Chakrabarti, opening at Theatre Royal Bath and touring the UK.Living Music has developed the concept and business model for Nevill Holt Festival 2024 with James Dacre acting as Guest Festival Director, curating the festival’s inaugural programme to include opera, concerts, conversations, exhibitions, theatre and comedy.
Living Arts has co-produced Alecky Blythe’s docu-drama Family Business about family relationships, national identity and commerce, broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and available to stream on BBC Sounds.
Our Background
James Dacre is a director and creative producer. For ten years until May 2023 he was Artistic Director at Royal & Derngate Theatres, where he produced more than 120 shows of which 60 toured both nationally and internationally and 42 transferred to London and were recognised with Olivier, Evening Standard, WhatsOnStage and The Stage awards. During this time the venue saw a marked development of its artistic activities, its audiences across the UK and standing within the region and sector, welcoming over two and a half million audience members in Northampton and being twice shortlisted for Regional Theatre of the Year by The Stage (2022 and 2016) and chosen as 2020 Outstanding Theatre of the Year by Michael Billington. Meanwhile, its touring productions were seen by a further 1 million audience members nationwide and made over 500 venue visits across the UK and abroad, winning three UK Theatre Awards. Prior to Royal & Derngate, he was Associate Director at the New Vic Theatre, Theatre503 and the National Youth Theatre. He is a Board Director of Spirit of 2012, a Trustee for The Theatres Trust and Talawa Theatre Company and a Franco-British Young Leader.
Previous Projects
Four Quartets with Ralph Fiennes which reopened 8 regional theatres after the pandemic, transferred to the West End and was adapted into a feature film that recently premiered at Santa Barbara International Film Festival and is now available to watch on BBC iPlayer and in select cinemas worldwide.The Two Popes by Anthony McCarten with Anton Lesser and Nicholas Woodeson, which received its world premiere at Royal & Derngate, toured the UK, transferred to The Rose Theatre and was subsequently adapted into the 2020 Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominated Netflix film.
The world premiere of Katori Hall’s The Mountaintop with David Harewood and Lorraine Burroughs, which won the 2010 Olivier Award for Best New Play following its West End run and saw it’s cast nominated for Olivier, Evening Standard and WhatsOnStage awards.
The 2020 Olivier Award nominated Our Lady of Kibeho by Katori Hall, which premiered at Royal & Derngate and transferred to Theatre Royal Stratford East.
The Olivier Award winning The Worst Witch which premiered at Royal & Derngate, toured the UK and played in the West End