Exit the King

The writing has been on the wall for a while now and today Company B announced the departure of Artistic Director, Neil Armfield.

To finish his tenure at the end of 2010, the company will look to appoint a new director by the end of this year. All money is on Wesley Enoch.

In a statement released by the theatre today Armfield said,"Company B has been my world for many, many years and for me this decision is like no other in its magnitude. I am fortunate to have been offered a number of exciting opportunities overseas and, in the wake of the success of Exit the King in New York, I feel it is the appropriate time to pursue them."

"There is also a huge momentum in the industry at the moment, with an abundance of talented directors soaring through the ranks – it’s time to give someone else a go. [General Manager] Brenna Hobson is part of the next generation of Australia’s arts leaders and I feel extremely confident that I’m leaving the company in good hands."

It's been an illustrious and exciting career for the man who did Cloudstreet. I'm only going to mention that one production because to me it represents a pinnacle of the Australian theatre industry which many directors in this country can only aspire to achieve.

(Ok, I'll also mention his 1995 Hamlet which was my introduction to the big wide world of professional theatre and I have been bitten ever since. Roxburgh, Rush, MacKenzie - what more could you want? Gush, gush, gush.)

Just last week, Armfield was named one out of a hundred Creative Catalysts by the Creative Sydney team as "a Sydney icon who continues to draw in new audiences for theatre and performance".

And they are right. It's astonishing that he has continued to do consistently good work over the twenty odd years he has been based at the old tomato sauce factory on Belvoir Street in Surry Hills.

It has been a gradual process whereby Armfield has been pulled away from the country and the theatre more and more over the last few years directing operas and shows across Europe and North America. Staff have often mentioned to me that when he isn't around the place lacks a certain direction.

No doubt, with the appointment of a new director towards the end of the year, they will have a more full-time AD once again.

But until then we have Armfield directing one of his favourite playwrights again David Hare (I still don't know what his fascination with Hare is) in a production of Gethsemane which opens later this year.

No doubt there will be more theatrical delights after that.

Thanks for the experiences Neil, and best of luck for the future.