Vicky Featherstone to step down from London's Royal Court after a decade

Vicky Featherstone is to step down as artistic director of London’s Royal Court later this year after 10 years in the post.

Featherstone, who joined the Royal Court in 2013, said it was time to “hand over the guardianship of this extraordinary, enduring mission to someone else”.

She becomes the latest high-profile figure to leave a London theatre, following Michael Longhurst’s announcement that he would be leaving the Donmar Warehouse last week.

Featherstone will leave the venue later this year, when the search for new artistic director has been completed.

She said: “Being artistic director of the Royal Court is one of best jobs in the world – creating something over 10 years with the most dedicated, passionate and thoughtful people throughout every single area of the organisation, from stage door to the board and the donors, with the actors, other artists and freelancers who bring all of themselves to make incredible plays happen, and of course having the ultimate privilege of being in daily conversations with visionary, transformational writers.”

She added: “I would do it forever if I could. And although I am usually the last one to leave the party, it’s time for me to hand over the guardianship of this extraordinary, enduring mission to someone else. When I started this job in 2013 I set myself a time limit of 10 years, and I am holding myself to that. There are no words for how life-changing, challenging, invigorating and complex this job is, and, like everyone who has ever done this role here, it is forever part of my DNA.”

She said she would remain in post until a new artistic director is hired. 

“I hope this announcement sets fires alight in the bellies of those who can create the future for theatre and I am so excited to see where we will go next,” she added.

Featherstone joined the theatre in 2013 from the National Theatre of Scotland, having previously run Paines Plough.

She said she had no “concrete plans” as to what she would do next, but that she was releasing herself “back into the wild”.

When she took up the post in 2013, Featherstone launched Open Court, a six-week festival that included 133 performances and more than 40 new plays. 

Since then, the theatre has supported more than 600 writers through its writer-development programmes and groups. Playwrights who have penned works under her include Abi Morgan, Caryl Churchill, Gary Owen and Zinnie Harris.

Royal Court Theatre chair Anthony Burton described her as a “tireless leader of the Royal Court for 10 years, brilliantly navigating turbulent times – not least keeping the Court afloat for two years during Covid”.

“She has been an innovator and champion of many initiatives such as the Me Too movement in the theatre. We are hugely grateful to Vicky for her invaluable and profound contribution to the work, welfare and financial stability of the Court,” he added.

In 2018, Featherstone topped The Stage 100 list for her “brave” and “enlightened” leadership in the face of allegations around harassment and abuses of power in the theatre industry.