Kenneth Tynan theatre critic until mid-1963 when he joined the National Theatre. In 1963, Laurence Olivier became the British National Theatre Company's first artistic director. Tynan had been highly dismissive of Olivier's achievements as artistic director of the Chichester Festival Theatre, which had opened in 1962, but he recommended himself for the role of literary manager. Olivier was initially outraged by Tynan's presumption but Olivier's wife, Joan Plowright, convinced him that Tynan would be an asset at the National Theatre Company, then based at the Old Vic theatre. When he became the National Theatre's literary manager, Tynan ceased to be the theatre
Gordon Anderson (director) Gordon Anderson (director) Gordon Anderson is a British television director, best known for his work on "Lovesick", "Shameless", "Fresh Meat" and "The Inbetweeners". He began his career in the theatre, directing at many of the UK's theatre and opera companies including the Royal National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Court, Bristol Old Vic, Manchester Royal Exchange, Scottish Opera and English Touring Opera. He was Artistic Director of ATC (2001-07) where he commissioned, developed and directed new plays and new translations of contemporary international plays which toured throughout the UK. He trained as a television director at the BBC