Overview

Here is Nicholas Hytner’s fascinating, candid memoir of his tenure at the helm of Britain’s greatest theater. As artistic director of London’s National Theatre from 2003 to 2015, Hytner was in charge of three stages, directing and producing such plays and musicals as The Madness of George III, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel, Alan Bennett’s The History Boys, David Hare’s Stuff Happens, Richard Bean’s One Man, Two Guvnors, and War Horse, among many others.        Combining touches of gossip with serious insight into the processes that bring a production to life, Hytner discusses his major failures and spectacular successes. He looks at Shakespeare from every angle and writes about reinventing the classics; changing the public’s perception of what theater is in our times; balancing the idea of art with what will sell; encouraging new talent; and collaborating with actors and playwrights, including Richard Griffiths, Helen Mirren, Maggie Smith, Mike Leigh, Daniel Day-Lewis, Michael Gambon, Simon Russell Beale, Tom Stoppard, Alan Bennett, and Harold Pinter. Intimate and insightful, Balancing Acts is a passionate exploration of the art and alchemy of making theater.

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9781101972885

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Reviews

Funny and immediate and ring[s] true. . . . Hytner is indisputably one of the best theater directors in the world. --The New York Times Book Review A masterclass in creative leadership. . . . As engrossing as it is entertaining. --The Economist Absorbing. . . . Astute. . . . Should be read not simply by anyone who has an interest in British theatre, but anyone interested in that oldest of questions: how you make art that sells. --The Guardian Engaging and illuminating. --The New York Review of Books Hugely entertaining. . . . Hytner has a writer's instinct for detail, drawing you into the room with luminaries such as Arthur Miller, John Gielgud, Alan Bennett. . . . He balances wit with intellectual gravitas, gossip with self-deprecation, and mischief with serious insight. --Financial Times Priceless. --The New York Post Vivid, engaging, alive with anecdotes and continually invigorated by ideas. --The Sunday Times (London) Balancing Acts is both history and illumination. . . . Wonderfully lucid. . . . Witty and entertaining. . . . Reveals both the ecstasy and the agony of staging large and ambitious shows. --The Evening Standard A wonderful book: stimulating, intelligent, gossipy, heartfelt, affectionate, honest and, perhaps above all, fun. --The Mail on Sunday Revelatory. . . . Full of anecdotes about the terrifying art of bringing a play alive, and full of insight about the sheer daredevil tightrope act that running the National Theatre involves. . . . A vital reminder both of what theatre can do--and what is at stake if we take it for granted. --What's On Stage Hytner has produced a rare thing: an absorbing memoir by a director-turned-arts-administrator. . . . The insouciance of Balancing Acts is magic dust, sprinkled by a master Oberon. --Standpoint A tremendous book about life in the theatre--and theatre, and life. Honest, shrewd and heartfelt. A classic of its kind. --William Boyd, author of Sweet Caress An unqualified rave for this title. . . . The pages sparkles with luminaries with whom the author has worked. . . . Exquisitely written. . . . The theater crowd is the obvious audience for this book, but the intelligence, wit, and humor throughout expands the scope of readership to anyone interested in the arts. --Library Journal (starred review) A captivating narrative. . . . A detailed and stimulating look at the state of the art. --Publishers Weekly

Hytner is indisputably one of the best theater directors in the world...his approach to Shakespeare and the classics is compelling and nuanced...His grasp of low comedy is equally impressive...[Hytner writes] fully realized scenes that are funny and immediate and ring true. --Alex Witchel, The New York Times Book Review This exquisitely written memoir of Hytner's time running the National (2003-15), when he produced more than 100 new plays, is a revelatory exegesis of finding balance at all levels of artistic, technical, philosophical, and commercial production. The pages sparkle with luminaries with whom the author has worked...The elements Hytner so adroitly strived for in his stewardship of the National is manifested throughout this memoir...The theater crowd is the obvious audience for this book, but the intelligence, wit, and humor throughout expands the scope of readership to anyone interested in the arts. -Library Journal *starred review A detailed and stimulating look at the state of the art. [Hytner] is candid as he shares fun and intimate stories of working with such luminaries as Arthur Miller, Helen Mirren, Magie Smith, Tom Stoppard...He wasn't always able to achieve his goals, and those failures are given just consideration and make for a captivating narrative. -Publisher's Weekly [A] witty memoir...the many backstage stories, as well as [Hytner's] reminiscences about his flirtation with Hollywood, make this an entertaining read...a pleasant peek behind the scenes during a transformative period of British theater history. -Kirkus Reviews Vivid anecdotes about some of the greatest figures in modern British theater will delight any theater buff...[An] entertaining and insightful memoir. -Shelf Awareness Entertaining...Hytner has a writer's instinct for detail, drawing you into the room with luminaries such as Arthur Miller, John Gielgud, Alan Bennett...He balances wit with intellectual gravitas, gossip with self-deprecation, and mischief with serious insight. -Sarah Hemming, The Financial Times (UK) Vivid, engaging, alive with anecdotes and continually invigorated by ideas. -John Carey, The Sunday Times (UK) Absorbing...a memoir melded with lessons learned from three decades at the hard end of the directing/producing business. The central dictum, repeated more than once, is that high-minded can also be showbiz gold, and the book aims to unveil the formula of this mysterious alchemy. It should be read not simply by anyone who has an interest in British theatre, but anyone interested in that oldest of questions: how you make art that sells...Engagingly open...astute and unsentimental...His insights on Shakespeare and Bennett are worth the price of the book alone. -Andrew Dickson, The Guardian (UK) The qualities of Hytner's writing are the qualities of his work as a director --he's specific, he's detailed, he's witty and entertaining, and he's able to tell a good story. Balancing Acts is both history and illumination...Hytner illuminates what a director does in a rehearsal room and he reveals both the ecstasy and the agony of staging large and ambitious shows with complicated scenery...You don't have to be interested in theatre or even in culture to enjoy this book. -Richard Eyre, The Evening Standard (UK) Hytner brings alive the pressures and rewards of running that concrete Oz on the South Bank and giving us brisk pen-portraits of actors. -Benedict Nightingale, The Times (UK) A tremendous book about life in the theatre -- and theatre, and life. Honest, shrewd and heartfelt. A classic of its kind. -William Boyd, author of Sweet Caress Balancing Acts is fueled by the same clarity and intellectual pizzazz that are the hallmarks of [Hytner's] productions...full of handy tips for actors and directors...It's a wonderful book: stimulating, intelligent, gossipy, heartfelt, affectionate, honest and, perhaps above all, fun. -Craig Brown, The Mail on Sunday (UK) Revelatory ... full of anecdotes about the terrifying art of bringing a play alive, and full of insight about the sheer daredevil tightrope act that running the National Theatre involves ... A vital reminder both of what theatre can do - and what is at stake if we take it for granted. -Sarah Crompton, What's On Stage (UK) Hytner has produced a rare thing: an absorbing memoir by a director-turned-arts-administrator... The insouciance of Balancing Acts is magic dust, sprinkled by a master Oberon. -Anne McElvoy, Standpoint (UK)

Author Information

Nicholas Hytner is a theater director and producer. He was artistic director of London’s National Theatre from 2003 to 2015 and co-founded the London Theatre Company, whose first theater, The Bridge, opened in October 2017.

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