Directing musical theatre: Spectacles, radical interpretations and nostalgia – an interview with Nikolai Foster

Nikolai Foster is one of the most exciting directors of his generation. He initially trained at the Drama Centre London and then under Michael Grandage at the Crucible in Sheffield. Nikolai has been director on attachment at the Sheffield Crucible, the Royal Court Theatre and the National Theatre Studio. He is currently Associate Director of the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds and has directed more than 40 productions, including radical interpretations of classics and a plethora of musical theatre works (Annie, Aspects of Love, Flashdance, Assassins and A Chorus Line). Here, Foster talks to George Rodosthenous about directing musical theatre, his influences, the importance of training, the megamusical spectacles and how ‘we are inherently afraid of taking risks in this country’ when it comes to new British musicals. He describes himself as ‘an interpretive artist’ and argues that ‘[i]n Europe, the director is much more of a creative force which places the director’s complete and absolute vision for a play on top of it, whether it fits or not’.