We were delighted that one of our most illustrious former pupils, the theatre director Richard Digby Day (Pole 1952-1958) returned to school on the 16th March. He spent the afternoon with our LVI and UVI English pupils running an inspiring session on their set texts The Duchess of Malfi, A Streetcar Named Desire and Hamlet.  

'An Evening with Richard Digby Day’ followed. In conversation with our Head of English, Dr Stuart Hart, Richard talked about his career from playing Eliza Dolittle in a Solihull School production of ‘Pygmalion’, to winning the Leverhulme Scholarship to study at RADA, where he became their first student of direction.

Richard became one of our most admired stage directors, being credited with discovering actors Hugh Grant and Ralph Fiennes. Richard has been artistic director of five UK theatres, including the Nottingham Playhouse. He’s most renowned for his work in the classical theatre, in particular the plays of Shakespeare and George Bernard Shaw and has worked with many of our greatest actors including, Dame Judi Dench, Sir Ian McKellen, Eileen Atkins, Geraldine McEwan and Alan Rickman.'

Click here to see the recording.