Barrie Rutter

Barrie Thomas Rutter OBE (born 12 December 1946) is an English actor and the founder and Artistic Director of the Northern Broadsides theatre company based in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England.

He was born in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England and after leaving school (Greatfield High School, Newton Hall) studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. In the 1970s he worked with the National Youth Theatre (where Peter Terson wrote a role for him in The Apprentices) and the Royal Shakespeare Company. In the 1980s he performed in three adaptations by poet Tony Harrison: The Mysteries, The Oresteia and The Trackers of Oxyrhynchus. When Trackers was performed at Salt's Mill, Saltaire "He was deeply affected by the raw emotion of speaking to a northern audience in a northern voice in a classical play".

Rutter founded Northern Broadsides in 1992, and the company continues to perform both at its Halifax base and on tour. He continues to play major parts in many of its productions.^[1]

In 2000 he won the title 'Creative Briton 2000', with a cheque for £100,000.^[2] He was nominated for it by, amongst others, John Prescott, then Deputy Prime Minister, who said "Barrie's northern accent, fast action, factory floor Shakespeare is as far from elitism as can be, though it has never, never dumbed Shakespeare down."^[3] In 2003 he received the Sam Wanamaker Award jointly with Stephen Unwin for their work promoting Shakespeare in the regions.^[4] In 2005 he received the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from the University of Bradford.^[5]

He has appeared in many films and television programmes, including Queenie's Castle and a regular role in the early 1980s ITV sitcom Astronauts and as armed robber Oakes in the film version of the BBC sitcom Porridge. He appeared in 5 episodes of the television series Fat Friends in 2004–05, playing Douglas Simpson.^[6]

In 2009 Rutter directed Lenny Henry in a production of Othello.^[7] He said of the decision to cast the comedian, "knives might be out at me or at Lenny. I don't care. This has come about from a completely genuine desire to do a piece of theatrical work. Bloody hell, how long has the Donmar had Hollywood stars going there for £200? He's six-foot five. He's beautifully black. And he's Othello."^[8]

After setting up the run of Othello in London, Rutter was invited to direct Richard III for the 'Vanemuine' Theatre Company in Tartu, Estonia. Though he suffered a heart attack, he completed the rehearsals for the first night at the Samadateater in Tartu on 17 October 2009. In the third quarter of 2010, Rutter also became a patron for the newly opened ALRA North.

Rutter's former wife Carol Rutter is Professor of English at the University of Warwick and Director of the CAPITAL Centre. They have two daughters.

Rutter was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2015 New Year Honours for services to drama.^[9][10]

References

External links

• Interview with The British Theatre Guide
• Interview alongside Lenny Henry on BBC News
• IMDB entry