George Devine

George Devine was a visionary figure in mid‑twentieth‑century British theatre, best known for his tireless work as a theatrical producer, manager, director, teacher and actor. Born in Hendon, London on 20 November 1910 to a mixed Irish‑Greek‑Canadian family, he attended Clayesmore School before studying history at Wadham College, Oxford, where he discovered his passion for drama and became president of the Oxford University Dramatic Society in 1931. Leaving his degree unfinished, he moved to London, where he first worked as an actor at the Old Vic and as a business manager for the design collective Motley, before forging a pivotal partnership with the French director Michel Saint‑Denis that led to the creation of the London Theatre Studio in 1936, a groundbreaking institution that trained not only actors but also designers. His early directorial debut with an adaptation of Great Expectations in 1939 earned the admiration of future film legend David Lean, and his wartime service as a captain in the Royal Artillery, mentioned twice in despatches, added to his depth of experience. After the war Devine co‑founded the Old Vic Theatre School and the Young Vic Company, nurturing talents such as Prunella Scales and Joan Plowright, and despite a forced resignation in 1952, he continued to direct acclaimed Shakespeare productions and operas, solidifying his reputation as a versatile and daring artist. In 1955 he helped establish the English Stage Company at the Royal Court Theatre, where his commitment to new writing reshaped the British theatrical landscape; landmark productions of John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, and Samuel Beckett’s Endgame reflected his belief that theatre should engage the intellectual life of the nation. Awarded a CBE in 1958, Devine’s career was cut short by a fatal heart attack during a performance of A Patriot for Me in 1966, but his legacy lives on through the George Devine Award for most promising playwright and the countless artists he inspired.