Trevor Nunn Talks INHERIT THE WIND To The TimesOnline, Opens At The Old Vic 10/1

Once the artistic director of two of the most well respected theater institutions in the world, The Royal Shakespeare Company and The National Thatre in the U.K., Trevor Nunn branched out on his own in 2003 to direct several highly successful shows abroad. With the opening of his newest undertaking, a production of Inherit The Wind at The Old Vic starring Kevin Spacey and David Troughton, the famed director talks with the TimesOnline about the experience of directing the timeless play and being a free agent.

According to the times, Nunn's inspiration to resurrect Inherit The Wind in large scale came from an assignment from the Darwin Society who asked the director to stage something in honor of the 200th anniversary of the evolutionist's birth.

According to the TimesOnline, Spacey and the Old Vic came into the picture serendipitously, as he and Nunn happened to be in contact just days after Spacey had delivered a Darrow speech from the show at a conference in Russia, leading to Spacey's interest to house the project in his theater and star (Spacey serves as the Artistic Director for the Old Vic).  Spacey and Nunn previously collaborated on a highly successful production of Richard II at the Old Vic.

On the relevance of the piece today Nunn explains: "One side is saying you can't teach a generation of students and censor one vital, fundamental sense of who we are and where we come from. The other is saying that there are people from other traditions for whom Darwin is a sensitive subject, and it's more important to keep a community happy than allow teaching that might cause distress."

As for Nunn's newfound freedom in being a free agent director, he could not be more pleased. Says Nunn to the TimesOnline: "I can actually have a lunch break, I don't have to do papers and phone calls the entire weekend. So, yes, the freedom is absolutely exhilarating."

To read the full article on Nunn from the TimesOnline, click here.

Nunn's production of Inherit The Wind features 23 actors, six children and 34 extras. The production opens tomorrow, October 1 and runs at the Old Vic through December 20.

Nunn's musical credits include smash hits such as Cats, Les Misérables and Starlight Express. He served as Artistic Director of the RSC for eighteen years and in 1996 become Artistic Director of the National Theatre, a post he surrendered in 2003. His most recent credits include Hamlet (Old Vic), King Lear and The Seagull (RSC) and A Little Night Music in the West End.

In addition to a successful film career which boasts credits such as The Usual Suspects and American Beauty, Old Vic Artistic Director Kevin Spacey has appeared in A Moon for the Misbegotten, Richard II and Speed the Plow at The Old Vic.

David Troughton is a well-known face from both stage and screen. He has appeared in numerous productions at the RSC and The National