Clare Venables

Clare Rosamund Venables (17 March 1943 – 17 October 2003) was an English theatre director. She was artistic director of regional theatres in Lincoln, Stratford East (London), and Sheffield; she became Director of Education at the Royal Shakespeare Company, and she also directed a number of operas.

Early life

She was born in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, to Sir Peter Venables, first vice-chancellor of the University of Aston and a founder of the Open University, and Ethel Howell, an educational psychologist who chaired the Marriage Guidance Council.

She was educated at Manchester High School and Camp Hill School, Birmingham. She then read Drama at Manchester University, gaining a first class degree, and taught there for three years after graduating.

Career

Clare Venables started her career as director at the Theatre Royal in Lincoln in 1968, taking over as Artistic Director in 1970, with Howard Lloyd-Lewis as her assistant. They both moved on to the Manchester Library Theatre in 1973.