Christopher Luscombe read English at Cambridge. He began his career as an actor, spending seven years with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He went on to appear at the National Theatre, the Old Vic and in the West End. While at Stratford-upon-Avon, he devised and directed The Shakespeare Revue with Malcolm McKee, and this transferred to the Vaudeville Theatre in London. His subsequent productions at Stratford include Twelfth Night, Love’s Labour’s Lost and Much Ado About Nothing, the last two transferring to Chichester Festival Theatre and then to the Theatre Royal, Haymarket. He is an Associate Artist of the RSC.
His other directing credits in London include: Star Quality and The Madness of George III (Apollo); Home and Beauty (Lyric); Fascinating Aïda (Harold Pinter - Olivier Award nomination for Best Entertainment); The Comedy of Errors and The Merry Wives of Windsor (Shakespeare’s Globe); Nell Gwynn (Shakespeare’s Globe and Apollo – Olivier Award for Best New Comedy); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Regent’s Park); Enjoy (Gielgud); Alphabetical Order (Hampstead); When We Are Married (Garrick - Olivier Award nomination for Best Revival); Travels With My Aunt (Menier Chocolate Factory); Spamalot (Playhouse) and Private Lives (Ambassadors).
Regional and international credits include Masterpieces (Birmingham); Little Shop of Horrors and The History Boys (Leeds); Things We Do for Love (Harrogate); The Likes of Us (Sydmonton); Arms and the Man (Salisbury); A Small Family Business (Watford); Hobson’s Choice (Sheffield); Hay Fever (Minneapolis); Henry V and Nell Gwynn (Chicago); While The Sun Shines and The Argument (Bath); The Winter’s Tale (Cincinnati); Gigi (West Green); Gypsy (Tokyo) and tours of The Importance of Being Earnest, Tell Me on a Sunday, The Lady in the Van, Candida, Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime, Single Spies, Admission: One Shilling, Dandy Dick, Blue/Orange and The Nightingales.
His production of The Rocky Horror Show has been running for the last nineteen years. It has completed numerous seasons in the West End and played all over the world. It is currently touring the UK.
His operatic work includes Candide, Falstaff (Broadway World nomination for Best New Opera Production), The Yeomen of the Guard and Tosca (Grange Festival); Sweeney Todd (Bergen National Opera); Pagliacci (Opera Ensemble) and Il barbiere di Siviglia (Garsington Opera). He returns to Garsington this year for L’elisir d’amore, followed by The Magic Fountain at the Wexford Festival. Next year he will direct Die Zauberflöte for Santa Fe Opera.
