After a successful career as an actress, in partnership with Charles Marowitz, Thelma founded the Open Space Theatre in Tottenham Court Road, London, which became the forerunner of the London fringe. In 1977, joined The Round House in Chalk Farm as Artistic and Executive Director. There she instigated a policy of bringing the best of regional theatre to London: Citizens Theatre (Glasgow), Royal Exchange Theatre Company (Manchester), Stephen Joseph Theatre Company, Scarborough.
She gave London the opportunity to see some of the successful productions initiated at the Edinburgh Festival. Other visiting companies included: Josef Szanja (Poland), The Pickle Family Circus (USA), Circus Oz (Australia), Antoine Vitez (France), Rustaveli Theatre Company (Georgia, CIS).
From 1977–83 Holt was artistic director at the Round House. In 1983 The Round House closed and Thelma Holt joined the Theatre of Comedy as executive producer, where she produced Loot by Joe Orton, directed by Jonathan Lynn and starring Leonard Rossiter. (For further information on Holt at both the Open Space and at the Round House, see (Vaulting Ambitions by Jennie Schiele, published in 2004.)
Holt produced INTERNATIONAL 87, a series of four visits to the National Theatre by international theatre companies: The Hairy Ape by Eugene O'Neill directed by Peter Stein (production from the Schaubühne, Berlin), Miss Julie by August Strindberg and Hamlet by William Shakespeare both directed by Ingmar Bergman (Productions from the Royal Dramatic Theatre, Stockholm), Macbeth by William Shakespeare and Medea by Euripides both directed by Yukio Ninagawa (the Ninagawa Company from Tokyo), Tomorrow was War by the Mayakovsky Theatre Company from Moscow. For this international season Holt received the Olivier/Observer Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Theatre and a special award from Drama Magazine. In 1998 she co-produced The Fairy-Queen by Purcell, directed by Adrian Noble for the Aix-en-Provence Festival.
Thelma Holt produced INTERNATIONAL 89, a second series of four visits to the National Theatre by international theatre companies: Tango Varsoviano by Teatro del Sur (Buenos Aires), Grapes of Wrath by the Steppenwolf Theatre Company (Chicago), Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov from the Moscow Art Theatre and Suicide for Love the return of the Ninagawa Theatre Company.
Holt was executive producer for Triumph Proscenium's production of Pirandello's Henry IV starring Richard Harris, which was presented in 1990 at Wyndham's Theatre, London. In 1990 she also presented two visiting productions at the National Theatre: Hamlet by William Shakespeare (the Bulandra Theatre Company from Bucharest), The Kingdom of Desire based on Shakespeare's Macbeth (the Contemporary Legend Theatre from Taiwan).
Tango at the End of Winter by Shimizu in a version by Peter Barnes, directed by Yukio Ninagawa, cast included Alan Rickman, presented at the Piccadilly Theatre
1991
Electra by Sophocles, RSC production directed by Deborah Warner, cast included Fiona Shaw in the title role, presented at Riverside Studios follows by a tour to Bobigny (France), Bradford (Transport Museum), Derry (Sports Centre) and Glasgow (Tramway)
1992
Hamlet by William Shakespeare, directed by Robert Sturua, cast included Alan Rickman in the title role, presented at Riverside Studios and on tour in the UK
Les Atride directed by Ariane Mnouchkine, production from Le Theatre du Soleil, Paris, presented at Robin Mills, Bradford as part of the European Arts Festival
Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen in a version by Frank McGuinness, directed by Yukio Ninagawa, cast included Michael Sheen in the title role. World Tour including premiere performances at the Winter Olympics in Norway.
Anthony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare, directed by Vanessa Redgrave, cast included Vanessa Redgrave, David Harewood. Riverside Studios and Regional UK tour.
Macbeth by William Shakespeare, directed by John Crowley, cast included Rufus Sewell in the title role. Presented at the Queen's Theatre
King Lear by William Shakespeare directed by Yukio Ninagawa, cast included Nigel Hawthorne in the title role. Royal Shakespeare Company production in association with HoriPro Inc. presented in Tokyo, London and in Stratford-upon-Avon
2000–2015
2000
Miss Julie by August Strindberg in a version by Frank McGuinness directed by Michael Boyd. Cast included Christopher Eccleston, Aisling O'Sullivan, Maxine Peake. Presented at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.
2001
Semi-Monde by Noël Coward directed and designed by Philip Prowse. London premiere production presented at the Lyric Theatre, London.
Sotoba Komachi and Yoroboshi by Yukio Mishima directed by Yukio Ninagawa cast included Tatsuya Fujiwara. Ninagawa Company presented at the Barbican Theatre, London as part of BITE: 01.
2002
Via Dolorosa by David Hare directed by Stephen Daldry. David Hare in award-winning one man show at the Duchess Theatre in association with Bill Kenwright.
The Tempest by William Shakespeare directed by Patrick Mason cast included Richard Briers. UK tour in association with Theatre Royal, Plymouth (Stage 1 of Arts Council Three Year Initiative). The musical score was composed by Tom Foster-Carter.
2002/03
The Jacobeans – West End presentation at the Gielgud Theatre in association with Bill Kenwright of RSC productions.
The Taming of The Shrew by William Shakespeare directed by Mark Rosenblatt, cast included Nichola McAuliffe and Ross Kemp. UK tour in association with Theatre Royal Plymouth (Stage 2 of Arts Council Three Year Initiative).
2004
The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare in repertoire with The Tamer Tamed by John Fletcher directed by Gregory Doran RSC productions presented in association with Bill Kenwright at the Queen's Theatre, London.
All's Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare directed by Gregory Doran cast included Judi Dench. RSC production presented in association with Bill Kenwright at the Gielgud Theatre, London.
Othello by William Shakespeare directed by Gregory Doran cast included Antony Sher. RSC production presented on tour in Japan in association with HoriPro Inc.
We Happy Few by Imogen Stubbs directed by Trevor Nunn cast included Juliet Stevenson. Presented in association with Bill Kenwright at the Gielgud Theatre, London.
Hamlet by William Shakespeare directed by Yukio Ninagawa cast included Michael Maloney in the title role. UK tour and presentation at Barbican Theatre as part of BITE: 04 in association with Theatre Royal Plymouth (Stage 3 of Arts Council Three Year Initiative).
Primo by Primo Levi adapted by Antony Sher and directed by Richard Wilson. Solo performance by Antony Sher National Theatre production presented in association with Bill Kenwright at the Music Box, New York. Outer Critics' Circle Award for Solo Performance.
Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare directed by Patrick Mason with Matthew Kelly as Malvolio. UK tour in association with Theatre Royal Plymouth.
A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare directed by Gregory Doran. Tour to Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space, Japan. RSC production presented in association with HoriPro Inc. and Metropolitan Art Space, Tokyo.
Hay Fever by Noël Coward directed by Peter Hall with Judi Dench and Peter Bowles. Produced in association with Bill Kenwright at Theatre Royal Haymarket, London.
Breakfast With Mugabe by Fraser Grace directed by Antony Sher (debut as director) at Duchess Theatre. RSC production presented in association with Nica Burns.
Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare directed by Yukio Ninagawa. Presented in association with HoriPro Inc. Royal Shakespeare Theatre and Theatre Royal Plymouth. Part of RSC Complete Works Festival.
The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, a new adaptation in two parts by Mike Poulton. An RSC production of an RSC Commission directed by Gregory Doran, Rebecca Gatward & Jonathan Munby. Presented at the Gielgud Theatre in association with Bill Kenwright.
2007
Coriolanus by William Shakespeare directed by Yukio Ninagawa. Presented in association with HoriPro Inc. at the Barbican Theatre as part of BITE 2007.
Kean by Jean-Paul Sartre. Antony Sher in the title role directed by Adrian Noble. Presented in association with Anthony Field and John C. Causebrook at the Apollo Theatre.
The Giant by Antony Sher directed by Gregory Doran. In association with Hampstead Theatre and by arrangement with the RSC at the Hampstead Theatre.
Twelfth Night after William Shakespeare directed by Yukio Ninagawa. Presented in association with Shochiku Grand Kabuki at the Barbican Theatre as part of bite 2009.
The English Samurai by Mike Poulton & Shoichiro Kawai directed by Gregory Doran. In association with HoriPro Inc. at the Galaxy Theatre, Tokyo.
2010
Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen in a version by Frank McGuinness directed by Iain Glen at the Duchess Theatre.
Musashi by Inoue Hisashi directed by Yukio Ninagawa. In association with HoriPro Inc. at the Barbican Theatre as part of bite 2010.
2011
Ruby Wax: Losing It in a co-production with the Menier Chocolate Factory, at the Duchess Theatre.
2012
Cymbeline by William Shakespeare, directed by Yukio Ninagawa. Produced in association with HoriPro Inc. at the Barbican Theatre as part of bite 2012.
Written on the Heart by David Edgar, directed by Gregory Doran. RSC production presented in association with Bill Kenwright and Nica Burns at the Duchess Theatre.
Volcano by Noël Coward, produced in association with Bill Kenwright. UK tour and at the Vaudeville Theatre.
All That Fall by Samuel Beckett, directed by Trevor Nunn. Jermyn Street Theatre production presented in association with Richard Darbourne at the Arts Theatre.
2013
Anjin – The Shogun & The English Samurai by Mike Poulton and Sho Kawai, directed by Gregory Doran. Produced in association with HoriPro Inc. in Japan and at Sadlers Wells Theatre.
2014
Forbidden Broadway transfer to Vaudeville Theatre of Menier Chocolate Factory production for limited season.
2015
Hamlet by William Shakespeare and Kafka on the Shore based on the work of Haruki Murakami adapted by Frank Galati, directed by Yukio Ninagawa, presented at Barbican Theatre in association with HoriPro Inc.
Honours & Awards
Olivier/Observer Award – Outstanding Achievement (1987)
Shakespeare Globe Classic Awards – Tyrone Guthrie Award for Best Production (1993) (Much Ado About Nothing)
Tony Award (with Bill Kenwright) – Best Revival (1996) (A Doll's House)
CBE – Queen's Birthday Honours List (1994)
Award for Excellence in International Theatre – British International Theatre Institute (1994)