Richard Hurst
Encyclopedia
Richard Hurst is a British writer and director of comedy, theatre and television.
Born in Surrey
, he attended Boston Grammar School
and Oakham School
before studying at St Hugh's College, Oxford
, and training as a director at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and the Royal National Theatre
Studio. He was a founding member of the sketch group The Four Horsemen, whose series This Is Pop! was broadcast on BBC Choice
. His Edinburgh work has included work with Pegabovine
and Girl and Dean, Moon The Loon (a play about Keith Moon
), the sell-out children's shows Potted Potter, Potted Pirates, which he co-wrote, and Silly Billy Bum Breath. In 2004 he directed Bill Hicks: Slight Return, which he co-wrote with Chas Early
. The play suggests what would happen if Bill Hicks
returned to Earth for one final show. The show toured extensively in the UK, including four West End runs, and also appeared in Éire, Belgium and Australia. In 2010 he co-wrote and directed Potted Panto, which opened at the Pleasance Theatre, Edinburgh, and subsequently transferred to the Vaudeville Theatre
, London, where it was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Entertainment.
He has also worked extensively with Miranda Hart
as a writer, director and script editor. He co-wrote nine episodes of the multi-award-winning Miranda
for BBC2, having script edited the first episode. Other television work includes writing three episodes of Secret Diary Of A Call Girl
for Tiger Aspect for ITV2 / Showtime.
He has been involved in the National Student Drama Festival
in various capacities, since winning the Sunday Times’ Harold Hobson Student Drama Critic Award in 1994 and the RSC Buzz Goodbody Award in 1995.
Born in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, he attended Boston Grammar School
Boston Grammar School
The Boston Grammar School is a selective grammar school and sixth form college for boys aged 11 to 18 and girls attending the sixth form aged 16–18 located in Boston, Lincolnshire, England....
and Oakham School
Oakham School
Oakham School is a British co-educational independent school in the historic market town of Oakham in Rutland, accepting around 1,000 pupils, aged from 10 to 18, both male and female, as boarders and day pupils . The Good Schools Guide called the school "a privileged but unpretentious and...
before studying at St Hugh's College, Oxford
St Hugh's College, Oxford
St Hugh's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford. It is located on a fourteen and a half acre site on St Margaret's Road, to the North of the city centre. It was founded in 1886 as a women's college, and accepted its first male students in its centenary year in 1986...
, and training as a director at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and the Royal National Theatre
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
Studio. He was a founding member of the sketch group The Four Horsemen, whose series This Is Pop! was broadcast on BBC Choice
BBC Choice
BBC Choice was a BBC TV station which launched on 23 September 1998 and closed on 9 February 2003. It was the first British TV channel to broadcast exclusively in digital format, and was the first new channel from the BBC since BBC Two launched in 1964...
. His Edinburgh work has included work with Pegabovine
Pegabovine
Pegabovine is a comedy theatre company based in London and Exeter, UK, which performs in London and at the Edinburgh Fringe. The company is built around a core of four writer-performers: poet and winner of an Eric Gregory Award Luke Kennard, Jenny Sutton, Matthew Henry Johnson, and Tom ...
and Girl and Dean, Moon The Loon (a play about Keith Moon
Keith Moon
Keith John Moon was an English musician, best known for being the drummer of the English rock group The Who. He gained acclaim for his exuberant and innovative drumming style, and notoriety for his eccentric and often self-destructive behaviour, earning him the nickname "Moon the Loon". Moon...
), the sell-out children's shows Potted Potter, Potted Pirates, which he co-wrote, and Silly Billy Bum Breath. In 2004 he directed Bill Hicks: Slight Return, which he co-wrote with Chas Early
Chas Early
Chas Early is a British actor and playwright. He has appeared on TV shows such as Casualty and EastEnders, Skins and Mayo .In 2009/2010 he was a contestant on the BBC TV show Mastermind.-Works:...
. The play suggests what would happen if Bill Hicks
Bill Hicks
William Melvin "Bill" Hicks was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, satirist, and musician. His material largely consisted of general discussions about society, religion, politics, philosophy, and personal issues. Hicks' material was often controversial and steeped in dark comedy...
returned to Earth for one final show. The show toured extensively in the UK, including four West End runs, and also appeared in Éire, Belgium and Australia. In 2010 he co-wrote and directed Potted Panto, which opened at the Pleasance Theatre, Edinburgh, and subsequently transferred to the Vaudeville Theatre
Vaudeville Theatre
The Vaudeville Theatre is a West End theatre on The Strand in the City of Westminster. As the name suggests, the theatre held mostly vaudeville shows and musical revues in its early days. It opened in 1870 and was rebuilt twice, although each new building retained elements of the previous...
, London, where it was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Entertainment.
He has also worked extensively with Miranda Hart
Miranda Hart
Miranda Katharine Hart Dyke , known professionally as Miranda Hart, is an English actress, writer and stand-up comedienne. She writes and stars in the BBC sitcom Miranda...
as a writer, director and script editor. He co-wrote nine episodes of the multi-award-winning Miranda
Miranda (TV series)
Miranda is a BBC television series co-written by and starring comedienne Miranda Hart, which first aired on BBC Two on 9 November 2009. The situation comedy also features Sarah Hadland, Tom Ellis, Patricia Hodge, James Holmes and Sally Phillips...
for BBC2, having script edited the first episode. Other television work includes writing three episodes of Secret Diary Of A Call Girl
Secret Diary of a Call Girl
Secret Diary of a Call Girl is a British television drama broadcast on ITV2 from 2007-2011 based on the blog and books by the pseudonymous "Belle de Jour," starring Billie Piper as Belle, a high-class London call girl. The series was written by Lucy Prebble, who is also known as the author of The...
for Tiger Aspect for ITV2 / Showtime.
He has been involved in the National Student Drama Festival
National Student Drama Festival
The National Student Drama Festival was founded in 1956 by the Sunday Times arts columnist - the festival's first artistic director - Kenneth Pearson, the Sunday Times theatre critic Harold Hobson, and NUS president Frank Copplestone. The Sunday Times Editor, H.V...
in various capacities, since winning the Sunday Times’ Harold Hobson Student Drama Critic Award in 1994 and the RSC Buzz Goodbody Award in 1995.