The death has been announced of Michael Napier Brown the actor, director and playwright who was the chief executive and artistic director of the Royal Theatre in Northampton for over 20 years after having started his directorial career in Cheltenham.

He was born in Bournemouth. From 1955 to 1957 he served his National Service with the Royal Air Force and on leaving the RAF he won a place at The Hampshire School of Drama, washing-up in a Forte’s restaurant in the mornings to pay for his drama lessons. In 1958 Napier Brown won ‘Most Promising Actor’, the prize for which was a small silver cup, an agent and a summer season at Guernsey.

After a few unsuccessful forays as an actor he decided to become a director and wrote to Malcolm Farquhar (with whom he and his wife had worked at Harare in Zimbabwe) who was artistic director at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham.  Farquhar appointed him as associate director in the mid-1970s. He directed eleven productions before moving to Derby Playhouse.

In 1981 he became chief executive and artistic director of the Royal Theatre in Northampton where he remained for over 20 years, directing over 130 productions.

Michael Napier Brown, 17th March 1937 – 18th August 2016