Young Vic show director faces claims of sexual misconduct

A LEADING British theatre director was last night at the centre of an “independent investigation” after actresses lodged complaints that he had behaved in a sexually inappropriate manner.

Ramin Gray, the 54-yearold artistic director of Actors Touring Company (ATC), has been accused of inappropriate behaviour by a number of women relating to “historic events”.

The Suppliant Women, a play directed by Gray, is currently running at the Young Vic theatre in London.

A statement issued last night by the Young Vic said: “We were made aware of allegations, all of which related to historic events. By agreement with the Young Vic and in consultation with Equity, Actors Touring Company have initiated an independent investigation.”

It is not known how many of the women who have lodged complaints are actresses. However, the Young Vic said no one involved in The Suppliant Women, which opened last week, had lodged complaints against Gray.

The allegations emerged after Gray, a divorced father of five, was interviewed by a theatre blogger this month. The article, in which Gray said it would be an “honourable search” to find the Harvey Weinstein of British theatre, is believed to have prompted a number of women to contact Carl Woodward, the interviewer.

Their claims were forwarded to The Corner Shop PR agency, which set up the interview and was hired by ATC to promote its 40th anniversary next year. A spokesman for the company said it had decided not to represent ATC and had returned any fees paid.

Gray is understood not to have been seen at the Young Vic for a week, despite his play having its final rehearsal and premiere on Friday. It is understood the cast and crew were told last Monday that he was absent owing to “personal reasons”.

Malinda Smith, 31, a member of the all-female chorus made up of non-actors from south London, walked out, saying it was “ironic” that a play largely about female emancipation and sexual oppression had seen its director become embroiled in such allegations.

“I would say that they should have been transparent about what was happening,” she told The Sunday Telegraph. A Young Vic spokesman said: “When the investiga-

‘I would say that they should have been transparent about what was happening’

tion was initiated, senior members of our team spent time with our participants to share as much information as we were advised was permissible at that time.”

A spokesman for ATC said it took any allegations of misconduct “very seriously” and that steps to initiate an independent investigation process, with appropriate safeguards in place to ensure fairness to everyone concerned, were under way.

The ATC website describes Gray as one of Britain’s “most groundbreaking and enquiring” theatrical directors. After studying at Oxford University, he began his career as a director in 1988 at the Latchmere Theatre.

No one was at Gray’s west London home yesterday, and he failed to respond to a request for a comment.