Producer Chris Harper on creating theatrical magic

Producer Chris Harper talks about his childhood inspiration, the emotional cost of storytelling, and bringing bold productions such as The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and Othello to life.

When theatre producer Chris Harper speaks about his work, he doesn’t just recount credits or chronicle his many career milestones, which is unusual for a man whose hit shows include War Horse, Marianne Elliott’s gender-flipped Company, and acclaimed revivals of Cock, Death of a Salesman and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, where he worked with stars such as Jonathan Bailey and Daisy Edgar Jones.

Instead, Harper tells stories, which at their core reveal his passion for theatre and the thrill of helping to create it. Sitting down with London Theatre Magazine at the Noël Coward Theatre, he talks about his introduction to theatre, the magic of the West End, and working with some of theatre’s greats. What comes through is that this isn’t just a job for him — it’s more like a calling.

“I was five years old when I went to see my first pantomime at the Birmingham Hippodrome,” Harper recalls. “I thought, ‘I don’t know what this is, but I love it.’ The anticipation, the suspension of belief — I was intoxicated. On the way home, I told my parents, ‘That’s what I want to do with my life.’” That early enchantment set Harper on a journey that began with acting ambitions and gradually evolved into backstage work, internships, and, eventually, producing.

What truly sets Harper apart is the lens through which he sees theatre — one shaped by his early career in marketing. “I always ask myself, do I want to see it? And will enough other people want to see it for it to work in the West End?” he explains. “You have to be thinking about filling a theatre for 14 or 16 weeks. Producing is about creating a perfect harmony between the play, director, actors, and concept. But it starts with your own passion — because it’s emotionally expensive work.”

That passion is currently channeled into The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, a theatrical adaptation that’s returning to London after a successful UK tour. “It’s the 75th anniversary of the book’s release,” Harper notes. “And something based in classic literature is always fertile ground. Every kid has crawled through a wardrobe playing hide and seek, imagining a different world. It’s enduring. It’s inherently theatrical.”

He credits the creative team behind the production for its success: “Sally Cookson and a group of actors devised the original version, and that’s why it works — it came from theatremakers. Michael Fentiman then took it further, with actors playing live instruments, moving the set in front of your eyes, and adding aerial work, magic, and choreography. It’s not quite a musical, but we’ve got great songs. It’s a real theatrical adventure.”

From fantasy to tragedy, Harper is also stepping into Shakespearean territory with his upcoming production of Othello, his first foray into producing the Bard. “It started with director Tom Morris, who I worked with on War Horse. I had a meeting with him, and asked what he wanted to do next. He said he’d always wanted to do Othello with Toby Jones as Iago,” Harper says. “It was an easy yes!” Asking David Harewood to return to the role of Othello was another irresistible idea. “I’d seen David do Othello at the National Theatre — it was incredible. So I called David’s agent and asked if he’d consider doing it again nearly 30 years later. It was a quick yes.”

The production boasts a powerhouse cast: Caitlin Fitzgerald as Desdemona, Vinette Robinson as Emilia, and Luke Treadwell as Cassio. “Toby’s never played someone truly evil before,” Harper says. “To see him take on Iago is going to be thrilling.” After winning awards and the nation’s hearts as the heroic campaigner Alan Bates in BBC series Mr Bates vs The Post Office, it is indeed quite a shift.

Harper is also working on The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, a stage musical based on Rachel Joyce’s beloved novel about a man who sets out from South Devon to Berwick upon Tweed to support a dying friend. The show completed a successful world premiere season at Chichester Festival Theatre in June. “I read the book when it was first published, 15 years ago. Later Rachel’s sister, who was in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, introduced us, and we met to discuss adapting it for the stage,” Harper recalls. “I had reread the book and sat there thinking, ‘I really want to do this as a musical, but she is going to think I am mad! She’s going to ask me to do it as a play.’” When the pair finally sat down to discuss how it would work, it turns out she was thinking along the same lines.

The collaboration eventually led to English singer and songwriter Passenger composing a “brilliant score” and director Katy Rudd helming the production. “She’s truly a visionary director,” Harper says. “She directed The Ocean at the End of the Lane and Ballet Shoes at the National — you need that level of imagination to tell a story that spans the length of the country on a static stage. She’s built an emotional journey that unfolds theatrically. And Mark Addy [as Harold Fry] is just phenomenal. I am in awe that I get to work with these incredible people.”

Harper is clearly drawn to stories that resonate deeply. “Whether it’s Harold Fry, Ghosts, Company, or Othello, I want to be moved. I want to gasp. I want to leave the theatre changed. That’s what ties my projects together. I don’t want something that just washes over me — I want something that jolts me.”

This emotional authenticity extends beyond the productions themselves to how Harper works with people. He speaks with profound gratitude about his own mentors, especially legendary producer André Ptaszynski. “He was my theatre dad,” Harper says. “He gave me my first big break in London when I was 20. He was one of the good guys.

“Then I was l just super lucky to get to work with Nick Hytner and Nick Starr setting up a commercial arm of the National Theatre. It took them believing in me and I couldn’t be more grateful that they did.”

Harper, in turn, has become a champion of talent, both on and off stage. “The people who work for me are amazing. That’s what I’m really excited about — trying to do what was done for me and giving people opportunities.”

Even his family has had a transformative impact on his creative life. As a single father of twins, Harper’s perspective on storytelling shifted. “You see the world through different eyes when you become a parent. They were born 10 weeks premature,” he says. “On my way to the hospital, I was listening to ‘Being Alive’ from Company. It was the thing that gave me the courage to get through what were really tricky days. And listening to that song I thought, ‘How about we do Company with Bobby as a woman…?’ So that’s how that production came about. When we won an Olivier and a Tony for it, I dedicated the award to them.”

Harper’s twins now accompany him to shows and offer candid feedback. “They love the theatre, and yes, they are definitely my toughest critics.”

The New York run of Company also brought about an unforgettable moment when Broadway legend Patti LuPone used his name to silence a rude patron, who dared to suggest that she - the audience member - pays her salary. “Chris Harper pays my salary! How dare you!” she barked back. A meme and even a t-shirt slogan were born. Harper laughs. “The point with Patti is you never know what she’s going to say next. Initially I was a little embarrassed about it. It was a little surreal because I’m not the kind of person who wants to be front and centre. It was a fun moment in time, but I’m happy to go back into the shadows now.”

Perhaps that’s what makes Chris Harper such a singular presence in the theatre world: an unwavering passion for story, a sharp commercial instinct, and a quiet humility that allows the work — and the people around him — to shine. “I’m just lucky to do what I love,” he says. “Theatre has the power to change how we see the world. I still believe that. I always will.”

Book The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and Othello tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

This article first appeared in the August 2025 issue of London Theatre Magazine.

Photo credit: Chris Harper. Inset: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, Othello. (Courtesy of productions)