Cameron Mackintosh
Cameron Mackintosh
Sir Cameron Anthony Mackintoshis a British theatrical producer notable for his association with many commercially successful musicals. At the height of his success in 1990, he was described as being "the most successful, influential and powerful theatrical producer in the world" by the New York Times. He is the producer of shows such as Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Mary Poppins, Oliver!, Miss Saigon and Cats...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionMusic Producer
Date of Birth17 October 1946
asked bath boarding brought parents park pay prior remember school sent war
I'm a war baby: I was brought up with rationing, and my parents always had to struggle. I remember when I was sent to boarding school - Prior Park College in Bath - my father was asked how he was going to pay the fees, and he replied: 'In arrears.'
cook early good learned life lived pounds private stayed survived three took
I survived because I never took on big responsibilities in my private life. In the early days, I lived on two or three pounds a week and learned to cook - and I'm a good cook - because I had to. Even when I went on holiday, I stayed in other people's houses.
knew precocious time
By the time I was ten, everyone knew I wanted to be a producer. I was a very precocious little boy.
aunt hears infected life magic piano took
My aunt took me to see 'Salad Days' when I was seven. This story of a magic piano that infects everyone who hears it infected me, too. It was a Road to Damascus moment in my life.
architecture love
I love architecture almost as much as I love my musicals.
shows trying unless
I don't commit to things unless I have my A-team to do it. And I'm not trying to be cocky, but that shows in my productions. They are top notch!
best bring feet shows successful
Sometimes, thinking on your feet can be the most creative. Constrained circumstances can bring the best out of you. Some of the most successful shows come out of shoestring invention.
architect built edwardian needed work
Two of my theatres are 1930s and the other five are by Sprague, the greatest Edwardian architect of the lot. They've needed a lot of work doing to them but they were built very well.
thinking average tunes
My own tastes happen to be in tune with what the public wants. I think that's the reason my batting average is so high, not because I've discovered some brilliant formula.
circumstances
Constrained circumstances can bring the best out of you.
thinking discipline achieve
Having a think about whether you can afford 'this' or 'that' is a good discipline to have, to maximise what you can achieve to the highest standard.
glorious position redesign
I am in that glorious position where I can redesign and re-package my own work.
debt
I don't like being in debt, and I wouldn't borrow money for anything.
exceptional position decades
I know I'm in the exceptional position of having money but I didn't have it for many decades.