Cal McCrystal is a leading director who continues to transform the face of opera as we know it, recognising his creative vision as one of the most playful and dynamic currently seen worldwide. Originally from Ireland, his work spans opera, theatre, circus and film across the globe, with his productions described as ‘laugh-out-loud funny’ (The Guardian) where ‘Every aspect of the staging is designed to provoke or facilitate humour’ (Bachtrack).
Career Highlights
In the 2024/25 season, McCrystal made his house debut at Irish National Opera with a new production of Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore. His previous operatic work includes the critically acclaimed Rossini’s Le comte Ory for Garsington Opera, as well as two productions for English National Opera: Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore, which will be revived in the 2025/26 season, and the Olivier Award-winning Sullivan’s Iolanthe, which returned to the ENO stage in 2023/24. McCystal trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama and at École Philippe Gaulier, and has worked extensively as an actor, writer and director in theatre, TV, film and radio. He was Comedy Director for the Royal National Theatre’s award-winning West End and Broadway hit show One Man, Two Guvnors and for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Don Quixote. McCrystal directed the original Mighty Boosh stage shows, winning a Perrier Award, and recently directed Noel Fielding’s international tour An Evening With Noel Fielding. McCrystal continues to work regularly for British repertory theatres including Peepolykus, the Comedians Theatre Company, Garry Starr, and the celebrated British clown troupe Spymonkey. He collaborated for many years with the singer Kate Dimbleby with the last of their cabarets, Beware Of Young Girls, which transferred to New York in 2014. He spent many years as Comedy Director for Cirque du Soleil and created clown routines for their touring show, Varekai, and their erotic cabaret, Zumanity: Another Side of Cirque du Soleil, which ran for 15 successful years in Las Vegas. He recently returned to Las Vegas to direct OPIUM at the Cosmopolitan Hotel and create a new resident show for the Venetian Hotel, Atomic Saloon Show. For the last decade, McCrystal has written and directed the annual touring shows for Giffords Circus.
