Christopher Richardson trained at the Royal College of Art under Sir Hugh Casson. There he gained the silver medal for experimental theatre design and during that time was part of the team which won the Prix d'Étranger at the Paris Biennale of 1965. He taught design and Drama in Rutland for twenty years and ran the Uppingham Theatre there for twelve of those years. He has designed many plays both in the UK and abroad supporting performers such as Rowan Atkinson, Stephen Fry, Mollie Sugden and Max Wall and The National Youth Music Theatre.He was chairman of the Society of British Theatre Designers for eight years.
He now runs Theatre Futures, a theatre consultancy, whose work has included the Theatre by the Lake, Keswick, The Jersey Opera House and the last refurbishment of the Young Vic, London.
He is the founder and Director of the Pleasance Theatre Festival in both London and Edinburgh.