Hutchings made his name particularly in Shakespeare's comic roles, including Dromio of Syracuse, Bottom, Feste, Lavache, Autolycus and Doctor Caius.

Hutchings' singing voice often featured in his comic roles, with his appearance in 1982 as Lady Dodo in the musical Poppy winning a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance.

In 2004, he played Nagg in Samuel Beckett's Endgame at the Albery Theatre alongside Michael Gambon, Lee Evans and Liz Smith.

A first collaboration with David Leland for the film Made in Britain (directed by Alan Clarke and starring Tim Roth) in 1981 has led to his notable role as Hubert Mansell, the father of Emily Lloyd in Wish You Were Here in 1987.

His other film successes included White Hunter, Black Heart (with Clint Eastwood), Henry V (with Kenneth Branagh), Topsy-Turvy (with Jim Broadbent), Clockwise (with John Cleese), The Thief Lord (as Conte) and The Affair of the Necklace (with Hilary Swank).