He grew up in Cape Town—but he knew he had to leave South Africa. Drama school in England would be his escape
you do them—it’s got to mean something to you before it’s going to mean anything to the audience. Otherwise just go be a plumber.”
As he left, he felt his head tingle with booze and excitement. Actors were taught to be passive, he had always thought, to be grateful for any work, to do as they’re told, to not think for themselves. He realised that he was catching what Jean Cocteau called “the red and gold sickness”: falling in love with theatre. Until then he’d only been in love with acting.
That conversation led to two crucial decisions that would influence how he worked for the rest of his life: to take only lead roles and to involve himself early on in every production, whether shaping a new text, discussing where to set a Shakespeare play or in designing the staging and lighting. He also recognised that although he had briefly been married to a woman, he was gay. He didn’t want to pretend anymore.
Those decisions in turn shaped the parts he chose: Arnold in Harvey Fierstein’s hymn to Jewish New York drag queens, “Torch Song Trilogy”, Willy Loman in Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman”, Pam Gems’s Stanley Spencer in “Stanley”—all prissy and precise—the title role in “Primo” . And of course Shakespeare’s Richard III, the performance of his life.
He discussed the part with his shrink. He read up on evil men, studying their intelligence, cunning and sick humour. Hanging over him was Laurence Olivier, who had made Richard his own. Mr Sher found himself scurrying around Olivier’s vast shadow, always trying to find a way in, some little peephole. That he chose to play Richard on crutches made him seem bigger and stronger than he’d ever been, allowing him to charge forwards across the stage like a bison, sideways like a crab.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Why doesn't the U.S. have an ambassador to South Korea?The Biden admin. hasn’t nominated anyone to be ambassador to South Korea, a critical post. Officials say this is causing tension between the two allies.
Read more »
Deadly tornadoes in South and Midwest: Biden declares state of emergency in Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee
Read more »
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem Proposes Ban On Transgender AthletesThe Republican defended the proposed bill as an effort to ensure “an equal playing field” for women.
Read more »
South Korea's largest dairy company apologizes over a video advert implying women are cowsSouth Korea's largest dairy company, Seoul Milk, has apologized after releasing a controversial advert which some critics say portray women as cows.
Read more »
Opinion | Why this viral South Dakota promotion was a punch in the gutAnne Lutz Fernandez: It’s impossible for me to see those teachers scrambling on their hands and knees as anything other than a terrible metaphor. - NBCNewsTHINK
Read more »
South Korea mulling new curbs after record cases in day – latest updatesLatest on the global Covid crisis: 🇰🇷 South Korea reports new 7,850 cases 🇦🇺 Australia reopens borders to non-citizens 🇺🇸 Without booster, 3 US vaccines appear to be less protective For more:
Read more »