RSC Friends

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Michael treated us to a hugely entertaining and hilarious session with his amusing reminiscences of life in the theatre over his long and successful career. Michael is a born raconteur who can deliver a punch line that both surprises and delights.. He divulged that his acting career had begun inauspiciously as he had inadvertently fallen off stage during a school production of Julius Caesar! He followed this with a description of the actors’ nightmare of arriving on stage having forgotten one’s lines. Friends empathised with as Michael shared his agonised pondering over whether to throw himself down stairs to avoid going on stage!

Michael spoke at length about creating the role of Sir Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night. He was quick to give credit to the director, Chris Luscombe,for his tremendous support to actors and paid tribute to the good humour and and help he had received from the whole company. Creating a weak and cowardly character who is nevertheless endearing and retains the audience’s sympathy is no mean feat. Michael gave us an insight into how Aguecheek has been badly treated by ‘fake friends’ by delving into his own past, reminding us of the underlying melancholy aspects of the play. It was clearly a great favourite with this audience  and several had seen the play several times.

Michael told us amusing anecdotes about his parts in Downton Abbey and The Crown and his long term commitment to the Archers. He confessed that Radio was his great love- ‘No make up, no messing about with costume.’

The session put a smile on everyone’s faces, a great antidote to a cold February afternoon.