RSC Friends

Photograph by Ikin Yum

‘Harris’ as Amanda is known in the business is a born storyteller. Her own life has all the ingredients for a thrilling read. Amanda moved to England while still a child. At 16 she ran away from school and 3 years later she joined the ground breaking theatre company Cheek by Jowl. Amanda went on to play the youngest Desdemona on the English stage partnering the first black actor to play Othello. Amanda earned critical acclaim for her performances in Andromache, Vanity Fair and Pericles.

In 1986 Amanda joined the RSC and described the frenetic work schedule of actors sometimes performing in 4 plays a week. Thankfully, she says that a much calmer and more organised atmosphere prevails under RSC director, Greg Doran.

Amanda concluded by giving views on recent productions that challenge the patriarchy with Mark Rylance’s all female cast at the Globe and the hugely successful ‘gender flipping’ in RSC’s Taming of the Shrew.

A wide ranging and fascinating talk.