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How
would you describe the play?
Well
it's a sort of whodunnit, except at the end you don't really know
'whodunnit' because that's the whole point of the title - Taking
Sides.
The
audience makes up its own mind or doesn't according to how persuasive
we've been as to which way the dice should go.
It's
a story about someone being accused of something and it's a sparring
match between two very strong people with very strong opinions -
very self admittedly prejudiced opinions.
What's
so amazing about the play is it seems to be about a very heavy subject
but Ronald Harwood has written a play which is eminently entertaining.
The
dialogue is really alive and often very funny despite the terrible
things going on.
What's
so remarkable about is that no one kills anybody in it or anything
people just talk at each other. I saw it when it first opened in
London and was absolutely overwhelmed by it and thought 'God I'd
love to play that'.
Daniel
Massey played the part of Furtwangler and he was amazingly wonderful.
I came
away from that thinking I really had to do this now and I went about
trying to get it set up and here we are.
I'm
very happy as we have the most fantastic Neil Pearson.
Have
you worked with Neil Pearson before?
No,
I haven't but my wife (actress Isla Blair) has - they did a television
series together.
I can't
think of a single other actor who is so completely perfect for this
part.
He
has all the energy and the life, the humour and the vitriol, the
wit; he's just terrific.
So
the play doesn't really offer up any answers as to the question
of Furtwangler's guilt?
It
offers up answers but whether you believe those answers is another
matter.
When
I saw it in Germany the arguments that went on after the show were
wonderful to hear about whether Furtwangler actually had been a
member of the party or went with the flow of events, why did he
get all those Jews out?
What's
great about it is that it's not only about Furtwangler and his inquisitor,
it's about anybody doubting anybody's integrity in life and by god
don't we all know about that!
What
is your personal take on Furtwangler?
I can't
tell you that because I don't think even he knew.
First
of all you think I'm going to play the part so I've got to believe
he's a good bloke but then you start the play and you realise all
the arguments are so viable and so reasonable and so informed.
You
think like he does - 'has my whole life been a lie or hasn't it?'
You've
got to understand that he was a man who was completely and utterly
engrossed in music. That's all he was interested in. He sort of
didn't take notice.
When
all that awful business was going on in the 30s and 40s he thought
it was a blip that would all blow over. That's how he considered
it.
To
put yourself into the mind of someone like that is a very difficult
thing. This is what is so interesting about the play.
How
do you approach playing a real-life person rather a fictional character?
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Julian
Glover in rehearsals |
You
find out what you can about the person.
Some
actors find out every single thing they can find out. I personally
don't do that.
I read
and listen to other people's opinions of the people, but I find
if you research too much there are so many conflicting views and
opinions that you can't select very easily.
I'm
simply reading a book written by Furtwangler's private secretary
which is the whole history of this episode and everything around
it and I've read stuff off the internet about him. Now I've got
to go on and be him!
The
play begins its UK run in Bath. Is the Theatre Royal one of your
favourite theatres?
It's
perfect. I can say that without any qualification at all, it is
the most beautiful theatre, a dream to play in.
It's
intimate and you get good audiences there not only numerically,
but also in quality.
I adore
Bath anyway and can't think of anywhere better to kick off the play.
You're
well known for appearing in a number of cult movies, which was most
memorable of all these roles?
Well,
appearing in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and For Your Eyes
Only were two major film villains which I've done rather a lot of
in my career.
Star
Wars was not a very big part, but I enjoyed doing it and I get more
fan mail for that than anything else I've ever done.
It's
quite extraordinary, it comes in every day, unbelievable.
>>>
Taking Sides runs from Tuesday 21 October to Saturday 25 October
at The Theatre
Royal Bath
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