|
Nigel
Havers is certainly a very charming man. Despite the fact that he
had just spent a good deal of the afternoon on the M1 following
an accident in front of him, he unveiled the new Electric
Sheep sculpture at Milton Keynes Theatre in very good humour
and, still smiling, was prepared to spend time talking about a play
that he clearly loves.
 |
| Nigel
Havers |
Nigel
is no stranger to Art, having played Serge in the West End Production
and in a previous national tour. He says that it is not hard to
come back into it:
"I've
been in it, on it and around it for many years now" he jokes.
Normally,
a seasoned cast wouldn't have to rehearse it again, but because
one of the original trio from this particular production, Barry
Foster, has sadly passed away, they are looking at it again with
Leigh Lawson, who has also been it it before.
"We
are having a re-look at it at the moment" says Nigel, "but
I'm not going to worry about that. It'll all happen on the night.
I know it well enough to make it live and breathe on its own."
It
was definitely not a hard decision to do the tour.
"I
just love the play and I also think that touring is important"
he explains. "I'm not one of those actors who says 'I'm not
leaving London', I'm very keen to have a crack at doing something
on the road. Especially as I do a lot of telly and stuff, I think
it's good to go and let them see us do something live. I think people
appreciate that."
....Milton
Keynes are really up for it. They're a great crowd.
 |
|
Nigel
Havers
|
He
is particularly complimentary about Milton Keynes, a theatre where
he has played before and whose audiences he appreciates:
"It's
a great theatre and there are great audiences here too" he
says. "You get some places where the audience is very clued
up, very optimistic and want to enjoy themselves. They really go
out to have a good night. In other places they sort of say 'come
on entertain us' and are quite difficult to get going."
"But
Milton Keynes are really up for it. They're a great crowd."
Successful
Art is one of the most successful plays in British theatre history.
It opened in London on 15 October 1996 and took the West End by
storm winning both the Olivier Award for Best Comedy and the London
Evening Standard Award for Best Play having received the most nominations
ever for a play.
It is basically about three men who have been friends for a long
time. Nigel plays Serge, a dermatologist who is divorced from a
very difficult marriage and relies on his two friends very heavily
in order to have a good time. Then he does something catastrophic.
"It
sets off a chain reaction which almost ruins our friendship"
he says. "It's about relationships."
 |
| Hilary
McLean and Nigel Havers in Dangerfield |
"The
reason why everyone likes it and seems to enjoy watching it is that
they can relate to us. There's a bit of all three of us [the characters]
in all of us in real life" he says.
For
six years now, Art has delighted audiences across the globe and
English language productions have been seen in places including
those as far afield as Australia, Argentina, India, South Africa,
Bermuda and America.
So
what does Nigel think is its special appeal?
"It's
because it's well written. It's as simple as that" he says.
"Actors
are just lucky enough to be given the words. My job is just to say
them, in the right order at the right time."
Popular
Nigel Havers is, without a doubt, one of Britain's most popular
actors having starred in a string of hit television series, films
and stage plays in a career spanning at least 35 years.
In
such a wide ranging career, with popular TV series such as The Charmer,
Dangerfield and Manchild behind him and films such as Chariots of
Fire, A Passage to India and Empire of the Sun, is there a part
that he is still yearning to play?
"I
gave up wanting to do that years ago, when I really wanted to play
a part and I didn't get it. I was so upset" he says.
|
I'm
a sort of letterbox actor really, which means that I wait for
the script to come through the letterbox |
|
Nigel
Havers
|
"After
that, I decided I wouldn't hanker after anything. I'm a sort of
letterbox actor really, which means that I wait for the script to
come through the letterbox."
Perceived
by many, well me anyway, as the quintessential English gent, smooth,
charming and sartorially elegant, I would think he was a great candidate
to play that other English hero - James Bond.
Nigel
reveals that he hasn't been asked, although he is very keen to be
in a Bond film - but on the other side!
"I know Barbara Broccoli really well" he explains, "and
I've been twisting her arm to play a baddie in it and every year
she promises me."
"Last
year she said that she had this great part for me .... but she said
'the only thing is that I want you to have some plastic surgery
because I want you to look like a North Korean man'. So I didn't
opt for that. But I think she was just winding me up!"
Bad
boys
One of Nigel's most recent successes was in his return to British
television last year in the BBC2 series Manchild, a comedy in the
Men Behaving Badly style, although this time the bad boys are over
50.
 |
| Nigel
as Terry in Manchild |
Nigel
starred as the hedonistic stockbroker Terry, of whom Nigel has said
"For him life is one big, juicy rock oyster, and he's going to spank
it - in style."
In
a scenario I never dreamed I would ever be in, I asked Nigel Havers
if HE spanked life with style!
"I'm
not really like Terry in Manchild for a number of reasons"
he says. "I wouldn't be able to get away with it, I'm married
for a start!"
But
he conceded that there was a little bit of Terry in him, because
that "seize the day" kind of attitude is very useful to
him in his chosen profession.
|
I
don't really think too much about what's round the corner because
I'd probably get a bit depressed. But I do live life to the
full .... |
|
Nigel
Havers
|
"It's
useful for me to be able to live on the moment as an actor, because
that's really what actors are supposed to do" he explains.
"I
don't really think too much about what's round the corner because
I'd probably get a bit depressed. But I do live life to the full
- put it like that."
After
the Art tour finishes in May, a third series of Manchild is on the
agenda, much to his delight.
"I
must say it is fun to do" he said with a definite twinkle in
his eye. "There's a new series starting next month - so you'll
see what I mean" he laughs.
And
of his career in general?
"I'm
not tiring of it yet - I've only just started really" he smiles.
More
about Art >>
Read
our review >>
 Full
interview with Nigel Havers >>
| Fanny
Lorena Alvarado, MEXICO DF |
Friday,
25-Jun-2004 00:04:27 BST |
 |
| Quiero
aprovechar la oportunidad para felicitarlos y para decir que
soy FAN No. 1 de NIGEL HAVERS, aquí en méxico estuvieron transmitiendo
la serie de MANCHILD y cada sábado estaba yo al pendiente para
verlo, sin embargo ya no la pasan y lo extraño, me gusta mucho
y estoy enamorada de él, ojalá atraves de ustedes yo pudiera
tener algun e-mail para escribirle directamente a NIGEL. GRACIAS,
Atte. Lorena |
| Hans
Melchers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands |
Tuesday,
19-Aug-2003 22:11:48 BST |
|
| Is
there made a cd with the music of the policeseries Dangerfield?
and if, how is it possible to get a copy? tnx. Hans |
|
