What drew you to SINGLE SPIES?
The script, first and foremost. Bennett is one of our great playwrights and I think both of these scripts are wonderful. When the offer came in I think I considered for half a second before accepting. Here we have two perfect one-act plays about two men who were utterly different in personality but shared, to some extent, a vision.
Alan’s writing is so special, there is such wit and humour and he draws characters so wonderfully well, there’s always a vulnerability to the characters which makes such a rich story, certainly true in Single Spies. I’m so excited about the project, it’s an absolute privilege to work on his texts.
Is this your first experience with Alan Bennett’s work?
I played Alan Bennett in The Lady in the Van at the National Theatre, in fact Kevin McNally and I played the two versions of him. There’s the film version now with Maggie Smith and Alex Jennings which I’m looking forward to catching up on, but there was the ‘objective writer’ Alan Bennett figure and then the Alan Bennett who was involved in the action and involved in encounters with Maggie Smith’s character, The Lady. That was an incredibly happy experience, hugely great fun and sharing the stage with Maggie Smith was quite something.
Had you worked with Alan Bennett before then? What was he like to work with?
No, that was the first and only time I’ve worked on any of Alan Bennett’s work and it was very memorable. It also has a very fond place in my heart because 16 years ago my wife was heavily pregnant and this happened to be during the rehearsal period for the show. I had asked that if at any point the impending birth arrived, during the preview period when we’d opened the show, that I would be granted permission to go and attend the birth of my child. Which of course was graciously given but this meant they obviously, just in case it happened, had to have an understudy and Alan agreed to director Nick Hytner’s request that he would go on for me. I don’t think he was terribly keen on the idea! But we opened and my wife was a long way past her due date so I told her to come to theatre and watch the show, hoping it might kick start something, but she came round backstage after the show and bumped into Alan Bennett on the stairs who said ‘Oh Stella, nobody wants this baby more than me’. Then one Saturday afternoon my wife went into labour so I duly said I won’t be able to do the matinee and Kevin McNally announced at the top of the show ‘due to the indisposition of Nicholas Farrell, the part of Alan Bennett will be played by Alan Bennett’.
What other parts have you played recently?
Earlier this year, I was in my first musical in 36 years at Chichester Festival Theatre in A Damsel in Distress which was based on a Wodehouse novel with Gershwin music, which is a pretty great concoction. I’m in love with Chichester and the regime that Jonathan Church has had, he’s had the most wonderful 10 years creating a fantastic environment and catalogue of memorable work.
What are you most looking forward with this production?
I am looking forward to touring the country again, properly this time. The country around Chichester is wonderful, the South Downs to the north and the coast to the south which I love to spend as much time out there as possible.
How do you feel about coming to Bath?
I last worked at Bath Theatre Royal in the early 90’s, in Sartre’s Kean, playing Prinny, The Prince of Wales. Derek Jacobi was the eponymous hero (with Tom Hollander in one of his first jobs, I think). I loved discovering the city, though this time I hope to discover some of the surrounding countryside as well. Touring is a great opportunity, I think, to get to know rural England, as well as its more beautiful cities (of which Bath nearly tops the league!)
What about the other venues on the tour?
The nearest I have been to performing in Birmingham is being at Stratford, performing for two years with the RSC. I’ve never been to or played the Rep Theatre there, much to my shame. I once had tickets to see Sibelius’ Fifth Symphony which is one of my favourite pieces of music. The CBSO was doing a concert of his First Version and I was so thrilled but then some work came along and I had to give the tickets away to two friends who very ungraciously spent forever telling me what an amazing evening it was.
So I’m so looking forward to making my Birmingham debut and visiting the Rep.
SINGLE SPIES is at the Theatre Royal in Bath from 4th – 9th April
