David Suchet interview

26 | May 14, 2015 | cambridge-news.co.uk | Cambridge News

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THE HEADLINER: THEATRE

From Poirot to drag, the British actor has come a long way in 30 years. ELLA WALKER talks to him as he prepares to take on “one of the most famous characters ever written” – again.

David Suchet: “I’m trying to become the best woman I can.”

T

HE photos of David Suchet trussed up as Oscar Wilde’s Lady Bracknell are surreally convincing.

Plum coloured gown, glimmering choker, broad velveteen hat at a jaunty angle and subtle smudges of velve lipstick, lipsti he really is ever so ladylike.

“I’m “I’ rehearsing in a corset,” says the 68-yearold actor cheerfully. “When I’m in Cambridge I’ll a be ccorseted up in all the finery with little heels and hopefully become her.” hope He’s He taking Lady Bracknell very seriously. You see, this production of The Importance of Being Earnest, coming to Cambridge Arts Theatre, is Poirot’s – sorry, com Suchet’s – first major foray into comedy in more than Such 30 yyears.

“I was looking for a comedy,” he says grandly, that cut gglass voice shivering with true thespianism. “[The producer] Kim Poster has produced me in some very prod big W West End shows that have all been very, very heavy, heav for example All My Sons, Amadeus, A Long Day’s Day’ Journey Into Night, and then came up with this comedy; one of the greatest possible satirical comedies com ever written, Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, and one of the most famous characters ever Earn written, Lady Bracknell.” writt Once the idea had been floated, Suchet rushed to O re-read re-re the original text. “I’d seen the play many, many times time but this was the first time I’d read it with a view to becoming that character, and you could hardly say be no to it!”

“It’s wonderful because the character almost defies “I gender gend really,” he muses. “Although I hasten to add, I’m not n the first male actor to play the role.”

The Th formidable, biting character of Lady Bracknell is certainly not new to being realised in drag. While Judi certa Dench Den immortalised her waspishly in the 2002 film starring Rupert Everett and Colin Firth, more recently starr she’s been played by Brian Bedford (2009) and then Geoffrey Rush in Australia in 2011.

Geo The Th Australian newspaper called Rush’s portrayal “interesting and exhilarating” and said: “He plays Lady “inte Bracknell perfectly straight. There’s not the slightest Brac hint of travesty in his performance, nor is there any obvious striving for effect. No shrillness. No gimmickry. obvi No exaggeration.

He exudes authority via voice and e face and glittering eyes.”

Suchet didn’t see Rush’s or Brian Bedford’s Su

Editor: Ella Walker email: ella.walker@cambridgenews.co.uk

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ENDURING APPEAL: Suchet as the famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot

Cambridge News | cambridge-news.co.uk | May 14, 2015 | 27

interpretations, which he reckons “is probably a good thing because I come to it in my own way”.

“I’m trying to become the best woman I can,” he What’s says stoutly. “I don’t want to become a parody of the pla the pantomime dame or anything like that. I’m lasting y’s appeal? trying to be her in all her truth, but within this It satiri great satirical, high comedy play. She’s the classes ses the upper o f th e nouve most extraordinary character.” riche. . au .a Considering the play premiered in 1895, were ab nd people le to la why does he think the piece has had such a u at them gh selv lasting appeal with audiences? that soc es and iety.

“This play has lasting appeal because it’s one of the funniest comedies ever written. It satirises the upper classes of the nouveau riche, whose values were so repressed and out of kilter with real life that it was a society almost removed from reality. That was what [Wilde] was satirising and people were able to laugh at themselves and that society. That’s why it’s endured, because the humour speaks to everyone.”

Suchet of course knows rather a lot about enduring appeal. For almost 25 years he starred as Hercule, the precise, moustachioed inspector in Agatha Christie’s Poirot on British television. The show ended in 2013, people were distraught.

“I still miss him, of course I miss him, and I will miss him, but you know I’ve been playing many, many characters while I’ve been Poirot, and this play opens me up to play different things in a way that I

Turn to page 28

WILDE TIMES: Suchet as the famous Lady Bracknell and, below left, corsetted up during rehearsal

28 | May 14, 2015 | cambridge-news.co.uk | Cambridge News

THE HEADLINER: THEATRE

CHALLENGING ROLE: Suchet as James Tyrone in Eugene O’Neill’s A Long Day’s Journey Into Night

From page 27 was restricted before,” says Suchet.

“That’s not say I don’t miss him terribly, but he is the past now, unless someone wants to make a movie in the film industry. I’d love to revive him for that, but not on television.”

You’d think after such a long time, having let the character go in such dramatic fashion (not watched the finale? Spoiler: the perfect inspector can also stage the perfect murder it turns out), he’d be content to see someone else have a crack.

“I don’t know. I would imagine if it was made in Hollywood, they would probably go for a Hollywood actor.

I think probably my days of Poirot are over, and I will probably have to move on, and that’s great, that’s great.”

The Olivier, Tony and BAFTA nominated actor sounds as though he’s still very much struggling to fully free himself of his bowler hat wearing, watch fob checking

“I’ve done my best with every role. I’ve only done roles that I’ve chosen, because I want to play them, although you get different reactions, some people like what you do and some don’t like it quite so much, it’s like a painting or a piece of music.

It’s the choice and the actual execution of it that I’ve always enjoyed.” investigator. However, while Poirot was his longest running role, a second skin he could slip into at will, it was never his most challenging.

“One of the most challenging was Iago in Othello, and also the last one I did was James Tyrone in Eugene O’Neill’s A Long Day’s Journey Into Night. They’re both very, very complex personalities indeed. Iago,

being Shakespeare’s biggest, most popular guy in the play, who turns out to be Shakespeare’s biggest mass murderer, and James Tyrone, who actually is an alcoholic – trying to get to grips with that world of America and alcoholism and family life, that was a terrific challenge.”

When it comes to regrets and parts he wishes he hadn’t taken, he’s

adamant there are none. “I’ve done that so much – and people enjoyed my best with every role. I’ve only me presenting – that these ideas done roles that I’ve chosen, because came along.”

I want to play them, These “ideas” he speaks of are although you get two BBC documentaries, In The A n d different reactions, Footsteps of St Peter and In The was ma if Poirot d e in some people like Footsteps of St Paul, inspired to a film wold he , ta k I e d th what you do by his Christian faith. “I on’t kn e role if it was ow. I would im ? and some don’t had always wanted to m a they wo ade in Hollyw gine investigate the character of like it quite uld prob ood, a Holly ably so much, it’s St Paul in Christianity, and probab wood actor. I go for like a painting that in its own way led to ly th over, an my days of Po ink or a piece of Peter, because you can’t d I will p irot are ro b to a b m ly have ove o music. It’s the have Peter without Paul.” great, thn, and that’s choice and the Although “people are at’s gre at. actual execution talking” to him about several of it that I’ve always follow-ups, nothing has been enjoyed.” set in stone yet. In fact, he’s quite In between numerous happy to let things unfurl at their own acting jobs, on TV and stage, a keen pace, whether that’s presenting or camera geek, Suchet has steadily acting-wise. “I don’t set my sights on been making a name for himself characters very much at all. I don’t in the world of documentaries as a have set sights like I want to play King presenter too. “The first one I made Lear. I always judge it by what people was on photography, it was about want me to play or ask me to play my grandfather, called People I Have and then I make up my mind and see Shot,” he recalls. “I enjoyed doing if I want to do it.”