Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Desert Island Discs
Presented by Roy Plomley
Theatre director taking over as Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, known for unusual ideas like having actors play ballgames before rehearsal.
Eight records
The eight records for this collection haven’t been catalogued yet.
The keepsakes
No book or luxury recorded for this episode.
In conversation
Presenter asks
I believe you have a few unusual ideas as a director. I mean, for example, it is rumored that you're liable to get the actors playing a ballgame before they start rehearsal.
Yes, that's true. I think it's very important that in this day and age actors are absolutely fit for their work, come dressed for their work and prepared to put in a 100% rehearsal day. And consequently now at Stratford we have movement sessions early in the morning. We also have voice sessions during the week for all the company because we believe that the actor's body and the actor's voice are two absolutely vital instruments which must be cared for and extended in addition to the actor's imagination.
Presenter asks
As you take over this very responsible job as Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, are there any basic worries or problems that face you?
Yes, I think there are. I think the job of the theatre is to be ahead of its audience at all times. I think this has always been so from Shakespeare to now. It must continue to be so. This of course means that part of the theatre's duty is to deal with such problems as the war in Vietnam, as racialism in this country, and so on and so forth. This duty is very difficult to reconcile with being a subsidised theatre and one's duty towards the establishment and the people who are providing one with one's very existence. Um, but I think this very paradox, this very difficulty, is inadequately realized by the people who write about the theatre in this country, the critics. I certainly appreciate their difficulties, uh the kind of deadlines they have to fight against. But one could wish for a little bit more understanding in case the theatres ultimately kill the very thing that we most need to preserve. By conforming.
The recording
Timestamps play the recording from that turn
Presenter
This download is the only extract the BBC has of this edition of Desert Island Discs. The presenter was Roy Plumley.
Presenter
I believe you have a few unusual ideas as a director. I mean, for example, it is rumored that you're liable to get the actors playing a ballgame before they start rehearsal.
Trevor Nunn
Yes, that's true. I think it's very important that in this day and age actors are absolutely fit for their work, come dressed for their work and prepared to put in a 100% rehearsal day. And consequently now at Stratford we have movement sessions early in the morning. We also have voice sessions during the week for all the company because we believe that the actor's body and the actor's voice are two absolutely vital instruments which must be cared for and extended in addition to the actor's imagination.
Presenter
As you take over this very responsible job as Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, are there any basic worries or problems that that face you?
Trevor Nunn
Yes, I think there are. I think
Trevor Nunn
The job of the theatre.
Trevor Nunn
is to be ahead of its audience at all times. I think this has always been so from Shakespeare to now. It must continue to be so.
Trevor Nunn
This of course means that part of the theatre's duty is to deal with such problems as the war in Vietnam, as racialism in this country, and so on and so forth.
Trevor Nunn
This duty is very difficult to reconcile with being a subsidised theatre and one's duty towards the establishment and the people who are
Trevor Nunn
providing one with one's very existence.
Trevor Nunn
Um
Trevor Nunn
But I think
Trevor Nunn
This very paradox, this very difficulty, is inadequately realized by the people who write about the theatre in this country, the critics.
Trevor Nunn
I certainly appreciate their difficulties, uh the kind of deadlines they have to fight against. But one could wish for a little bit more understanding in case the theatres ultimately kill the very thing that we most need to preserve. By conforming. Yes, indeed.
“We believe that the actor's body and the actor's voice are two absolutely vital instruments which must be cared for and extended in addition to the actor's imagination.”
“The job of the theatre is to be ahead of its audience at all times. I think this has always been so from Shakespeare to now. It must continue to be so. This of course means that part of the theatre's duty is to deal with such problems as the war in Vietnam, as racialism in this country, and so on and so forth.”
“One could wish for a little bit more understanding in case the theatres ultimately kill the very thing that we most need to preserve. By conforming.”