RF on Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

Unknown

From ASM to Romeo

In April 1985 I auditioned for David Conville in his sitting room in Putney. I attempted one of Berowne's speeches from 'Love's Labour's Lost'. It wasn't very good.

"He's not Hamlet. Is he?"

No, certainly not - I appreciated D.C.'s honesty. To my surprise he offered me my Equity card as Acting Assistnat Stage Manager. Subsequently, I found myself playing Curio in 'Twelfth Night' and Cobweb in 'The Dream'. Also a footman in 'Ring around The Moon' plus extensive understudying...also making the coffee and sweeping the stage...and setting and striking the props, etc.

The Open Air Theatre leaves indelible impressions on everyone who works there. The actor is both assisted and hindred by many unexpected forces - the mother force being, of course, Nature. Rain, wind, sun, birds and bird droppings: you get all these for free. Mr W.S. and Nature together draw a myriad of responses from the audience. Firstly, a sense of adventure: rugs, flasks, food and some form of alcohol libation are all necessities for the intrepid theatregoer. Then, depending on the vagaries of the weather, the eager thespian can expect to witness the extraordinary sight of 1000 umbrellas being unfurled with a great flopping sound during the most important bit. Or he/she may observe the fanning of 1000 programmes by red-faced and sticky school children. You try playing the balcony scene on 'Romeo and Juliet' when Juliet simply cannot be the sun because the sun itself is putting in a personal appearance, and the wind is rustling the leaves in all the trees so that audibility is no longer a problem but an impossibility! However, you don't even have to try to play this scene when the sun has gone down; the evening is still with not a bird stirring; and every sound is clear and sharp, like voices across a lake. It's a gift.

Ralph Fiennes
(1985-'86 seasons)