Scribbled notes (Part 1) of Judi Dench's talk, 17 March 2010, Rose Theatre, Kingston, London. Facilitator: Stephen Unwin (Artistic Director, Rose Theatre)
SU: How did you start, this love for theatre?
JD: Initially studied to be a designer. At age seven, JD went to see her brother perform in 'the Scottish play'
She was excited he spoke the word, "Bloody" on stage. That was something she doesn't mind doing, uttering (what was then considered a 'bad' word), jumping up and down the sofa in delight when she returned home. She then went to watch her older brother, Jeffrey, perform in Taming of the Shrew. Jeffrey Dench has been an actor longer than she has.
Her house has been filled with Shakespeare just as some homes are filled with classical music. She has been exposed to Shakes since very young.
SU: How to encourage the youngsters to love theatre?
JD: Recently had a Saturday matinee for kids- they laughed at some places. Now if only they would remember the place (a theatre!) and where (& why?) they laughed...
JD: Nottingham Playhouse was the first theatre rep to reach West Africa, despite whatever Peter Brook says (laughter from the audience)
When they went back again to West Africa in 1969, a huge theatre movement was happening in Nigeria, Ghana & Sierra Leone.
SU: mentioned something about the reaction to theatre in West Africa as 'unvarnished response" (I like that phrase)
Next, (did JD suddenly go back to the first ques, about the beginnings of her love for theatre? I think SU guided her back to it)
JD mentioned watching an all-girl performance of Julius Caesar (when she was young) She thanked God she wasn't involved in it- if she did she wouldn't be interested to act at all. (laughter, of course, from the audience- she shivered in mock disgust as she told this story)
As a student, JD went to Stratford and she saw a fantastic set design which made her abandon her plan on doing set design. She had conventional thoughts of design- curtain goes up, curtain goes down, some set change happen behind curtain, curtain comes up again.
This production did not bring down any curtains. It was Michael Redgrave in King Lear.
So she did the next best thing: acting.
SU: So you followed what your brother (Jeffrey) did?
JD: Yes
On entering Central School of Speech & Drama, JD couldn't really remember if she had to audition. (So funny! She look perplexed- I really don't remember, she said)
JD remembered a written exam. Pause. Then she said she may be making this all up altogether (more titterings from audience)
JD: (As actors) We have to know we are pretending rather than believing (then made some gestures indicating she doesn't really believe in that- 'method' of acting?)
JD does takes the pretending deadly seriously. Deadly serious. (I sense the emphasis on that phrase) Deadly serious.
JD: When in the Vic, she, with other younger actors learnt on the wings of the stage. Nobody went off to the dressing room. All observed from the wings. That was her theatre education.
I learnt from everybody
SU: "Like a sponge"
JD: One thing she does is to watch a show in the theatre (repertory) she considered joining/acting in. Watch a show that's been performed last before the productionshe was supposed to be involved it That was what made her join the Vic.
JD: Check on the amount of energy required in the theatre, Check the last production, to get the measure of the theatre.
SU: Asked about her time in Stratford with Peter Hall in 1962
JD: It was thrilling, wonderful memories, Measure for Measure, Midsummers Night Dream
SU: JD is so lucky to be fully at work in ensemble/repertory as a 20 something actress during her time. (1960s, I presume?)
JD: (thoughtfully) Yes. As actor and understudy.
SU: It's harder nowadays, JD agreed. Repertory season is so expensive to put on, such as the present RSC.
SU: (broached the subject of teaching)
JD: Teaching? I don't like to teach. Not consciously teach. I can't teach. Masterclass frightens the hell out of me.
JD: I could (assist with?) an audition speech but I can't promise you'll get in (laughter)
SU: You directed. SU interjected: "Directing is hard" (I concur! directing is tiring okay, peeps! try it and you'll know!)
JD: Directing, is very hard (Hear! Hear! hehe...)
JD: I couldn't believe how transparent we (actors) are. She knew when one of her actors didn't spend time memorizing lines. "Why don't you spend, ahem, two hours learning the lines" (her posture changed, acting out her role as director, saw a glimpse of how she was as a director- I try to remember it, next time use it on you, 'transparent' actors, bwahaha)
JD directed Much Ado About Nothing, Kenneth Branagh was Benedick.
One day,she wanted to give notes to Ken- apparently straight after show, Branagh ran off (in his costume!) to avoid her!
And he copied all her ideas in his film of 'Much Ado' (She looks like joking but vestiges of indignation still there- I sense) (laughter from audience, of course)
SU: Tips to teach Shakes?
JD: As Trevor Nunn, Peter Hall always say, "Obey the verse". Now Derek Jacobi would say this is all rubbish. And he is a very good actor.
JD: You would run out of breath if you do not follow the verse
(To be continued in Part 2)
