Off Cut Forty Two

The following was the result of a phone call chat with Donald Sinden and was published on The Rehearsal room news page on 29th April 2002

THE VALUE OF FARCE
Donald Sinden, Dianna Rigg, Derek Jacobi and Ian Richardson left Auckland on Sunday taking their tour of "The Hollow Crown" to Perth and then Melbourne. Just before their departure Sir Donald Sinden spoke briefly with The Rehearsal Room about the value of farce for the actor. The man that voice teachers describe as possessing a "juicy bottom" and whose experience in comedy goes back at least as far as "Doctor in the House" was keen to talk about the Ray Cooney farces he has performed in more recent years such as "Caught in the Net" and "Out of Order".

A Serious Challenge
"Farce is deadly serious," he said. "It turns out to be funny but needs to be played with more seriousness than King Lear." Ray Cooney's material he described as very challenging for the actor. Sir Donald suggested that … "Any young actor who got hold of a Ray Cooney play and worked with it to the point where it could be played with truth and conviction was ready to play Hamlet"

There's a challenge.