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

THE photos of David Suchet trussed up as OscarWilde’s Lady Bracknell are surreally convincing.

Plum coloured gown, glimmering choker, broadvelveteen hat at a jaunty angle and subtle smudges oflipstick, he really is ever so ladylike.

“I’m rehearsing in a corset,” says the 68-year-old actor cheerfully. “When I’m in Cambridge I’llbe corseted up in all the finery with little heels andhopefully become her.”

He’s taking Lady Bracknell very seriously. You see,this production of The Importance of Being Earnest,coming to Cambridge Arts Theatre, is Poirot’s – sorry,Suchet’s – first major foray into comedy in more than30 years.

“I was looking for a comedy,” he says grandly, thatcut glass voice shivering with true thespianism. “[Theproducer] Kim Poster has produced me in some verybig West End shows that have all been very, veryheavy, for example All My Sons, Amadeus, A LongDay’s Journey Into Night, and then came up with thiscomedy; one of the greatest possible satirical comediesever written, Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of BeingEarnest, and one of the most famous characters everwritten, Lady Bracknell.”

Once the idea had been floated, Suchet rushed tore-read the original text. “I’d seen the play many, manytimes but this was the first time I’d read it with a viewto becoming that character, and you could hardly sayno to it!”

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

The formidable, biting character of Lady Bracknell iscertainly not new to being realised in drag. While JudiDench immortalised her waspishly in the 2002 filmstarring Rupert Everett and Colin Firth, more recentlyshe’s been played by Brian Bedford (2009) and thenGeoffrey Rush in Australia in 2011.

The Australian newspaper called Rush’s portrayal“interesting and exhilarating” and said: “He plays LadyBracknell perfectly straight. There’s not the slightesthint of travesty in his performance, nor is there anyobvious striving for effect. No shrillness. No gimmickry.No exaggeration. He exudes authority via voice andface and glittering eyes.”

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

From Poirot todrag, the Britishactor has comea long way in30 years. ELLAWALKER talksto him as heprepares to takeon “one of themost famouscharacters everwritten” – again.

Editor:Ella Walkeremail:ella.walker@cambridge-news.co.uk

For breakingentertainment newsfor the city, visitcambridge-news.co.uk/whatson

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the critical listThis week’s entertainment highlights

David Suchet:

HOT TICKETS WHAT’S ONWHAT’S ON HOT TICKETS

WHAT’S ON HOT TICKETSHOT TICKETS WHAT’S ON

HOT TICKETS WHAT’S ON

The Importance of BeingEarnest, Cambridge Arts Theatre,Monday, May 18 – Saturday,May 23 at 7.45pm. Tickets£15-£35 from (01223) 503333 /cambridgeartstheatre.com.

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ENDURING APPEAL: Suchet as the famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot

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

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

Turn to page 28

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

“I’m trying to become the best woman I can,” hesays stoutly. “I don’t want to become a parody ofthe pantomime dame or anything like that. I’mtrying to be her in all her truth, but within thisgreat satirical, high comedy play. She’s themost extraordinary character.”

Considering the play premiered in 1895,why does he think the piece has had such alasting appeal with audiences?

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

Suchet of course knows rather a lot about enduringappeal. For almost 25 years he starred as Hercule, theprecise, moustachioed inspector in Agatha Christie’sPoirot on British television. The show ended in 2013,people were distraught.

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

What’sthe play’slasting appeal?It satirises the upperclasses of the nouveauriche. . . and peoplewere able to laughat themselves andthat society.WILDE TIMES:Suchet as thefamous LadyBracknell and,below left,corsetted up duringrehearsal

was restricted before,” says Suchet.“That’s not say I don’t miss himterribly, but he is the past now, unlesssomeone wants to make a movie inthe film industry. I’d love to revivehim for that, but not on television.”

You’d think after such a long time,having let the character go in suchdramatic fashion (not watched thefinale? Spoiler: the perfect inspectorcan also stage the perfect murder itturns out), he’d be content to seesomeone else have a crack.

“I don’t know. I would imagine if itwas made in Hollywood, they wouldprobably go for a Hollywood actor.I think probably my days of Poirotare over, and I will probably haveto move on, and that’s great, that’sgreat.”

The Olivier, Tony and BAFTAnominated actor sounds as thoughhe’s still very much struggling tofully free himself of his bowlerhat wearing, watch fob checking

investigator. However, while Poirotwas his longest running role, a secondskin he could slip into at will, it wasnever his most challenging.

“One of the most challenging wasIago in Othello, and also the last oneI did was James Tyrone in EugeneO’Neill’s A Long Day’s JourneyInto Night. They’re both very, verycomplex personalities indeed. Iago,

being Shakespeare’s biggest, mostpopular guy in the play, who turnsout to be Shakespeare’s biggest massmurderer, and James Tyrone, whoactually is an alcoholic – trying to getto grips with that world of Americaand alcoholism and family life, thatwas a terrific challenge.”

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

adamant there are none. “I’ve donemy best with every role. I’ve onlydone roles that I’ve chosen, becauseI want to play them,although you getdifferent reactions,some people likewhat you doand some don’tlike it quiteso much, it’slike a paintingor a piece ofmusic. It’s thechoice and theactual executionof it that I’ve alwaysenjoyed.”

In between numerousacting jobs, on TV and stage, a keencamera geek, Suchet has steadilybeen making a name for himselfin the world of documentaries as apresenter too. “The first one I madewas on photography, it was aboutmy grandfather, called People I HaveShot,” he recalls. “I enjoyed doing

that so much – and people enjoyedme presenting – that these ideascame along.”

These “ideas” he speaks of aretwo BBC documentaries, In The

Footsteps of St Peter and In TheFootsteps of St Paul, inspired

by his Christian faith. “Ihad always wanted toinvestigate the character ofSt Paul in Christianity, andthat in its own way led toPeter, because you can’t

have Peter without Paul.”Although “people are

talking” to him about severalfollow-ups, nothing has been

set in stone yet. In fact, he’s quitehappy to let things unfurl at their ownpace, whether that’s presenting oracting-wise. “I don’t set my sights oncharacters very much at all. I don’thave set sights like I want to play KingLear. I always judge it by what peoplewant me to play or ask me to playand then I make up my mind and seeif I want to do it.”

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

THE HEADLINER: THEATRE

And if Poirotwas made into a film,wold he take the role?I don’t know. I would imagineif it was made in Hollywood,they would probably go fora Hollywood actor. I think

probably my days of Poirot areover, and I will probably have

to move on, and that’sgreat, that’s great.

“I’ve done my best with every role. I’veonly done roles that I’ve chosen, becauseI want to play them, although you getdifferent reactions, some people like whatyou do and some don’t like it quite somuch, it’s like a painting or a piece of music.It’s the choice and the actual execution of itthat I’ve always enjoyed.”

From page 27

CHALLENGING ROLE:Suchet as James Tyrone in

Eugene O’Neill’s A LongDay’s Journey Into Night