20 Questions with … Sherlock Holmes – Best Kept Secret director Nikolai Foster

Nikolai Foster is a busy director. His work has been seen in most of the UK’s leading regional theatres, touring houses and internationally. He has been director on attachment at the Sheffield Crucible, the Royal Court Theatre and National Theatre Studio and served as an Associate Director at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds. He has two plays currently on tour – Beautiful Thing and Sherlock Holmes: Best Kept Secret. We caught up with him to talk about his life, his influences and the iconic character of Sherlock before the production arrives in Manchester next month. When and where were you born? January 1980, Copenhagen, Denmark. What made you want to direct? I trained as an actor at Drama Centre London. I’d become interested in drama in my early teens and as acting was the thing I associated most with theatre, I assumed that was the job for me. Half way through my training I became obsessed with everything other than the acting bit. I was more interested in writing sketches, building sets, rigging lights and creating productions, rather than being in them. I was in a really strong year, with actors like Tom Hardy, Stephen Wight and Nina Kotler. I was more interested in their process, than acting with them.  to today. I’m fascinated by props, the latest moving lights and how it all works. It’s about the complete vision.What would you do if this career had not come off? I really have no idea, and this frightens me sometimes, as I still don’t feel settled in my career or believe I will be lucky enough to continue working in theatre. I grew up in Yorkshire and from a young age became obsessed with horse riding. I think I would have probably become an event rider. This would have potentially been a lot more profitable, but much more dangerous! Maybe there’s still time to peruse this career. What’s been the highlight of your career so far? I don’t think there has been one specific highlight, as I am exceptionally fortunate I do something that I love, therefore, each new experience seems to be a highlight. Every production is inspiring, even the really challenging ones. We staged Macbeth in Singapore; the production played to 2,500 people every night in the mighty Fort Canning Park. The cast was made up of actors from all over the world and our audience were mostly young people and students, experiencing Shakespeare and indeed, theatre for the first time. There was something extraordinary about this experience, bringing so many people together, listening to great language and sharing in the event.Similarly, the effect Annie had on the young people involved in the production and how it seemed to inspire a whole region meant a lot to me and was also a personal highlight. This production proved unequivocally the transformative power of theatre and that it really is an accessible art for all. People who’d never been to the Playhouse came to see what all the fuss was about or to see a friend’s kid in the show. The theatre was packed and there was a direct and visceral connection between the work onstage and the audience. This musical inspired a city. You have directed plays and musicals? Is one more challenging than the other? They’re all hard work and come with unique challenges. I was fortunate growing up I attended a youth theatre, took part in school drama clubs and crucially, visited my local theatres (WYP and Bradford Alhambra) obsessively, seeing everything presented in the theatres. Therefore, it was normal to see an eclectic mix of performance – new plays, Shakespeare, American classics, contemporary dance and musicals. I thought of all of these things as theatre. It was only as I went to drama school and started work that I realised people like to neatly box people / different style of theatre up, and put each strand in a restrictive pen. I learned how to work well in all aspects of my trade, and recognise the basic principals of directing a play and a musical, are essentially the same. They both require an overall artistic vision / concept, great casting, a keen dramaturgical eye, imaginative use of space and detailed, highly original and clear storytelling. What’s your favourite book? 1984 by George Orwell. I read Orwell religiously when I was a teenager and I’m fascinated by the worlds he depicts. I suppose 1984 is a highly theatrical work and this must by why it appeals to me, in addition to the politic. I also like John Dexter’s memoirs, The Honourable Beast. I’ve only ever seen video recordings of his productions and they are all awe-inspiring. Holiday destination? I’m not very good at holidays, however, I enjoy visiting the Limousin region in France. My friend has a dilapidated old farmhouse, with a bonkers dog, a few cats and some horses. Last thing you saw on stage and loved? The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time. It is without question, one of the finest pieces of theatre I’ve seen so far. Everything about it blew my mind and I loved it. Productions like that remind me why theatre will never become obsolete, as no matter how exciting technology becomes and how much it develops, the experience of imaginative, ground breaking theatre will always remain intoxicating.Sherlock Holmes’ popularity has never waned but right now with Benedict Cumberbatch and Robert Downey Jnr both playing him, to huge success, the timing seems perfect for your new production? Our production does seem well-timed, however, I hope it doesn’t look as though we’re entirely riding on the coat tails of the recent fantastic film and telly series. The idea for a stage version of Sherlock came about three years ago, when I directed A Christmas Carol a Birmingham Rep. The production was set in the late 1890s and although very true to Dickens, had an anachronistic, slightly SteamPunk aesthetic. It was suggested I look at the Conan Doyle novels and think about a new stage version for this great character, using some of the ideas developed with the Dickens. This project has been a good three years in development.Is your Sherlock more traditional? A little bit, yes. Like all great characters, Sherlock is open to interpretation; the character is so vivid, you can look at him from many different perspectives. Therefore, whether the approach is slavishly faithful or more contemporary in tone, it’s all emerging from the same place, originally conceived by Conan Doyle. Our Sherlock is faithful to the original man in the novels, however, with Mark’s contemporary language, he feels fresh and has a modern edge. I also wanted our Sherlock to unashamedly have mass-appeal. I was keen to recreate the Annie-effect, and create a piece of work for Yorkshire audiences, which told an exciting story, with terrific characters, fully explored the great Quarry stage, but most importantly, could be enjoyed by absolutely everybody and that families could enjoy together. If our Sherlock was too traditional or too far off his rocker, we would start to alienate audiences. It’s not about making safe choices with the role or dumbing-down, but having the best of all facets that make up this intriguing character. What’s been the biggest challenge getting this version onto the stage? There’s been so many, I’m not sure where to start! Commissioning a new play is hard work. Even with a title like Sherlock, finding a theatre willing to take the plunge was tough. Finding the right writer was also challenging, especially since the the BBC series had been so successful. As with any new play, there is nothing to call back upon. There is no way of knowing what works and what doesn’t. Everything is an exciting and terrifying discovery. Trying to develop an overall tone for the production and playing style has been a massive challenge. As this tone (wacky, a bit silly ad anarchic) has started to reveal itself, the production has come into focus.How did rehearsals go? Good, thank you. Rehearsals were a juggling act between discovering the characters, re-writes and realising this hugely technical production. Once in tech, we had to work quickly to bring all of the technical elements together and since then, we have worked hard through previews, re-writing, finessing and continuing to develop tone and the playing style, learning from our audiences.Casting must have been tough, as this is such an iconic role. When did you know you had the right man for the job? Jason Durr and I met early on in the casting process and he chose to read one of the most challenging scenes in the play (when Sherlock hallucinates and finally over doses). His commitment to the scene and his willingness to go to some exceptionally dark places meant he was perfect for the role and I knew we had our Sherlock. Jason was able to blend the archetypical Sherlock with a contemporary sensibility, throwing in a generous dash of his own eccentricities and anarchic spirit along the way. He really has made the role his own. Jason and I first worked together 10 years again when I made my debut as a director with A Chorus Line at the Crucible, Sheffield, so it’s nice to work with him again now I have a bit more experience and  (hopefully) know what I’m doing a little bit more! Do you have put previous versions to the back of your mind when directing or does it help shape Sherlock? I push previous versions as far away as possible when I’m in the rehearsal room. However, before rehearsals I think it’s helpful to have a comprehensive understanding of previous versions, and in addition to reading all of the novels, I enjoyed watching the Jeremy Brett/Granada series and the Guy Ritchie films. I’m a bit of a Sherlock fan now, so I was happy to drink as much of it in as possible. What do you like about the character? So many things. His psychology is fascinating. He’s an incredible intellect and it is his flaws which make him such an interesting study. In our version, Sherlock is restored to the iconic character we know over the course of the play, however, it begins with him penniless, depressed and barely able to function. Sherlock is a hugely theatrical character, his costume, traits, and richly defined character traits make him very attractive to theatre makers. I’m fascinated by London at this time, the Empire and the tapestry of characters which abound throughout the novels.He has light and shade. Is there anything you are bringing out that might not have really been focused on too heavily before? I think onstage the character is often presented in a stuffy, box set, semi serious way, or with comic brio and a sense of fun. We are attempting to look at the character and the world he inhabits through contemporary eyes. Our okay begins with Sherlock broken and penniless, and we really dig deep into his psychology, trying to discover why he has stopped investigating, why us is depressed and lacking general direction in his life. For a stage play, this feels like familiar territory when dealing with a great mind, however, it is rare when studying Sherlock. Although these themes have been explored more fully on television and film, I think this is one of the few times the character has gone through such forensic scrutiny onstage. For many, Watson is just as important, how do you view him? Watson is an extremely complex man. Like Sherlock, he’s highly intelligent and has a rich and detailed history (as a serving military doctor). In our play, we explore the complexity and depths of the friendship between the two men and explore themes of extreme loyalty, co-dependence and love between friends. It is clear neither man would ever be happy or fully realised without the other. Together they create an impregnable and formidable team. Are there any plans to take this to the West End? Not at the moment. I hope the play continues to enjoy a successful run in Leeds and after this, the production visits Manchester, Cardiff and Woking. Of course, if theatre owners and investors think it’s got commercial legs, it would be great for it to have a further life and fly the flag for the West Yorkshire Playhouse in London. You are an incredibly busy director, but are there any plays/musicals that you still long to direct? I’m starting to think more and more about new work and new ways of creating work. There are lots of existing plays I would like to work on (Absolute Hell by Rodney Ackland, Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac and the musical Dreamgirls), however, it is the stuff yet to be discovered, that I’m focussing on at the moment. What are your plans for the rest of the year? Following the tours of Beautiful Thing and Sherlock, I’m catching up with James and the Giant Peach which is currently on the road. Then it’s West Side Story for National Youth Music Theatre. We are working with 40 exceptionally talented young people from around the country and performing in Manchester’s mighty Victoria Warehouse. It’s going to be an epic production and I’m looking forward to the challenge very much. Then to the Mercury Theatre, Colchester, to direct my first ever play by Brecht, The Good Person of Sichuan. I like new challenges and these projects both take me in new directions.Nikolai Foster was speaking to Glenn MeadsSherlock Holmes: The Best Kept Secret is at the Manchester Opera House from 25 – 29 June.