[Jan Brock]

From Guardian:

"Last week, Stephen Dillane suffered the ultimate actor's nightmare: forgetting his lines, in Sam Mendes's production of The Tempest in New York. According to New York magazine, an excruciating five minutes elapsed before he recovered."

So, what is the worst example of actors forgetting their lines you have seen ? I remember seeing Ralph Richardson, late in his career, at NT having to be prompted an embarrassing number of time.

[Lez]

Scott Maslen (Jack Branning) in the live Eastenders.

[Alexandra]

I have just 2 words for you, one beginning with R and one with D. All else pales into insignificance.

(I understand that the Dillane lapse was more like 30 seconds. Must have seemed interminable though).

[Jan Brock]

I have just 2 words for you, one beginning with R and one with D. All else pales into insignificance.

(according to a friend who was there, the Dillane lapse was more like 30 seconds. Must have seemed interminable though).

I had a little bet with myself that you'd be the first poster after me with some support for Dillane - I know he is a favourite of yours.

"RD" - hmmm .... Roy Dotrice ? (showing my age there - can only remember the names of actors aged over 70) Just incidentally, it must be especially terrible to forget your lines in a one-man show.

There was a famous RSC one where Paul Greenwood managed to forget almost his entire part on the opening night of "The Happiest Days of your Life" - but I was not there thank goodness.

[Alexandra]

"I know he is a favourite of yours."

Is he? Perhaps he is. Actually it's more that Stoppard is a favourite of mine, and he's been in a couple of those.


No, not Dotrice. Though this other RD must be getting on for 70. You obviously didn't see the play in question.

[kjb]

No, not Dotrice. Though this other RD must be getting on for 70. You obviously didn't see the play in question.

If it was quite recent, I didn't see the play in question, but a friend did and I read the scathing reviews.

I've booked to see this, and As You Like It in London when it gets here.

[Weez]

If it's the RD I'm thinking of, I got the impression it wasn't that he forgot his lines so much as he never managed to remember them (a slight but notable distinction).

[Laughingmonsta]

Lawrence Olivier forgot his lines on a regular basis, even known for mixing his Shakespeare's up! In ref: to Jan forgetting your lines in a one man show is by far the better option.

Usually in one man shows the texts are not well known to an audience and therefore you are able to get yourself out of the pickle a lot easier than loosing it half way through a multiple character dialogue!

The only time I have personally seen an actor forget his lines was at The Chester Gateway Theatre years ago a production called A Weekend in England - when the lead actor completely froze and had to call for his lines from the Stage Manager.

On a personal note I have never forgotten lines on stage but have come close, I remember entering the stage during a production where I had to stand at the back as an onlooker - during this moment my mind completely went blank and I just couldn't for the life of me remember what I had to say and when, luckily at the right moment - my muscle memory kicked in and all was fine again - a close shave though!!!

[Alexandra]

I once stood up to make a speech at a dinner and went completely blank - had no idea what I was supposed to be talking about. And no one had my lines to prompt me. I smiled a bit and then it came rushing back. But it was a bowel-loosening, face-blanching, cold-sweaty few moments.

[Jan Brock]

Lawrence Olivier forgot his lines on a regular basis, even known for mixing his Shakespeare's up!

Olivier had an anecdote about appearing in a major role (I think as Shylock) when he had been very ill and when he stepped on stage his mind went a complete blank, but then he started remembering his lines but only one by one, when he got to the end of a sentence with no clue what was coming next the line came into his mind. He said it was the most unpleasant experience he had had on stage.

Based on reports here I think Michael Gambon forgot some of his lines in Henry IV when I saw him but he just blustered his way through and I didn't notice at the time.