[masterclass]

Joss Ackland Masterclass at The Theatre Royal Haymarket
Register and book your FREE tickets at www.masterclass.org.uk

Fri 17 July 14.30 - Theatre Royal Haymarket
One of Britain's most cherished and venerable actors in conversation with Geoff Colman about 63 years on stage and screen.

A fascinating insight into how to build and sustain a career in Theatre, TV and Hollywood.

Joss Ackland CBE has appeared in countless plays, films and television programmes and acted alongside Jean Simmons, Ingrid Bergman, Greta Scacchi, Lauren Bacall and Denholm Elliot to name just a few.

[Jan Brock]

Greta Scacchi ? He's really scaled the heights hasn't he ?

One time Trevor Nunn cast him as Falstaff (his first choice Michael Gambon having turned it down). Ackland turned up on the first day of rehearsals and Nunn asked him to take part in an improvisation session to prepare for the part - Ackland turned on his heel and walked out saying "Let me know when you're going to start rehearsals". His performance turned out to be feeble - worst Falstaff I have seen.

Even so, appearing with the RSC seems to have been the high point of a deeply undistinguished career - as he himself charmlessly confirms here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1476550.stm

How he can deliver any sort of "masterclass" of any relevance to modern actors I don't know, but presumably he will spend most of this "masterclass" trying to flog his book based on his late wife's diaries which is published soon.

[curzon]

Greta Scacchi ? He's really scaled the heights hasn't he ?

One time Trevor Nunn cast him as Falstaff (his first choice Michael Gambon having turned it down). Ackland turned up on the first day of rehearsals and Nunn asked him to take part in an improvisation session to prepare for the part - Ackland turned on his heel and walked out saying "Let me know when you're going to start rehearsals". His performance turned out to be feeble - worst Falstaff I have seen.

Even so, appearing with the RSC seems to have been the high point of a deeply undistinguished career - as he himself charmlessly confirms here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1476550.stm

How he can deliver any sort of "masterclass" of any relevance to modern actors I don't know, but presumably he will spend most of this "masterclass" trying to flog his book based on his late wife's diaries which is published soon.

My, my, my! Talking of charmless and add throughly bitchy, tasteless (reference to alleged exploitation of late wife) and nasty to that list too. I have seen Ackland give some superb performances and persoanlly I throughly enjoyed his Falstaff. Obviously I was wrong, though...
A deeply undistinguished career? He was the first UK Fredrik, the first Lewis in the original version of Shadowlands, the first Peron and has appeared in countless major films. I would wish for such an undistinguished career!
As my late Granny used to say "If you can't think of anything nice to say then best to say nothing!"

Sebastian

[Orchestrator]

My, my, my! Talking of charmless and add throughly bitchy, tasteless (reference to alleged exploitation of late wife) and nasty to that list too. I have seen Ackland give some superb performances and persoanlly I throughly enjoyed his Falstaff. Obviously I was wrong, though...
A deeply undistinguished career? He was the first UK Fredrik, the first Lewis in the original version of Shadowlands, the first Peron and has appeared in countless major films. I would wish for such an undistinguished career!
As my late Granny used to say "If you can't think of anything nice to say then best to say nothing!"

I suppose "dull" doesn't pass your Granny's niceness test, Sebastian.

[Jan Brock]

As my late Granny used to say "If you can't think of anything nice to say then best to say nothing!"

Sebastian

Ackland could give a masterclass in breaking that rule, here's a gem for those who didn't look at the link I gave ...

"Speaking to the Radio Times, the 72-year-old called Demi Moore, a recent co-star, as "not very bright or talented". "

Also, the only person alleging exploitation of late wife is you. I just said he would use his "masterclass" to flog a book - if you've ever been to an NT Platform performance you would know this this can happen.

As an aside on not very bright actors, throughout Richard Eyre's diaries he makes references to one of our most senior and distinguished male actors as being - how shall I phrase this tactfully ? - as thick as pig sh**. I will leave it to you all to guess who this might be.