An Evening with Simon Russell Beale

Spend an evening with Olivier Award-winning actor Sir Simon Russell Beale as he delves into his life and career to celebrate his new memoir, A Piece of Work. Was Shakespeare an instinctive ‘conservative’ or, rather, gently subversive? How collaborative was he? Did he add a line to Hamlet in order to accommodate his ageing and increasingly chubby principal actor, Richard Burbage? Did he suffer from insomnia and experience sexual jealousy? In conversation with a special guest, Simon will share what it’s like to approach and live with some of Shakespeare’s most famous characters. Drawing on the range of his experiences as a man who has played many parts – from his early days as Desdemona in a school production of Othello, to the title roles in Hamlet and Macbeth, as well as his on-screen highlights in films such as The Death of Stalin – Simon will share stories about where he finds his inspiration and divulges some surprising sources. He’ll also share funny and touching anecdotes from his friends, including Sam Mendes, Nick Hytner, Stephen Sondheim and Lauren Bacall. Come ready to savour a night with one of the finest actors of his generation.