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Post by lynette on Aug 25, 2018 23:37:27 GMT
Play nicely friends.
SRB...def top 10. Not much of a tv or movie oeuvre but what there is, is v good. On stage, despite his 'form' he can be anything you like. Do we have an age limit here, I mean downwards? There are some pretty good young 'uns.
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Post by kathryn on Aug 26, 2018 7:31:39 GMT
No age limit! There are some very good young ‘uns - I think we tend to default to the older actors just because of the sheer amount of work they’ve done.
Among the younger generation, surely Rory Kinnear must be in contention?
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Post by theatreliker on Aug 26, 2018 10:35:24 GMT
My two cents is David Suchet.
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Post by Jan on Aug 26, 2018 11:01:15 GMT
McKellen. There's no doubt about it. The problem is his greatest years were before many people on the board here saw him. The single most extraordinary stage performance I've ever seen was him as Iago in the first half of Othello. I did not see him as Macbeth but that was apparently a sensation too.
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Post by profquatermass on Aug 26, 2018 11:27:20 GMT
I saw his Iago. It was very good but I've seen others just as good from actors who also excel at modern drama (whose performances I assume you haven't seen). Mckellen hasn't done much non-Shakespeare for the last 30 years (though he was an excellent Dame)
No love for Rylance on these boards? I'm not a great fan but I would have thought he'd get some votes
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Post by Jan on Aug 26, 2018 14:55:27 GMT
I saw his Iago. It was very good but I've seen others just as good from actors who also excel at modern drama (whose performances I assume you haven't seen). Mckellen hasn't done much non-Shakespeare for the last 30 years (though he was an excellent Dame) No love for Rylance on these boards? I'm not a great fan but I would have thought he'd get some votes Looking at the last 30 years of his career (when actually he has done very little Shakespeare work and more non-Shakespeare) is not valid. You have to look at his entire stage career. And the fact he has triumphed on Broadway too which very good stage actors like Derek Jacobi haven’t. He has a very wide range too which current favourite Simon Russell-Beale hasn‘t. Albert Finney anyone ? |
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Post by lynette on Aug 26, 2018 15:58:51 GMT
David Tennant and Rory Kinnear are moving up the ranks. Both good on stage, very good.
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Post by tmesis on Aug 26, 2018 16:21:08 GMT
No age limit! There are some very good young ‘uns - I think we tend to default to the older actors just because of the sheer amount of work they’ve done. Among the younger generation, surely Rory Kinnear must be in contention? I don't share your enthusiasm for Kinnear. I think he's overrated. I've seen him several times in a variety of parts and he always has the vocal delivery of a mildly exasperated geography teacher admonishing a class of recalcitrant fourteen year olds. |
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Post by NeilVHughes on Aug 26, 2018 16:32:28 GMT
Not sure whether classed as a young un, Maxine Peake rarely disappoints, intrigued to see how Billie Piper’s stage career progresses.
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Post by crowblack on Aug 26, 2018 16:40:25 GMT
Maxine Peake rarely disappoints Really good at the Manchester Royal Exchange - it's an in-the-round space that relies heavily on lighting and she has a face and physicality that works so well there. |
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Post by profquatermass on Aug 26, 2018 16:43:42 GMT
I saw his Iago. It was very good but I've seen others just as good from actors who also excel at modern drama (whose performances I assume you haven't seen). Mckellen hasn't done much non-Shakespeare for the last 30 years (though he was an excellent Dame) No love for Rylance on these boards? I'm not a great fan but I would have thought he'd get some votes Looking at the last 30 years of his career (when actually he has done very little Shakespeare work and more non-Shakespeare) is not valid. You have to look at his entire stage career. And the fact he has triumphed on Broadway too which very good stage actors like Derek Jacobi haven’t. He has a very wide range too which current favourite Simon Russell-Beale hasn‘t. Albert Finney anyone ? The Simon Russell Beale who has starred in Shakespeare, musicals, Chekhov, nineteenth century comedy, modern thrillers, Stoppard and even ballet? That Simon Russell Beale? |
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Post by peggs on Aug 26, 2018 19:09:57 GMT
This is an interesting thread. My stage exposure is only the last 12 years or so, so I've seen a limited range from which to take my pick so this board is always good for some views on performances I've missed. The names put forward so far as very strong contenders I think, the actor I have seen the most is SRB who I find somewhat mesmerising and regret missing his earlier stuff but if I had to pick one name i'd probably plump for Judi Dench, she has a capacity to consistently move me like one quite else.
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Post by altamont on Aug 26, 2018 20:48:37 GMT
Not obvious choices but a trio of fantastic older actors who'll never have the profile of many of those mentioned above, but always improve anything they're in
I'm thinking Michael Pennington, Oliver Ford Davies and William Gaunt
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Post by kathryn on Aug 26, 2018 21:05:17 GMT
Oliver Ford Davies has been amazing in everything I’ve seen him do - which is not nearly enough! I guess I missed a lot of wonderful stuff when he was younger - the first time I saw him was 2009 RSC Hamlet.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2018 21:26:23 GMT
OFD is a fine character actor and has played a huge amount of roles over the years likewise Michael Pennington. They may not be as high profile as some other names mentioned here but certainly deserve consideration.
A few people have said to me in recent years they feel Antony Sher has played his best roles and might be passed his peak despite him playing some of the most iconic stage roles available to an actor. His last great role was possibly Primo and he has said that his recent run as Lear might be his last major Shakespearean role. But he has given some great performances over the years and has excelled as an actor, writer, artist etc.
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Post by crowblack on Aug 26, 2018 22:06:43 GMT
I saw several productions with Ian McDiarmid when I first started theatregoing in Manchester and at the Barbican, and he was always utterly magnetic.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2018 16:19:01 GMT
David Tennant and Rory Kinnear are moving up the ranks. Both good on stage, very good.
I really really like David Tennant on stage (I saw him in The Glass Menagerie at the Dundee Rep in the mid 90s and he was good even then) but he doesn't count on the "English" bit.
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Post by lynette on Aug 30, 2018 20:28:12 GMT
David Tennant and Rory Kinnear are moving up the ranks. Both good on stage, very good.
I really really like David Tennant on stage (I saw him in The Glass Menagerie at the Dundee Rep in the mid 90s and he was good even then) but he doesn't count on the "English" bit.
Lol. But that would prob remove a few from our list. So can we extend to British? |
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