rupertgoold

I first directed @SirPatStew in The Tempest @TheRSC which we had set in the Arctic. It was hot July so one day we decided to rehearse the whole play in the freezer of the Stratford Tescos. I will always remember his “we are such stuff” whispering through the boxes of frozen peas.

And then is heard no more. He was the very best of us.

Pens. Always always pens.

Tom Stoppard’s magic was present in everything he wrote but he was also the kindest, most supportive, most generous, man. With Pinter you always knew you were in the presence of genius but with Tom you somehow felt you might participate in it too. Et in Arcadia est.

One of the beautiful songs from @TammyFayeBway by @eltonofficial featuring the great @KatieBrayben m.youtube.com/watch?v=NjU_Eo…

With hands like those he was a wizard in no need of wands. Growing up - Singing Detective, View from the Bridge - he seemed to be acting on a different plane. Good actors make you hear their dreams, Gambon made you see them. Here in No Man’s Land, with his fart machine no doubt.

Ron Cephas Jones in @CookieRiverside Jesus Hopped The A Train is in my top three stage performances of all time. I begged him to come to Northampton afterwards. Othello there and Pontius Pilate @AlmeidaTheatre were a daily education in acting and humanity. RIP general.

Michael Boyd brought slow cooking to British theatre when it was in danger of becoming fast food. A leader who led like a friend and a friend who wore his leadership lightly. I loved him and his History cycle was the most inspiring vision of what British theatre can be.

Thread. Beyond parody.

What rage. What memories.

The acting. Oh, the acting. Love this play, love these players. We shot #Albion in a slightly different way to the usual stage capture. See it if you can.

Thank you to the treasury, to @OliverDowden & to everyone in our sector who has worked so incredibly hard for this moment over the past months. There is so much still to do, for theatres, for #freelancers, for audiences, for all our communities, but this is a moment of hope.