‘Singin’ In the Rain was a miraculous film’
Acclaimed director Sir Trevor Nunn chats about his great English teacher, Cambridge, and directing all of Shakespeare’s plays to JEFFREY DAVIES as he brings Oliver Cotton’s The Score to Bath
THE world premiere production of Oliver Cotton’s ‘astonishing new play’ The Score takes to the stage in the West Country tonight directed by the distinguished and multi award-winning former director of the National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company, Sir Trevor Nunn.
Playing the Theatre Royal Bath for 18 performances only, it stars stage and screen actors Brian Cox as Johann Sebastian Bach and his real-life wife, Nicole Ansari-cox, as Bach’s wife Anna.
Spring 1747 in Potsdam, Prussia, Johann Sebastian Bach reluctantly visits the court of Frederick II, Europe’s most ambitious and dangerous leaders. The two men could hardly be more different. As the Age of Enlightenment dawns, they stand in opposite camps. Bach is deeply religious; Frederick is an atheist. Bach loathes war; Frederick revels in it. Bach studies scripture; Frederick reads military history. Frederick remains in awe of Bach’s genius however, and has mischievously prepared a musical conundrum that he hopes will baffle the composer and amuse his court. The explosive events of the following days could not have been predicted by either man.
A world premiere like this one by Oliver Cotton, presumably not tried and tested with a viewing public yet, must put an extra burden on a director I remarked to the muchcelebrated Sir Trevor Nunn, who informed me (modestly) that just addressing him as ‘Trev is fine’, which strangely I found somewhat difficult to do.
“Well I’ve been very lucky because I’ve done many world premieres over the years including seven Tom Stoppard’s premieres and many others too. All we’re talking about by world premiere Jeffrey is it’s a new play,” a most friendly Sir Trevor pointed out.
“I have been talking to my dear friend Oliver Cotton for two or three years about this play. I did a play written by him just a
few years back and ever since then he has been developing this one about Johann Sebastian Bach and, about a year ago, we did a reading of it which was invariably the all-important first step. The first test for a project like this. We then got together a splendid cast who were just working with us for five days as we explored all the different ingredients in a semi-staged reading.
“It was then very exciting because, soon after that, news came through that Brian Cox had read the play and would be very keen to take on the role of Johann himself. Not surprisingly, very soon after that, came the offer from Bath Theatre Royal that we should premiere the play there. What could be more perfect than a play about 18th-century people in a highly 18th-century situation, doing 18 performances in an 18th-century theatre,” Sir Trevor added with a smile.
It must be both challenging and exciting staging a new play I remarked. “Yes it is. I think the opening of any new play is challenging and exciting in equal measure because the play during the rehearsal period is still going through a process of final formation. The dramatist is discovering what works less well than had been hoped, and what works absolutely splendidly. Is it too long? Does it need to be expanded at various points? All of those things go on during the rehearsal period. It’s very exciting again then as the play gets into costume, then gets on stage, and when the technical work happens. And of course when it gets in front of an audience. It’s all hugely exciting, it really is.”
So what was it about this Theatre Royal Bath production that attracted Sir Trevor to the demanding role of director?
“I think the short answer Jeffrey is everything,” he replied with a laugh.
“The play is based on a real historical situation. Johann Sebastian Bach, a phenomenally accomplished and celebrated composer, was invited at the age of 62 to go to the Court of Frederick the Great of Prussia. Frederick was by far the most powerful monarch in Europe, a total autocrat who had led his country into war on several occasions. And Bach is given to very considerable attacks of anger. He was warned that he must not break in to a temper in the presence of Frederick because people have been known to disappear! Where have we come across such a situation recently? Anybody going to dispute with Putin about being at war in Ukraine is also very likely to disappear. It’s that kind of situation that Bach is responding to; an invitation to meet this autocrat. There is huge danger that he will lose his temper and accuse him of things which will be a disaster. I’m talking about an absolutely real situation here. Bach is deeply religious and Frederick is an atheist, very much part of the Age of Reason (the Enlightenment) and so they couldn’t be more different.”
What does Sir Trevor regard as the key elements of being a director?
Sir Trevor laughed out loud at the simplicity of my question which seemingly has an endless list of answers.
“Well, working with the dramatist for a considerable period of time before the play
goes into production is very important. The exchange of views and the practicalities are also hugely important as is a vast amount of research into the period. But I’m used to that because I’ve now done all 37 of Shakespeare’s 37 plays; every one of those required a huge amount of research into the material. So you have to do all of the background in terrific detail because whatever question comes up in rehearsal, you have got to know the answer to it.
“The next wonderful step in the life of a director is working with the designer to get the play designed. If you’re lucky enough to work with a designer called Walt Jones then it’s absolutely inspiring because of what he can come up with and the dexterity with which he can solve problems. How lucky can one get?” the most engaging director said.
“Sometimes one reaches out to wonderful actors who one’s worked with before. Sometimes auditioning is involved. In this case, auditioning to find actors who can play classical music on stringed instruments including the harpsicord. That’s a very, very special qualification that three or four of my actors have in the cast.
“Then there is the whole business of staging the play which is something that the director has to lead. But one has to be aware of everybody’s opinion and possibilities in the room. To be flexible. Then one gradually gets to the point where having investigated every scene in detail, one begins to put things together and run the play.”
Trevor Nunn is one of the foremost directors of his generation. His extensive repertoire includes theatre, film and television. His many stage credits include directing the original West End productions of the musicals Les Miserables, Cats, Starlight Express and Sunset Boulevard; and the Olivier Award-winning Summerfolk, The Merchant of Venice, Troilus and Cressida, and The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby.
What does the most charming of directors, now 83, have that has turned every production, King Midas-like, into gold.
“Oh no. No, no, no. I just can’t agree that everything turns to gold. A number of things turned to bronze and lead,” Sir Trevor responded with an almighty laugh, telling me that on a number of things he got lucky and that, yes, they did work wonderfully well.
“You mentioned Les Miserables, Jeffrey. Some people thought there was no future for it. How could they be doing this ghastly thing they said; Victor Hugo [author] would be turning in his grave! Yet it is still running 38 years later. Not one of those critics ever put up their hands and said OK I got it wrong, not ever, while the general public started queueing around the block to see it. So there you go; you can’t predict the success or otherwise of a production,” he stressed, saying that he would never abandon a project no matter how difficult it might prove to be.
“Good lord no. I’d never do that!” he responded with a smile. “You know I had the most thrilling and wonderful English teacher at grammar school who was brilliant at getting us excited about Shakespeare. Every year he directed the school play so I idolised him. I wanted to be able to do the sorts of things that he did, and very much thanks to him I got into Cambridge. But I had several months to wait before I could take up my place there so I formed a local theatre company called the Ipswich Youth Theatre. We started with something very simple; I thought I’m going to direct my first production and I chose Hamlet!” he said with a laugh, adding that they all had the most wonderful time.
“Consequently, when I went to university, I did play after play and did far more than I should have done as a student. I think I was involved in 34 productions. So I didn’t get a terribly good degree; it’s a miracle I got a degree at all! But that led me into the professional theatre.
“Very early on in my childhood my wonderful sister won a colouring-in competition and the prize was two tickets to go and see Snow White and the Seven Dwarves at the local hippodrome. So for the first time I was in a huge theatre. And I heard an orchestra tuning-up. It was probably a very tatty show but so thrilling that people were doing dance routines and singing and so on.
“Later in my teenage years, I went to see a film called Singin’ in the Rain which I thought was one of the most miraculous films I’d ever seen. So I was passionate about Shakespeare and passionate about musicals.”
Would it be possible to select a highlight from his career?
“There are several of those moments. One was the production Nicholas Nickleby which came out of a crisis. It won all the awards in this country and then went to Broadway and won all the Tonys. It toured America and was also televised,” Sir Trevor, whose eldest son Joshua lives and teaches in Bath remembered proudly.
Any coveted plays still to receive the Sir Trevor Nunn treatment some day?
“I’ve always wanted to be able to direct West Side Story because I thought it was the great musical of the 20th century. But I’ve never been able to get a production going. So there you go, I’m frustrated,” the most delightful director confessed, adding that he will be in the audience of the Theatre Royal to see his project take to the stage.
“And I also look forward to spending time with my grandchildren while I’m in Bath.”
Brian Cox’s glittering career has spanned more than 60 years, garnering many awards, and working with the most esteemed theatre companies and renowned Hollywood and TV directors. The cast also features Matthew Burns, Dona Croll, Peter de Jersey, Stephen Hagan, Christopher Staines, Benedict Salter and Eric Sirakian.
■ The Score is playing the Theatre Royal Bath from tonight until October 28. Tickets can be booked on 01225 448844 or online at www.theatreroyal.org.uk