Alun Armstrong

For those of the same or a similar name, see Alun Armstrong (footballer) and Alan Armstrong (disambiguation).

Alun Armstrong
Armstrong in January 2012
Born
Alan Armstrong

1946 (age 77–78)
Annfield Plain, County Durham, England
OccupationActor
Years active1971–present
SpouseSue Bairstow
Children3, including Joe

Alan Armstrong (born 1946[1]), known professionally as Alun Armstrong, is an English character actor. He grew up in County Durham in North East England, and first became interested in acting through Shakespeare productions at his grammar school. Since his career began in the early 1970s, he has played, in his words, "the full spectrum of characters from the grotesque to musicals... I always play very colourful characters, often a bit crazy, despotic, psychotic".[2]

His credits include several Charles Dickens adaptations, and the eccentric ex-detective Brian Lane in New Tricks. He is also an accomplished stage actor who spent nine years with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He originated the role of Thénardier in the London production of Les Misérables, and won an Olivier Award in the title role in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Early life

Born Alan Armstrong in Annfield Plain, County Durham, his father was a coal miner and both his parents were Methodist lay preachers.[2][3] He attended Annfield Plain Junior School, then Consett Grammar School, where a teacher inspired him to try acting.[4] In the lower sixth, he played Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew, a role he later played with the Royal Shakespeare Company.[5]

Armstrong took part in the National Youth Theatre summer school in 1964, but his background and northern accent made him feel out of place.[3] He auditioned for RADA but was not accepted.[citation needed] He instead studied fine art at Newcastle University.[5] He found the course pretentious and felt that he did not fit in, and he was sent down after two years when he stopped attending classes.[2][3]

Armstrong had jobs with a bricklayer and as a gravedigger before he decided to try acting again. He started out as an assistant stage manager at the Cambridge Arts Theatre, then went on to a Theatre in Education company affiliated with the Sheffield Repertory Theatre. He also performed in several Radio 4 dramas.[3]

Career

Film

Armstrong made his screen debut in Get Carter (1971).[6] On learning that the film was being made in Newcastle, Armstrong wrote a letter to MGM, the studio making the film, and was invited to meet director Mike Hodges, who was keen to cast local actors.[7]

Armstrong has appeared in a number of films, although usually in supporting roles. In A Bridge Too Far (1977), he had a small role as one of the British troops at the Battle of Arnhem.[8] He played a French soldier, Lieutenant Lecourbe, in Ridley Scott's 1977 film The Duellists. He had a supporting role as the bandit leader Torquil in the 1983 fantasy film Krull.[9]

His first cinematic lead role was as Maxwell Randall, the titular vampire in Alan Clarke's snooker musical Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire (1987). Armstrong sang "I Bite Back".

In Patriot Games (1992), Armstrong played an SO-13 officer. In Braveheart (1995), he played the Scottish noble Mornay who betrayed William Wallace.[10] He was the villainous Egyptian cult leader Baltus Hafez in The Mummy Returns (2001),[11] and he portrayed Saint Peter with a Geordie accent in Millions (2004).[12] He also had small roles as the High Constable in Sleepy Hollow (1999),[13] Cardinal Jinette in Van Helsing (2004),[14] Magistrate Fang in Roman Polanski's Oliver Twist (2005) and Uncle Garrow in Eragon (2006).[15]

Television

Armstrong has had over 80 roles in television productions.[16] During the 1970s, he appeared in various TV series, including episodes of Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, Porridge, Public Eye and The Sweeney.[17][18]

He was cast in two mini-series dealing with coal miners in North East England. He played Joe Gowlan in The Stars Look Down (1974) based on the novel by A. J. Cronin and he appeared in Ken Loach's Days of Hope (1975) set in his native County Durham.[19][20] In a 2007 interview, Armstrong singled out Days of Hope as a favourite: "I loved that because it was my own history and background that was being dramatised and, in a way, nothing gets better than that".[2]

In the comedy series A Sharp Intake of Breath, he played a variety of characters who complicate the life of the main character played by David Jason.[21] In 1977, he was the strict Deputy Headmaster in Willy Russell's Our Day Out, a television play about a group of poor schoolchildren on a daytrip.[22] He also starred in the 1981 Yorkshire Television drama Get Lost![23]

Armstrong has portrayed characters from the works of Charles Dickens. He played Wackford Squeers and Mr. Wagstaff in the eight-hour Royal Shakespeare Company stage adaptation of The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby that was filmed for television in 1982.[24] He has appeared in two versions of Oliver Twist: the 1999 ITV mini-series as Agnes Fleming's father Captain Fleming and the 2005 Roman Polanski film as Magistrate Fang.[25][26] He has had roles in four BBC Dickens adaptations, as Daniel Peggotty in David Copperfield (1999);[27] as Inspector Bucket in Bleak House (2005);[28] as Jeremiah and Ephraim Flintwinch in Little Dorrit (2008);[29] and as Hiram Grewgious in The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012).[30] Armstrong has been a fan of Dickens since reading David Copperfield aloud in school. He particularly remembered Dan Peggotty's houseboat on the beach, and in order to play the role he turned down an offer from Clint Eastwood, with whom he had worked on White Hunter Black Heart.[31]

In the BBC drama series Our Friends in the North (1996), he played Austin Donohue, a character based on the politician T. Dan Smith.[32] Armstrong portrayed 18th century politician Henry Fox in the BBC serial Aristocrats (1999). In the 2000 TV film This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper, he portrayed George Oldfield, the Assistant Chief Constable for Crime at West Yorkshire Police whose health deteriorated during the investigation as he received messages purportedly from the killer.[33] He was nominated for a Royal Television Society award for his role in This Is Personal.[34]

In the second series of Bedtime (2002), he played a widower concerned about his son's suspicious behaviour.[35] He and Brenda Blethyn co-starred in Between the Sheets (2003) as a frustrated married couple in sex therapy.[36] In an adaptation of Carrie's War, he played a strict man who reluctantly takes in two children evacuated to Wales during World War II.[37]

Armstrong is known for his role as Brian Lane in the BBC One series New Tricks about a group of former police detectives who help investigate unsolved and open cases for London's Metropolitan Police. The character of Brian Lane is an obsessive and socially inept recovering alcoholic who has a great capacity for remembering details of old cases and colleagues. In August 2012, Armstrong announced he would leave the show after the tenth series. The announcement followed comments by the cast in an interview with the Radio Times that criticised some of the series' writing,[38] and which drew an angry rebuttal from the show's writer-director Julian Simpson.[39]

During the run of New Tricks, Armstrong continued to take on other projects. He starred in the 2004 TV film When I'm 64 about a lonely retired schoolteacher who starts a relationship with another man. He chose the role, despite his apprehension about filming a love scene with co-star Paul Freeman, because he thought it was a lovely and thought-provoking story.[3][40] He also starred in The Girls Who Came to Stay (2006), about a British couple who take in two girls exposed to the effects of the Chernobyl disaster,[41] and Filth (2008), as the husband of "Clean-Up TV" activist Mary Whitehouse.[42]

For three series from 2009 to 2011, he played William Garrow's mentor John Southouse in the BBC period legal drama Garrow's Law.[43] In 2012, he played the Earl of Northumberland in the BBC2 adaptations of Henry IV, Parts I and II. His son Joe Armstrong[44] played Northumberland's son Hotspur.[45] In the 2014 Showtime horror series Penny Dreadful, Armstrong played Vincent Brand, an actor who gives Frankenstein's monster a job at the Grand Guignol.[46] He guest starred in the 2014 Christmas special of Downton Abbey,[47] and took the role of Clifford Bentley in ITV police drama Prime Suspect 1973.[citation needed]

Theatre

In addition to his film and television work, Armstrong has acted in many theatre productions. One of his early roles was Billy Spencer in David Storey's play The Changing Room at the Royal Court Theatre directed by Lindsay Anderson in 1971.[48] In 1975, he played Touchstone in As You Like It directed by Peter Gill at the Nottingham Playhouse.[49]

Armstrong spent nine years with the Royal Shakespeare Company from 1979 to 1988. On tour and at the Donmar Warehouse in 1979–80, he played Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing[50] and Azdak in The Caucasian Chalk Circle.[51]

In 1981, Armstrong joined the cast of the eight-hour production of The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby as Wackford Squeers. The company went on tour to perform on Broadway at the Plymouth Theatre.[52] The play was filmed for television at the Old Vic Theatre in 1982.

In productions at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, the Theatre Royal, Newcastle, and the Barbican Theatre in 1982–83, Armstrong played Trinculo in The Tempest[53] and Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew with Sinéad Cusack as Kate.[54] In 1983, he played Ralph Trapdoor in The Roaring Girl starring Helen Mirren.[55] He performed the roles of Leontes in The Winter's Tale and John Proctor in The Crucible on a national tour that included Christ Church, Spitalfields in 1984 and on tour to Poland in 1985.[56][57] In 1985–86, he played Thersites in Troilus and Cressida.[58]

In the autumn of 1985, Armstrong took on what is perhaps his best-known stage role: Thénardier in the original London production of Les Misérables. Thénardier and his wife, played by Susan Jane Tanner, are innkeepers whose shady practices are revealed in the song "Master of the House." Armstrong described Thénardier as "a gruesome and comic character."[59]

Armstrong was one of the first to be cast, along with fellow Royal Shakespeare Company members Sue Jane Tanner and Roger Allam.[60] He was involved in fleshing out his role, particularly in the second act song "Dog Eats Dog."[61] He was surprised by the success of Les Misérables "because it is different to other musicals. Different because it is a sung musical throughout and also a little operatic; I didn't think it would be very popular."[59] He left the production after a year because he became bored with the repetition and wanted to move on to other things.[59]

He sings on Original London Cast Recording. He reprised the role, paired with Jenny Galloway as Mme. Thénardier, in Les Misérables - The Dream Cast in Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in October 1995, which was filmed and released on DVD. He also appeared in the 25th anniversary concert, though Matt Lucas performed the role of Thénardier.[62]

Armstrong received nominations in two categories for the 1985 Olivier Award: Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Musical for Les Misérables and Actor of the Year for The Crucible and The Winter's Tale.[63] In 1988, he was again nominated for the Olivier Award for the roles of Barabas in an RSC production of The Jew of Malta and the Captain in a National Theatre production of The Father by August Strindberg.[64] The New York Times review of The Father said: "At its imploding center is the superb actor Alun Armstrong... 'To eat or be eaten, that is the question,' says the captain. By evening's end, Mr. Armstrong seems to have been devoured alive by his inner demons..."[65]

During the short run of the musical The Baker's Wife at the Phoenix Theatre in 1989–90, he played the role of the baker Aimable Castagnet. The production, directed by Trevor Nunn, received positive reviews but did not attract large audiences and closed after 56 performances.[66] He was nominated for an Olivier Award for Outstanding Performance of the Year by an Actor in a Musical.[67]

Armstrong won the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical in 1994 for his performance as Sweeney Todd in the 1993 London revival of the musical at the National Theatre. The play also won for Best Musical Revival and his co-star Julia McKenzie won Best Actress in a Musical.[68]

At the Donmar Warehouse, Armstrong appeared as Albert Einstein in Terry Johnson's Insignificance in 1995,[69] and he played Hamm in Samuel Beckett's Endgame in 1996.[70] He starred as Willy Loman in a 1996–97 National Theatre production of Death of a Salesman.[71] In 1997–98, he appeared in a production of the comedy The Front Page directed by Sam Mendes at the Donmar Warehouse. The Independent review noted: "As for Alun Armstrong, we don't meet him until late in the second of three acts but he dominates the entire evening. He barks, bleats and bellows across the stage, grabbing Hildy and the show by the scruff of the neck and hurtling through to a zinger of a climax."[72]

Armstrong took the lead role at short notice in Shelagh Stephenson's play Mappa Mundi in 2002, replacing Ian Holm who withdrew due to illness.[73] In 2006, he returned to the stage to star in Trevor Nunn's production of The Royal Hunt of the Sun at the National Theatre.[74] At the Proms in 2012, he played Alfred Doolittle in a performance of My Fair Lady starring Annalene Beechey and Anthony Andrews.[75] Armstrong stars in a 2014 production of Ionesco's black comedy Exit the King at the Theatre Royal, Bath's Ustinov Studio.[76]

Personal life

Armstrong and his wife, Sue, have three sons: Tom, Joe (also an actor), and Dan. Father and son played older and younger versions of the same character in the 2010 BBC drama A Passionate Woman,[77] and they played Northumberland and his son Hotspur in the 2012 BBC adaptation of Henry IV.[45] Dan was a musician in the band Clock Opera.[77][78] Armstrong appeared in the music video for their song "The Lost Buoys".[79]

In July 2009, Armstrong was awarded two honorary degrees in recognition of his contributions to the arts. He received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of East Anglia[80] and an Honorary Doctorate of Arts from the University of Sunderland.[81] The theatre at the Civic Hall in Stanley, County Durham, near Armstrong's hometown, was named after him in 2014.[47]

Armstrong is a supporter of AFC Wimbledon, as is his character in New Tricks.[82]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1971 Get Carter Keith Lacey
1973 The 14 Tommy Also known as Existence and The Wild Little Bunch
1973 The Sex Victims George Short film
1976 Don't Tell the Lads Dramatised health and safety documentary on lead poisoning
1976 The Likely Lads Milkman
1977 A Bridge Too Far Corporal Davies
1977 The Duellists Lacourbe
1981 The French Lieutenant's Woman Grimes
1983 Krull Torquil
1985 Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire Maxwell Randall
1985 Number One Blackpool Sergeant
1989 The Childeater Stefano Short film
1989 That Summer of White Roses Zemba Also known as Djavolji raj
1990 White Hunter Black Heart Ralph Lockhart
1991 American Friends Dr. Weeks
1991 London Kills Me John Stone
1992 Blue Ice Osgood
1992 My Little Eye Dad Short film
1992 Patriot Games Sergeant Jimmy Owens
1992 Split Second Thrasher
1994 Black Beauty Reuben Smith
1995 An Awfully Big Adventure Uncle Vernon
1995 Braveheart Mornay
1997 The Saint Inspector Teal
1999 G:MT – Greenwich Mean Time Uncle Henry
1999 Onegin Zaretsky
1999 Sleepy Hollow High Constable
1999 With or Without You Sammy
2000 Harrison's Flowers Samuel Brubeck
2000 Proof of Life Wyatt
2001 The Mummy Returns Baltus Hafez
2001 Strictly Sinatra Bill
2003 It's All About Love David
2003 Paradise Found Pissarro
2004 Millions Saint Peter
2004 Van Helsing: The London Assignment Cardinal Jinette
2004 Van Helsing
2005 Oliver Twist Magistrate Fang
2006 Eragon Uncle Garrow
2006 A Ticket Too Far Dad Short film
2012 The Lost Buoys Tycoon Music video
2016 Golden Years Sid
2018 Possum Uncle Maurice
2018 Funny Cow Lenny

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1971 Advent of Steam William Hedley Series 1, episode 6: "The Iron Horse: Part 2"
1972 Dividing Fence Geordie Gilroy Part of the Full House on Tyneside live arts programme
1972 General Hospital Ken Hartley Series 1, episodes 11–16 & 18
1972 New Scotland Yard Ray Davies Series 1, episode 7: "The Wrong 'Un"
1972 Villains Terence 'Tel' Boldon Series 1, episode 1: "George"
Series 1, Episode 6: "Sand Dancer"
Series 1, Episode 8: "Move In, Move On"
1973 Armchair 30 Glazier Series 1, episode 8: "Ross Evans' Story"
1973 Hunter's Walk Lorry Driver Series 1, episode 7: "Discretion"
1973 Only Make Believe Michael Biddle Part of the BBC Play for Today series
1973 Six Days of Justice P.C. Williamson Series 3, episode 4: "The Complaint"
1973 Softly, Softly: Task Force David Miller Series 9, episode 3: "A Quiet Man"
1973 Thriller Mike Series 1, episode 9: "The Eyes Have It"
1974 Easy Go First docker Part of the BBC Play for Today series
1974 Father Brown Joe Series 1, episode 1: "The Hammer of God"
1974 Justice Bob Graham Series 3, episode 6: "It's Always a Gamble"
1974 Sporting Scenes Bernie Series 1, episode 3: "The Needle Match"
1974 Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? Dougie Scaife Series 2, episode 12: "Conduct Unbecoming"
1975 Days of Hope Billy Shepherd TV miniseries
1975 Public Eye Vince Gregson Series 7, episode 9: "The Fatted Calf"
1975 The Squirrels Jim Series 1, episode 6: "The Favourite"
1975 The Stars Look Down Joe Gowlan TV miniseries
1975 The Sweeney Peter Jenner Series 2, episode 9: "Stay Lucky Eh?"
1976 Chester Mystery Plays Lightborne / Secundus Demon Part of the BBC Play of the Month series
1976 The New Avengers Private George Harris Series 1, episode 12: "Dirtier by the Dozen"
1977 Centre Play Richard Clewes Series 6, episode 8: "Risking It"
1977 Our Day Out Mr. Briggs Part of the BBC2 Play of the Week series
Rebroadcast in 1978 in the Play for Today series
1977 Shooting the Chandelier Brodovich Part of the BBC2 Play of the Week series
1977 Porridge Spraggon Series 3, episode 5: "A Test of Character"
1977 Romance Weaver Series 1, episode 5: "House of Men"
1977 The Squirrels Sweeney Series 3, episode 8: "Shoulder to Shoulder"
1978 Enemy at the Door Louis Mendoza Series 1, episode 8: "Officers of the Law"
1978 Freedom of the Dig Part of the BBC2 Premiere drama series
1978 Liza Mikhalevich Part of the BBC2 Play of the Week series
1978 Z-Cars Detective Superintendent Boley Series 13, episode 13: "Pressure"
1978–79 A Sharp Intake of Breath Various characters Series 1–2: 13 episodes
1979 All Day on the Sands Dad Part of the Six Plays by Alan Bennett series
1979 Measure for Measure Provost Part of the BBC Television Shakespeare series
1980 Armchair Thriller Trahearne Series 3, episodes 17–20: "Fear of God"
1981 Get Lost! Neville Keaton 4 episodes
1981 One in a Thousand Dick Hayes Dramatized documentary
1982 The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby Wackford Squeers
Mr. Wagstaff 		Stage performance filmed for television
1983 Mr. Moon's Last Case Narrator TV play
1984 The Book Tower Presenter Children's programme; 7 episodes
1984 The House Mr. Smeth TV film
1984 Sharing Time Luke Series 1, episode 1: "Guilt on the Gingerbread"
1985 Bulman DS Figg Series 1, episode 4: "Death of a Hitman"
1987 Christmas Is Coming ... This Is a Government Health Warning! Informational programme with comedy sketches
1988 Number 27 Murray Lester
1988 The Storyteller The Troll (voice) Series 1, episode 9: "The True Bride"
1988 This is David Lander Councillor Stennalling Series 1, episode 1: "Not a Pretty Site"
1989 A Night on the Tyne Willy TV film
1989 Nineteen 96 Detective Superintendent Frank Burroughs Part of the BBC Screen One series
1990 Looking after Number One Dick Part of the BBC Screenplay Firsts series
1990 Sticky Wickets Evans Part of the BBC Screen One series
1990 The Widowmaker Dad TV film
1991 Murder in Eden Sergeant McGing TV miniseries
1991 Stanley and the Women Rufus Hilton TV miniseries
1992 Goodbye Cruel World Roy Grade TV miniseries
1992 Inspector Morse Superintendent Holdsby Series 6, episode 2: "Happy Families"
1992 The Life and Times of Henry Pratt Uncle Teddy TV miniseries
1992 Married... with Children Trevor Season 6, episodes 24–26: "England Show," Parts I, II and III
1992 Shakespeare: The Animated Tales Caliban (voice) Series 1, episode 2: "The Tempest"
1993 Goggle-Eyes Gerald Faulkner TV miniseries
1994 Doggin' Around Charlie Foster TV film
1994 MacGyver: Trail to Doomsday Chief Superintendent Capshaw TV film
1995 Sorry about Last Night Mickey TV film
1996 Brazen Hussies Jimmy Hardcastle TV film
1996 Breaking the Code Mick Ross TV film
1996 Our Friends in the North Austin Donohue TV miniseries
1996 Tales from the Crypt Inspector Herbert Season 7, episode 12: "Confession"
1996 Witness Against Hitler Pastor Harald Poelchau TV film
1997 Underworld Teddy Middlemass 6 episodes
1998 In the Red DCI Frank Jefferson TV miniseries
1998 Shell Shock Narrator 3-part documentary
1999 Aristocrats Henry Fox TV miniseries
1999 David Copperfield Daniel Peggotty TV film
1999 Oliver Twist Mr. Fleming TV miniseries
2000 7Up 2000 Narrator Documentary
2000 Challenger: Go for Launch Narrator Documentary
2000 This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper George Oldfield TV film
Nominated: Royal Television Society award
2001 Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years George Mole 6 episodes
2001 Extinct Narrator 6-part documentary
2001 Score George Devon TV film
2001 Waiters Oscar Part of the ITV First Cut series
2002 Bedtime Neil Henshall Series 2: 6 episodes
2002 Inquisition Martin TV film
2002 Sparkhouse Richard Bolton TV film
2003 Between the Sheets Peter Delany TV miniseries
2003 Messiah 2: Vengeance is Mine DCI Charlie Macintyre TV miniseries
2003–2013, 2015 New Tricks Brian Lane Series 1–10: 80 episodes
2004 Carrie's War Samuel Evans TV film
2004 When I'm 64 Jim TV film
2005 Bleak House Inspector Bucket TV miniseries
2006 The Girls Who Came to Stay Bob Jenkins TV film
Also known as The Girls of Belarus
2007 The Dinner Party Jim TV film
2008 Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story Ernest Whitehouse TV film
2008 Little Dorrit Jeremiah and Ephraim Flintwinch TV miniseries
2009–2011 Garrow's Law John Southouse Series 1–3: 11 episodes
2010 A Passionate Woman Donald TV film (Part 2)
2012 The Mystery of Edwin Drood Hiram Grewgious TV film
2012 The Hollow Crown Earl of Northumberland TV films/series; Henry IV, Parts I and II
2014 Penny Dreadful Vincent Brand TV series
2014 Downton Abbey Stowell Series 5 Christmas special
2016 Frontier Lord Benton TV series
2016 Dark Angel George Stott TV series
2017 Prime Suspect: Tennison Clifford Bentley TV series
2019 Year of the Rabbit Chief Inspector Wisbech TV Mini Series
2020–2023 Breeders Jim, Paul's father TV series
2022 Sherwood Gary Jackson TV Mini Series
2023 Tom Jones Squire Western TV Miniseries

Theatre

Year Play Playwright Role Theatre Notes
1971 I Was Hitler's Maid Christopher Wilkinson Adolf Hitler King's Head Theatre Club, London [3][83]
1971 The Changing Room David Storey Billy Spencer Royal Court Theatre, London
1973 Dracula Bram Stoker
Stanley Eveling et al. (adaptation) 		Renfield Bush Theatre, London [84]
1973 A Fart for Europe Howard Brenton
David Edgar 		Edgar Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, London [85]
1973 Cromwell David Storey Morgan
Wallace 		Royal Court Theatre, London [86]
1975 As You Like It William Shakespeare Touchstone Nottingham Playhouse
1976 The Sons of Light David Rudkin Yescanab University Theatre, Newcastle [87]
1976 Mother's Day David Storey Gordon Royal Court Theatre, London [88]
1978 The Passion Tony Harrison (adaptation) Fourth Soldier Cottesloe Theatre, London [89]
1978 One for the Road Willy Russell Dennis National tour Alternate titles:[90]
Dennis the Menace
Happy Returns
1979–80 Much Ado About Nothing William Shakespeare Dogberry Small-scale tour
Donmar Warehouse, London 		Royal Shakespeare Company
1979–80 The Caucasian Chalk Circle Bertolt Brecht Azdak Small-scale tour
Donmar Warehouse, London 		Royal Shakespeare Company
1980 Bastard Angel Barrie Keeffe Alun Donmar Warehouse, London Royal Shakespeare Company[91]
1980 The Loud Boy's Life Howard Barker Harry Baker
Lionel Frontage
Norman Leathers 		Donmar Warehouse, London Royal Shakespeare Company[92]
1981–82 The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby Charles Dickens
David Edgar (adaptation) 		Wackford Squeers
Mr. Wagstaff 		Aldwych Theatre, London
Plymouth Theatre, Broadway
Old Vic, London (filmed for TV) 		Royal Shakespeare Company
1982–83 The Tempest William Shakespeare Trinculo Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford
Theatre Royal, Newcastle
Barbican Theatre, London 		Royal Shakespeare Company
1982–83 The Taming of the Shrew William Shakespeare Petruchio Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford
Theatre Royal, Newcastle
Barbican Theatre, London 		Royal Shakespeare Company
1983 The Roaring Girl Thomas Middleton
Thomas Dekker 		Ralph Trapdoor Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford
Barbican Theatre, London 		Royal Shakespeare Company
1983 Reflections Jasper Rootham Performer Gulbenkian Studio, Newcastle Royal Shakespeare Company[93]
1984 Serjeant Musgrave's Dance John Arden Private Hurst Old Vic, London [94]
1984–85 The Crucible Arthur Miller John Proctor Small-scale tour
Christ Church, Spitalfields
Polish tour 		Royal Shakespeare Company
Nominated: Olivier Award
1984–85 The Winter's Tale William Shakespeare Leontes Small-scale tour
Christ Church, Spitalfields
Polish tour 		Royal Shakespeare Company
Nominated: Olivier Award
1985–86 Troilus and Cressida William Shakespeare Thersites Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford
Barbican Theatre, London 		Royal Shakespeare Company
1985–86 Les Misérables Claude-Michel Schönberg
Alain Boublil
Herbert Kretzmer 		Thénardier Barbican Theatre, London
Palace Theatre, London 		Royal Shakespeare Company
Nominated: Olivier Award
1987–88 Fashion Doug Lucie Stuart Clarke The Other Place, Stratford
The Pit, London 		Royal Shakespeare Company[95]
1987–88 The Jew of Malta Christopher Marlowe Barabas the Jew Swan Theatre, Stratford
People's Theatre, Newcastle
Barbican Theatre, London 		Royal Shakespeare Company
Nominated: Olivier Award
1988 The Father August Strindberg The Captain Cottesloe Theatre, London Nominated: Olivier Award
1989–90 The Baker's Wife Stephen Schwartz
Joseph Stein 		Aimable Castagnet Phoenix Theatre, London Nominated: Olivier Award
1993 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Stephen Sondheim
Hugh Wheeler 		Sweeney Todd Cottesloe Theatre, London Won: Olivier Award
1995 Insignificance Terry Johnson Albert Einstein Donmar Warehouse, London
1995 Les Misérables: The Dream Cast in Concert Claude-Michel Schönberg
Alain Boublil
Herbert Kretzmer 		Thénardier Royal Albert Hall, London 8 October 1995
Released on DVD
1996 Endgame Samuel Beckett Hamm Donmar Warehouse, London
1996–97 Death of a Salesman Arthur Miller Willy Loman Lyttelton Theatre, London
1997–98 The Front Page Ben Hecht
Charles MacArthur 		Walter Burns Donmar Warehouse, London
2002 Mappa Mundi Shelagh Stephenson Jack Cottesloe Theatre, London
2006 The Royal Hunt of the Sun Peter Shaffer Francisco Pizarro Olivier Theatre, London
2009 A House Not Meant to Stand Tennessee Williams Cornelius McCorkle Donmar Warehouse, London Rehearsed reading
14 September 2009[96]
2012 My Fair Lady Alan Lerner
Frederick Loewe 		Alfred P. Doolittle Royal Albert Hall, London BBC Proms
2013 Family Voices
Victoria Station 		Harold Pinter Voice 3
Controller 		Trafalgar Studios, London
2014 Exit the King Eugène Ionesco King Berenger Ustinov Studio, Theatre Royal, Bath

Radio

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