by Henrik Ibsen
Translated by Christopher Hampton Director Trevor Nunn Settings John Napier Costumes John Bright Lighting David Hersey Music composed and arranged by Steven Edis
The Royal National Theatre Company
Olivier Theatre Previews began 12 September, 1997 Opened 19 September, 1997
Returned to the Olivier Theatre repertoire on
Tuesday 28 April 1998
Ian McKellen as Dr. Tomas Stockmann
Notes, with comments by Ian McKellen
Ian McKellen, John Napier and Trevor Nunn are
together again, 21 years after their ground-breaking "Macbeth" for the
Royal Shakespeare Company. Their production of Ibsen's disturbingly
modern classic opens at the Olivier Theatre after previews on September.
The six-week rehearsals had to be delayed by two days, to accommodate Sir Ian's
filming in Los Angeles.
IM: "Not the best way to start with a new company! I did my last
shot on Father of Frankenstein at 4.00p.m, on what should have been my first day
at the National and was at the Tom Bradley International Airport only four hours
later, with not enough time to dye my film's snow-white hair back to its natural
sludge-grey. In the air, I re-read Christopher Hampton's expert new translation
of Enemy of the People, realised I was only just prepared for a first
read-through and hoped not too many people in the National's canteen would find
my hair over-amusing."
McKellen's first Ibsen was Hjalmar Ekdal in an undergraduate production of
The Wild Duck at the Arts Theatre in Cambridge (1961), the last of 21 parts
during his three years there.
IM: "I think I knew what Hjalmar was all about, a tragic-comic
part, but I hadn't a total grasp of what he said exactly. On the opening of six
nights, Corin Redgrave, as Gregers Werle, gamely and audibly prompted me
throughout our scene together in the fourth act."
Waris Hussein, a fellow undergraduate at Cambridge, had directed McKellen as
Toby Belch, with Margaret Drabble as Viola and Trevor Nunn as her non-lookalike
twin (1960). In 1974, Hussein cast his Sir Toby as George Tesman, husband of
Hedda Gabler, played by Janet Susman, then Mrs Trevor Nunn.
IM: "It was inventively shot by Waris and very well-acted by
Janet and Tom Bell in particular. Tesman is a part audiences always forget,
until he bursts into life and helps drive his wife to suicide. In their delight
at meeting the sweet man, critics confuse the part with the actor. Everyone who
plays Tesman gets good reviews."
For the RSC at the Aldwych Theatre in 1978, he played Bernick, the
conscience-ridden ship-owner, in John Barton's version of the melodrama Pillars
of the Community.
IM: "John with his usual flair, disguised the early Ibsen's
short-comings, as he has been known to do with Shakespeare's. Judi Dench and
Paola Dionisotti, as my lover and sister, were a constant challenge to match
their beautiful acting. Of Ruby Wax, making her West End debut as a fisherman's
wife, I remember nothing."
McKellen was voted "Actor of the Year" by the Society
of West End Theatre for his work in Pillars of the Community.
IM: "The award was that year a Wedgwood urn, with Kemble and Sarah Siddons embossed.
Better than a cheque. I am very pleased I was given five of the old SWET Awards
- but what an acronym!"