#AskRichard
Richard is currently appearing in Krapp's Last Tape at the Crucible Theatre. They kindly hosted a Q&A with him today. And here's how it went!
@crucibletheatre: We're here with Richard and ready to take your questions! #askrichard
@MerlinFanWorld: Hey Richard, do you plan to guest on any conventions?
Richard: No plans at the moment.
@suspectsnargles: What was the best part about working on Merlin?
Richard: The best part about Merlin was getting to know Paris really well & of course working with Colin Morgan was great fun.
@Dumblepaws: Do you have any pets? Also please can we share your bananas?
Richard: I don't have any pets at the moment but I did part-own a horse ... I am a cat person rather than a rabbit person.
@theatrekat: Did you find it daunting to take on such an iconic role as Krapp?
Richard: Yes I did find it daunting there was a huge temptation to look at the other Krapps on YouTube but I managed to avoid that. I did look at Harold Pinter's because I actually saw that show & remembered it. I think it's vital to find one's own Krapp.
@millysandals: Krapp’s Last Tape has such an unusual set. Was this the way you pictured Krapp’s den originally?
Richard: No. The idea of an installation came from the designer Alex Lowde & Polly Findlay but I think it works very well.
@poppychristobel: Whats the most eventful show you've been involved in and why?
Richard: The most eventful show is One Foot in The Grave. It was brilliantly written & it had a wonderful cast. It changed my life.
@andy_o_jones: Which other actors/actresses of your generation do you most admire?
Richard: I admire the work of Colin Morgan very much who I was in Merlin with & Alistair Cope & Kate O'Flynn in Lungs.
@AlexanderJB89: What do you think about the prospects of British theatre after the arts cuts?
Richard: The arts cuts were very disappointing & generally the arts under the coalition have not fared well. But I think the arts are in very good shape despite that.
@paulyg: How does it feel to be on the stage in Sheffield after directing so many shows here?
Richard: It's nice being on stage in Sheffield but it's a bit lonely being in a one person show! Of course Krapp is about loneliness!
@MrFattyC: If you could travel back in time. What piece of advice would you give to your younger self?
Richard: If I could travel back in time I would say... "Richard... open out!"
@nancsig: Do you have a favourite playwright ?
Richard: Since I only direct new plays my favourite playwright is always the one I'm currently working with in this case Marcelo Dos Santos.
@GilesSearby: I see from rehearsal pics that you used grissini instead of bananas - were you worried about going off bananas?
Richard: I was worried about eating too many in rehearsal because as you know bananas are great binders & we can't have that can we?
@jco0872: How easy is it to rehearse a play like Krapp’s Last Tape?
Richard: We only rehearsed for 4 hours a day because it is quite wearing when one is the only actor in the play but it was fascinating to unravel the text with Polly Findlay the director.
@keeley_atlanta: What's it like not having other actors to bounce off, when you're in a one man show?
Richard: It's a bit lonely but as I said earlier that's what the play's about!
@malcolm_fox2: Is there an actor that you would have loved to appear with either on stage or TV?
Richard: I would have loved to have appeared with Laurel & Hardy.
@Supersonic70s: Most actors dread retiring at some point. How do personally feel about this?
Richard: I have no desire to retire at the moment & fortunately my memory seems to be holding out but who knows???
@lauraprice: Having appeared in Waiting for Godot in the past, do you feel that there are any parallels playing another of Beckett's characters, or is it a completely different experience?
Richard: It's a completely different experience. I think Godot is probably more accessible but somewhat longer!!
@amyloula: how was it working with Andrew Scott when you directed Playing the Victim?
Richard: I loved working with Andrew & recognised his talent many many years ago. He's one of our most brilliant actors.
@sandilo60: What are you doing lately? Colin Morgan admires you & could not believe he got to work with you. What did you think of him?
Richard: Colin was a joy to work with and very professional and a wonderful actor. He's coming up to see Krapp but I'm not going to tell you when!
@crucibletheatre: We're here with Richard and ready to take your questions! #askrichard
@MerlinFanWorld: Hey Richard, do you plan to guest on any conventions?
Richard: No plans at the moment.
@suspectsnargles: What was the best part about working on Merlin?
Richard: The best part about Merlin was getting to know Paris really well & of course working with Colin Morgan was great fun.
@Dumblepaws: Do you have any pets? Also please can we share your bananas?
Richard: I don't have any pets at the moment but I did part-own a horse ... I am a cat person rather than a rabbit person.
@theatrekat: Did you find it daunting to take on such an iconic role as Krapp?
Richard: Yes I did find it daunting there was a huge temptation to look at the other Krapps on YouTube but I managed to avoid that. I did look at Harold Pinter's because I actually saw that show & remembered it. I think it's vital to find one's own Krapp.
@millysandals: Krapp’s Last Tape has such an unusual set. Was this the way you pictured Krapp’s den originally?
Richard: No. The idea of an installation came from the designer Alex Lowde & Polly Findlay but I think it works very well.
@poppychristobel: Whats the most eventful show you've been involved in and why?
Richard: The most eventful show is One Foot in The Grave. It was brilliantly written & it had a wonderful cast. It changed my life.
@andy_o_jones: Which other actors/actresses of your generation do you most admire?
Richard: I admire the work of Colin Morgan very much who I was in Merlin with & Alistair Cope & Kate O'Flynn in Lungs.
@AlexanderJB89: What do you think about the prospects of British theatre after the arts cuts?
Richard: The arts cuts were very disappointing & generally the arts under the coalition have not fared well. But I think the arts are in very good shape despite that.
@paulyg: How does it feel to be on the stage in Sheffield after directing so many shows here?
Richard: It's nice being on stage in Sheffield but it's a bit lonely being in a one person show! Of course Krapp is about loneliness!
@MrFattyC: If you could travel back in time. What piece of advice would you give to your younger self?
Richard: If I could travel back in time I would say... "Richard... open out!"
@nancsig: Do you have a favourite playwright ?
Richard: Since I only direct new plays my favourite playwright is always the one I'm currently working with in this case Marcelo Dos Santos.
@GilesSearby: I see from rehearsal pics that you used grissini instead of bananas - were you worried about going off bananas?
Richard: I was worried about eating too many in rehearsal because as you know bananas are great binders & we can't have that can we?
@jco0872: How easy is it to rehearse a play like Krapp’s Last Tape?
Richard: We only rehearsed for 4 hours a day because it is quite wearing when one is the only actor in the play but it was fascinating to unravel the text with Polly Findlay the director.
@keeley_atlanta: What's it like not having other actors to bounce off, when you're in a one man show?
Richard: It's a bit lonely but as I said earlier that's what the play's about!
@malcolm_fox2: Is there an actor that you would have loved to appear with either on stage or TV?
Richard: I would have loved to have appeared with Laurel & Hardy.
@Supersonic70s: Most actors dread retiring at some point. How do personally feel about this?
Richard: I have no desire to retire at the moment & fortunately my memory seems to be holding out but who knows???
@lauraprice: Having appeared in Waiting for Godot in the past, do you feel that there are any parallels playing another of Beckett's characters, or is it a completely different experience?
Richard: It's a completely different experience. I think Godot is probably more accessible but somewhat longer!!
@amyloula: how was it working with Andrew Scott when you directed Playing the Victim?
Richard: I loved working with Andrew & recognised his talent many many years ago. He's one of our most brilliant actors.
@sandilo60: What are you doing lately? Colin Morgan admires you & could not believe he got to work with you. What did you think of him?
Richard: Colin was a joy to work with and very professional and a wonderful actor. He's coming up to see Krapp but I'm not going to tell you when!