The Actors Company

August 1972 - May 1974

"During rehearsals for 'Swan Song' Edward Petherbridge and I fantasised about a theatre company whose actors would be their own managers, sharing out the parts as a group of equals. David William, our director, challenged us to turn the dream into reality, so we wrote to likely colleagues for their input. One by one others joined in and eight months later The Actors Company was in rehearsal for its opening season. This rapid progress was thanks to Richard Cottrell's offer to present us as part of his Cambridge Theatre Company, whose annual Arts Council grant contributed to our running costs." — Ian McKellen, October 1999

The Actors Company, A Company Report From Brooklyn

The Plays

Year Place Title/Writer Director/Role
1972 The Actors Company (Founder Member)
UK Tour/Edinburgh '72, Cambridge Arts, Wimbledon
RULING THE ROOST
Georges Feydeau ("Le Dindon")
DIRECTOR: Richard Cottrell (and adaptor)
ROLE: page-boy


1972 The Actors Company
UK Tour/Edinburgh '72, Cambridge Arts
'TIS PITY SHE'S A WHORE
John Ford
DIRECTOR: David Giles
ROLE: Giovanni


1972 The Actors Company
Cambridge Arts
THE THREE ARROWS
Iris Murdoch
DIRECTOR: Noel Willman
ROLE: Prince Yoremitsu


1973 Vaudeville
London
A PRIVATE MATTER
Ronald Mavor
DIRECTOR: Ian McKellen


1973 The Actors Company
UK Tour/Edinburgh '73, BAM, Wimbledon
THE WAY OF THE WORLD
William Congreve
DIRECTOR: David William
ROLE: Lady Wishfort's Footman


1973 The Actors Company
UK Tour/Edinburgh '73, BAM, Wimbledon
THE WOOD DEMON
Anton Chekov, translated by Ronald Hingley
DIRECTOR: David Giles
ROLE: Kruschov (The Wood Demon)


1973 The Actors Company
Edinburgh '73, Shaw
London, BAM
KNOTS
R. D. Laing, devised and staged by Edward Petherbridge
DIRECTOR: Edward Petherbridge


1974 The Actors Company
Brooklyn Academy of Music
Wimbledon
UK Tour
KING LEAR
William Shakespeare
DIRECTOR: David William
ROLE: Edgar
NY Drama Desk Award for WOOD DEMON & KING LEAR


1974 The Actors Company
Wimbledon Theatre
'TIS PITY SHE'S A WHORE (Wimbledon)
John Ford
DIRECTOR: David Giles
ROLE: Giovanni


Next:
August 1974 - January 1976
Royal Shakespeare Company, Acting Shakespeare