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Jonathan Miller attacks West End trend of 'dumping' classic plays in a new era Jonathan Miller attacks West End trend of 'dumping' classic plays in a new era
(6 days later)
Jonathan Miller, the elder statesman of British theatre who will stage his first play for six years this month, has called for an end to the West End habit of updating classic works by setting them in a different era. Jonathan Miller, the elder statesman of British theatre who will stage his first play for six years this month [see footnote], has called for an end to the West End habit of updating classic works by setting them in a different era.
"Very often this kind of updating is just wrong," he said. "Yet it seems to be systematically applied to everything.""Very often this kind of updating is just wrong," he said. "Yet it seems to be systematically applied to everything."
The director's heartfelt complaint will surprise many, he admits, because several of his most successful productions over more than three decades have done exactly this. His revered production of Verdi's Rigoletto is famously set in Manhattan in the 1950s, the world of the Godfather and the Mafia, while his regularly revived production of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado is translated to the sort of 1930s hotel seen in Marx Brothers films.The director's heartfelt complaint will surprise many, he admits, because several of his most successful productions over more than three decades have done exactly this. His revered production of Verdi's Rigoletto is famously set in Manhattan in the 1950s, the world of the Godfather and the Mafia, while his regularly revived production of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado is translated to the sort of 1930s hotel seen in Marx Brothers films.
Similarly, Miller's version of Puccini's Tosca was inspired by Rossellini's film Rome, Open City and his recent production of Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore was moved wholesale to the American Midwest of the 1950s.Similarly, Miller's version of Puccini's Tosca was inspired by Rossellini's film Rome, Open City and his recent production of Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore was moved wholesale to the American Midwest of the 1950s.
But Miller has no doubts about leaving his new production of the hit Edwardian play, Rutherford & Son firmly in its own time. "There was no need to update it," he said. "If someone has had the wisdom to write about their own period, then it becomes a document of its moment."But Miller has no doubts about leaving his new production of the hit Edwardian play, Rutherford & Son firmly in its own time. "There was no need to update it," he said. "If someone has had the wisdom to write about their own period, then it becomes a document of its moment."
The 78-year-old said that he regards the current theatrical fashion for modernising a work as a curse. "Directors just 'theatre-schlepp' when they simply dump a production in another era. It stops it from being a witness of where it comes from."The 78-year-old said that he regards the current theatrical fashion for modernising a work as a curse. "Directors just 'theatre-schlepp' when they simply dump a production in another era. It stops it from being a witness of where it comes from."
Miller justifies his own decision to update the setting of a handful of great operas by pointing out that they are often set in a fictional past in the first place.Miller justifies his own decision to update the setting of a handful of great operas by pointing out that they are often set in a fictional past in the first place.
"I will never update writing set in its own period, and I will only do it at all if there is an aesthetic correspondence. I am not interested in works about the past, as it is never the real past; just an exotic past," he said."I will never update writing set in its own period, and I will only do it at all if there is an aesthetic correspondence. I am not interested in works about the past, as it is never the real past; just an exotic past," he said.
Written in 1912 by the overlooked female playwright Githa Sowerby, Rutherford & Son caused a sensation when it was first performed at London's Royal Court. It was seen as a subversive attack on capitalism and the patriarchal family. After transferring to the Vaudeville for 133 performances, the play then opened in New York and was later translated into several languages. "It is about family relationships and the tyranny of a male parent who ruins his sons' and his daughter's lives with his determination to rise to a better class," Miller said. "Fathers have to be decent and be considerate. It is only in hindsight you can see where you have been a bully."Written in 1912 by the overlooked female playwright Githa Sowerby, Rutherford & Son caused a sensation when it was first performed at London's Royal Court. It was seen as a subversive attack on capitalism and the patriarchal family. After transferring to the Vaudeville for 133 performances, the play then opened in New York and was later translated into several languages. "It is about family relationships and the tyranny of a male parent who ruins his sons' and his daughter's lives with his determination to rise to a better class," Miller said. "Fathers have to be decent and be considerate. It is only in hindsight you can see where you have been a bully."
The invitation to direct came from Barrie Rutter, artistic director of Northern Broadsides, who will star as Rutherford in the production when it opens in Halifax on 8 February, before touring Britain. "I did not know the play, but I was immediately struck by its strength and quality. It is a masterpiece," Miller said, adding that Sowerby reminds him of Chekhov as she tells of domestic lives that would otherwise be forgotten.The invitation to direct came from Barrie Rutter, artistic director of Northern Broadsides, who will star as Rutherford in the production when it opens in Halifax on 8 February, before touring Britain. "I did not know the play, but I was immediately struck by its strength and quality. It is a masterpiece," Miller said, adding that Sowerby reminds him of Chekhov as she tells of domestic lives that would otherwise be forgotten.
"There is a distinctly feminist line to it because it represents the indifference to women. They simply serve food and that is it," he said."There is a distinctly feminist line to it because it represents the indifference to women. They simply serve food and that is it," he said.
The director was drawn to the straightforward style. "There is a curious sense of unpretentious naturalism that makes it very likely to be a fairly accurate representation of the life of a family businessman during a recession." The play is "not allegorical", Miller adds with relief, although there are resonances for audiences living through new economic pressures.The director was drawn to the straightforward style. "There is a curious sense of unpretentious naturalism that makes it very likely to be a fairly accurate representation of the life of a family businessman during a recession." The play is "not allegorical", Miller adds with relief, although there are resonances for audiences living through new economic pressures.
Just as surprising as Miller's conviction that he should leave Sowerby's script in 1912 is his return to directing straight theatre. In 2010 he confessed he does not even like watching theatre. "I don't go out in the evening," he said this weekend. "Theatre has never been central to my life." Miller, who trained as a doctor, frequently regrets his decision to leave medicine, but does enjoy directing. "I like the task of theatre, rather than the experience of it."Just as surprising as Miller's conviction that he should leave Sowerby's script in 1912 is his return to directing straight theatre. In 2010 he confessed he does not even like watching theatre. "I don't go out in the evening," he said this weekend. "Theatre has never been central to my life." Miller, who trained as a doctor, frequently regrets his decision to leave medicine, but does enjoy directing. "I like the task of theatre, rather than the experience of it."
In rehearsal his style is minimalist. "What I do bring to bear is helping the actors to recall what they knew anyway: the overlooked details of everyday human behaviour, say playing with the corner of your ear. In other words, not to over-dramatise." What brings Miller back to the stage, the former satirist explained, is the "social anthropology of it". Theatre, he believes, reveals what people care about at a given time and is part of a wider definition of culture. "I wish the word 'culture' was not used just to define the arts. The arts are a part of human culture. Calling the arts 'culture' does not help to defend it from the despicable cuts at the moment. All our culture, from hospitals to live theatre, is being damaged by what is going on."In rehearsal his style is minimalist. "What I do bring to bear is helping the actors to recall what they knew anyway: the overlooked details of everyday human behaviour, say playing with the corner of your ear. In other words, not to over-dramatise." What brings Miller back to the stage, the former satirist explained, is the "social anthropology of it". Theatre, he believes, reveals what people care about at a given time and is part of a wider definition of culture. "I wish the word 'culture' was not used just to define the arts. The arts are a part of human culture. Calling the arts 'culture' does not help to defend it from the despicable cuts at the moment. All our culture, from hospitals to live theatre, is being damaged by what is going on."
Sowerby's radical play is sometimes described as a satire, a genre Miller is credited with reviving in the 1960s, when he, Peter Cook, Alan Bennett and Dudley Moore performed together in the revue show Beyond the Fringe.Sowerby's radical play is sometimes described as a satire, a genre Miller is credited with reviving in the 1960s, when he, Peter Cook, Alan Bennett and Dudley Moore performed together in the revue show Beyond the Fringe.
Now, though, Miller disapproves of the idea of setting out to be satirical. "We weren't satirical when we started. It was imposed on us by Ken Tynan [the Observer's theatre critic]. We just tried to be as funny as we could and so wrote about what we thought was ridiculous. We were just intelligent graduates who were not in showbiz. I think once you are self-consciously aware of being satirical, you are fucked. Satire should not be a starting point."Now, though, Miller disapproves of the idea of setting out to be satirical. "We weren't satirical when we started. It was imposed on us by Ken Tynan [the Observer's theatre critic]. We just tried to be as funny as we could and so wrote about what we thought was ridiculous. We were just intelligent graduates who were not in showbiz. I think once you are self-consciously aware of being satirical, you are fucked. Satire should not be a starting point."
• This footnote was appended on 7 February 2013:
To clarify: Jonathan Miller directed staff and students at City Lit centre for adult learning in a production of King Lear in December 2012.
MILLER'S TALEMILLER'S TALE
1960 Stars in the hit satirical revue Beyond the Fringe with fellow Oxbridge graduates Peter Cook, Dudley Moore and Alan Bennett.1960 Stars in the hit satirical revue Beyond the Fringe with fellow Oxbridge graduates Peter Cook, Dudley Moore and Alan Bennett.
1965 Appointed as editor and presenter of Monitor, the BBC arts programme.1965 Appointed as editor and presenter of Monitor, the BBC arts programme.
1966 Wrote and directed a film of Alice in Wonderland for the BBC.1966 Wrote and directed a film of Alice in Wonderland for the BBC.
1970 Directs Laurence Olivier in The Merchant of Venice in London's West End.1970 Directs Laurence Olivier in The Merchant of Venice in London's West End.
1982 Directs a BBC TV revival of his 1970 production of King Lear with Michael Hordern in the title role.1982 Directs a BBC TV revival of his 1970 production of King Lear with Michael Hordern in the title role.
1982 Sets Verdi's opera, Rigoletto, in the gangster world of New York's Little Italy, a vivid production that is still regularly revived.1982 Sets Verdi's opera, Rigoletto, in the gangster world of New York's Little Italy, a vivid production that is still regularly revived.
1986 Moves Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta, The Mikado, out of Japan to set it in the glamorous surroundings of a hotel in 1930s America.1986 Moves Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta, The Mikado, out of Japan to set it in the glamorous surroundings of a hotel in 1930s America.