Why stage star David is enjoying life on the road

Mar 8 2010 by Barbara Hodgson, The Journal

“I’d never heard of it. I don’t think Alan Bennett enjoyed the experience the first time. It didn’t last long because people didn’t understand it.

“Nowadays everything he was trying to point out at the time has happened so it seems prophetic.”

David says the playwright makes it a rule that he never interferes when his plays are being rehearsed because he’d be tempted to re-write.

But he did attend a matinee performance and was heard to muter: “It’s much better than the last time they did it.”

David says he is enjoying working with director Chris Luscombe, an “actors’ director” who was himself an actor and was once Smee to his Captain Hook.

“He understands all the processes and the depressions that you go through in rehearsal,” he reasons.

David, whose son Sam is also now with the RSC, has three grandchildren and seems to be enjoying life hugely.

He says he is very much looking forward to returning to the Theatre Royal, scene of many of his fine performances.

Enjoy is on tonight until Saturday. Box office: 08448 112121.