'The luckiest actor there ever was...' and it all started in a public library
December 5 2017 He made his acting debut at Leytonstone Library as a seven year old, was profiled in the Observer when only 18, won a BAFTA for his stammering Emperor in I Claudius, and has played Hamlet nearly 400 times in four different productions. But when asked if we should call him 'Sir Derek' as he prepared to face a packed audience in the last of FoWHL's events for 2017, in typically modest fashion one of Britain's finest living actors pooh-poohed the notion and said 'Just call me Del Boy!' |
And so this enchanting evening unfolded. Ably and amiably interviewed by fellow actor and FoWHL Patron Jim Carter – whose own evening at the library back in January kicked off a wonderful year of events for FoWHL – Derek Jacobi told story after story about his long and illustrious career on stage, screen and television. Growing up in Leytonstone, he recalled, there was not a single book in the house. His mother worked in a draper's, his father in a sweet shop. Yet he always knew, somehow, that he wanted to act. Encouraged by his drama teacher he played Hamlet in a school production that made it to the Edinburgh Fringe, where he earned his first, albeit circumspect review, from Kenneth Tynan no less. 'I was so full of sound and fury,' Derek conceded.
After the Observer took note of his emerging talent Jacobi won a scholarship at Cambridge, where he mixed with the likes of Ian McKellen, Trevor Nunn, Corin Redgrave and Eleanor Bron. Jacobi described his time at university as 'three years of total irresponsibility,' followed by another stroke of luck. National Service had just come to an end, so instead of donning a uniform he sent off begging letters to every repertory theatre in the country and landed a three year stint at Birmingham. On his 21st birthday his parents threw him a party back home in East London, presenting him with a bright red Ford Poplar. It transpired that ever since his birth they had been putting aside ten shillings a week in order to save up. To top a memorable celebration one of his pals at Cambridge put on a cabaret. His name? David Frost.
It was while at Birmingham Rep that Peter Hall asked Derek to audition for the Royal Shakespeare Company, down the road at Stratford. By his own admission he was not ready, but in any case, in 1963 he was thrilled, and daunted, to find himself in the company of Albert Finney, Anthony Hopkins, Joan Plowright and Maggie Smith as a founder member of the National Theatre. Roles in Hamlet (this time playing opposite Peter O'Toole) and Othello followed. Judging by the response from the floor, clearly several members of the library audience also saw Derek in the National's production of Peter Shaffer's Black Comedy, while another frisson of delight followed as he went on to reveal how 'Larry' – that is Laurence Olivier – 'could be so so generous, yet also, so so cruel'. On one occasion when Derek tried a new move to end a particular scene Olivier applauded Derek sarcastically, then humiliated him in front of the cast.
After the National Jacobi found himself thrust further into the spotlight by the success of his first major BBC TV drama, I Claudius. Apparently the American co-producers had wanted Charlton Heston to play the Emperor Claudius, and when he turned it down their British counterparts went next to Ronnie Barker.
For Derek the next stop was Broadway where he won a Tony, after which he recalled being on a film set in Munich, where he was playing the part of Adolf Hitler, when the RSC called again. Twenty two years after his first audition he was now very much a part of the theatrical establishment.
Not that it was all plain sailing. Reprising the role of Hamlet in a production in Sydney Derek suddenly found himself struck by a bout of 'catatonic stage fright' just as he was about to deliver the immortal line, 'To be, or not to be..' For the next few years he eschewed all offers of stagework, until eventually, helped partially by the wise counselling of Shirley MacLaine, he returned to the theatre and to a number of further classic roles.
Remaining completely modest throughout, Derek was happy to acknowledge how, despite all his years at the RSC he was thrilled to play a grumpy northerner in the BBC series Last Tango in Halifax. He also complained how so many modern actors nowadays seemed prone to mumbling on stage or screen. 'No volume, no articulation, dying inflexion... and it seems to be getting worse,' he boomed. 'Hear hear!' came back several members of the audience. 'Blame the directors!' called out another.
In answer to further questions, Derek spoke candidly about being gay. It had never been a problem, he said, neither to his parents nor to his fellow actors. But if he did have 'a cause', he went on, it would be the whole question of Shakespeare and whether or not this son of Stratford really did pen all those great works. 'The question, the doubt,' insisted Derek, 'remains quite legitimate', and is there for all to read in the works of such scholars as Charlton Ogburn and Diana Price.
Now that Derek has moved to West Hampstead, perhaps this is a topic that FoWHL can return to on another night. Certainly we hope to see both Derek and Jim Carter again. As one FoWHLer remarked at the end of this magical evening, 'An hour of absolute bliss!'
After the Observer took note of his emerging talent Jacobi won a scholarship at Cambridge, where he mixed with the likes of Ian McKellen, Trevor Nunn, Corin Redgrave and Eleanor Bron. Jacobi described his time at university as 'three years of total irresponsibility,' followed by another stroke of luck. National Service had just come to an end, so instead of donning a uniform he sent off begging letters to every repertory theatre in the country and landed a three year stint at Birmingham. On his 21st birthday his parents threw him a party back home in East London, presenting him with a bright red Ford Poplar. It transpired that ever since his birth they had been putting aside ten shillings a week in order to save up. To top a memorable celebration one of his pals at Cambridge put on a cabaret. His name? David Frost.
It was while at Birmingham Rep that Peter Hall asked Derek to audition for the Royal Shakespeare Company, down the road at Stratford. By his own admission he was not ready, but in any case, in 1963 he was thrilled, and daunted, to find himself in the company of Albert Finney, Anthony Hopkins, Joan Plowright and Maggie Smith as a founder member of the National Theatre. Roles in Hamlet (this time playing opposite Peter O'Toole) and Othello followed. Judging by the response from the floor, clearly several members of the library audience also saw Derek in the National's production of Peter Shaffer's Black Comedy, while another frisson of delight followed as he went on to reveal how 'Larry' – that is Laurence Olivier – 'could be so so generous, yet also, so so cruel'. On one occasion when Derek tried a new move to end a particular scene Olivier applauded Derek sarcastically, then humiliated him in front of the cast.
After the National Jacobi found himself thrust further into the spotlight by the success of his first major BBC TV drama, I Claudius. Apparently the American co-producers had wanted Charlton Heston to play the Emperor Claudius, and when he turned it down their British counterparts went next to Ronnie Barker.
For Derek the next stop was Broadway where he won a Tony, after which he recalled being on a film set in Munich, where he was playing the part of Adolf Hitler, when the RSC called again. Twenty two years after his first audition he was now very much a part of the theatrical establishment.
Not that it was all plain sailing. Reprising the role of Hamlet in a production in Sydney Derek suddenly found himself struck by a bout of 'catatonic stage fright' just as he was about to deliver the immortal line, 'To be, or not to be..' For the next few years he eschewed all offers of stagework, until eventually, helped partially by the wise counselling of Shirley MacLaine, he returned to the theatre and to a number of further classic roles.
Remaining completely modest throughout, Derek was happy to acknowledge how, despite all his years at the RSC he was thrilled to play a grumpy northerner in the BBC series Last Tango in Halifax. He also complained how so many modern actors nowadays seemed prone to mumbling on stage or screen. 'No volume, no articulation, dying inflexion... and it seems to be getting worse,' he boomed. 'Hear hear!' came back several members of the audience. 'Blame the directors!' called out another.
In answer to further questions, Derek spoke candidly about being gay. It had never been a problem, he said, neither to his parents nor to his fellow actors. But if he did have 'a cause', he went on, it would be the whole question of Shakespeare and whether or not this son of Stratford really did pen all those great works. 'The question, the doubt,' insisted Derek, 'remains quite legitimate', and is there for all to read in the works of such scholars as Charlton Ogburn and Diana Price.
Now that Derek has moved to West Hampstead, perhaps this is a topic that FoWHL can return to on another night. Certainly we hope to see both Derek and Jim Carter again. As one FoWHLer remarked at the end of this magical evening, 'An hour of absolute bliss!'

If you missed it – and many of you did, judging by the unprecedented clamour for tickets – Derek Jacobi will be in conversation with Jim Carter once again, along with Kenneth Branagh, on February 19, in aid of the Tricycle Theatre, Kilburn. Jim will follow this on February 25 with another evening of conversation at the Tricycle with two other West Hampstead notables, Emma Thompson and Imelda Staunton. For details of both events click here.
Our thanks to both Jim and Derek. Yet another special evening to remember at West Hampstead Library.
• if you are not yet on FoWHL's mailing list, send your details to us here.
Our thanks to both Jim and Derek. Yet another special evening to remember at West Hampstead Library.
• if you are not yet on FoWHL's mailing list, send your details to us here.