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Backstage with Richard Ridge: Chukwudi Iwuji on Living the Dream in Shakespeare in the Park's OTHELLO
May 17, 2024
'I was having a conversation with my manager... I was about to start The Low Road and I had just done Hedda Gabler in London. But I really enjoyed filming. I said, 'After I finish the Low Road, let's focus on filming. Barring, I don't know... Othello in the Park, I really don't want to do another play.' That's exactly what happened for Chukwudi Iwuji, who can currently be seen starring as the title character in Othello for The Public Theatre's Shakespeare in the Park. Below, watch as he chats with Richard Ridge about the character, the complexities of Shakespeare, and so much more!
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0:00
Welcome to Backstage with Richard Ridge
0:02
SAG-AFTRA Foundation and Broadway World continue their filmed Conversation Q&A series, which celebrates the vibrant theater community
0:11
here in New York City. This event, which is coming from the Robin Williams Center
0:15
is a special conversation with one of the theater's most sought-after classical actors
0:20
He has recently won an Obie Award for his riveting performance in the Bruce Norris play The Low Road
0:25
And now he is back at the Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park in the title role of Othello
0:31
electrifying both critics and audiences alike. Please welcome Shikudi Iwoji. Welcome
0:43
Thank you. So, you are electrifying as Othello. How did this role come about for you
0:52
It sort of fell in my lap, which is wonderful. I was filming a film of King Lear in London last year
1:01
Because I think there's always a slightly... The universe sometimes gets involved with some of these things
1:07
You can strive for stuff and never get it. And then you're having a cup of tea in the morning
1:11
and the biggest job of your life falls in your lap. So, I was filming Lear in London
1:16
And on the first day of filming, I had this wonderful conversation with Anthony Hopkins
1:20
who was playing Lear. And after the conversation, he looked at me and went
1:24
you must be ready for your Lear, for your Othello. You must be ready for your Othello
1:28
And I looked at him like, yes. I mean, what do you say when a man like that says that
1:36
And then I got back to New York about three weeks later or something
1:39
I finished filming and I came back and I suddenly got a..
1:43
I was having a conversation with my manager about how, okay, I'm about to start The Low Road
1:48
I've just done Hedda Gabler in London and stuff. I've really enjoyed filming
1:53
After I finish The Low Road, let's focus on filming and stuff just for a while
1:56
You know what I mean? Because the play, we'll probably talk about this later
2:00
rehearsals and stuff take so much out of you, you know? And I said to my manager, look, barring, I don't know
2:09
barring Othello in the park. I really don't want to do another play
2:17
And a week later, the call came saying... The call came through
2:22
They kind of want to meet you for Othello in the park
2:27
So then I sat down with the wonderful Ruben Santiago Hudson and we spoke about the play for two hours
2:33
and just discussing his ideas, my ideas, and I got the call
2:37
Yeah, because you were both on the same page with your director, right
2:41
Talk about those early conversations. Yeah, it's such a hard play because historically
2:50
it's gone through so many different shifts. There was a time, you know, 150 plus years ago
2:55
you know, everyone wanted to play Othello. White actors, of course, because black actors weren't doing
3:02
weren't playing Othello. I mean Ruben was telling me all about this
3:05
And it's funny because I've written a screenplay about the great Ira Aldridge
3:10
and right up to Ira playing it, it was a role that, you know
3:15
he took over from the great Edmund Keene. So it was the role they wanted and then suddenly Ira plays it and then black guys start playing it
3:23
and then Robeson plays it and suddenly the white actors that wanted to play Othello now want to play Iago
3:31
And so for a long time, this play became a vehicle for usually very well-known famous white actors
3:38
to showcase themselves as Iago with the Othello often becoming a sort of afterthought
3:44
And that carried on for a while and then more recently as things have changed
3:51
that shift has sort of evened out a bit. So one of the big things I spoke to Ruben about
3:56
I said, Ruben, look, we have to bring this back to the love story, right? There's a reason why he called it Othello
4:01
There's a reason why that was the role that was coveted for so long. And he agreed because he's a romantic
4:05
and he said to me, you know, don't worry, I'll take care of you. Because that's why he hasn't played it
4:11
He's never been able to find a director he felt would take care of him in the role
4:14
Because it's so hard because Iago is a phenomenal role. It's the role that gets to talk to the audience for the whole first half
4:21
He dictates what's happening. He's moving the chess. We're seduced by characters like that
4:25
So I said the only way I could sustain this character and the only way that it could work
4:30
and the only way that Act 5 Scene 2 can work after I kill her and stuff, spoiler alert
4:36
Because the only way that can happen is that if we've invested enough at the beginning
4:42
literally two scenes of the love these two have together, that the alternate name for this play
4:49
could be the greatest love story that ever was. So once I knew he was there, and the other thing I insisted on
4:55
is that Othello really goes mad. It's not just anger. It's not just jealousy
4:59
It's like mad. And he doesn't have to stay there. And what makes this role the hardest role I've ever played
5:04
is that he's constantly doing that back and forth. Mad, sane, mad, sane, angry in love, angry in love all the time
5:10
But he has to go mad. And if we agree with those three things, that you'll take care of me
5:15
that we invest in the love story and bring it back to the love story
5:18
and you allow me to go wherever that takes us mad, then, and he agreed with all those things
5:24
It was great. You know, because I love seeing the revelations that your Othello goes through between Acts 1 and Act 2
5:30
And I've never seen that in any other production. Like you said, how many of you have seen Othello already
5:36
How many of you want to go see Othello? Yes. A lot of people are telling me they're trying for the lotto
5:42
the lottery and everything. The lotto. It is the lotto of theatre, isn't it? The lottery
5:46
But I just love how, what's that? I wish I did. I wish I did, mate
5:53
You know, you're all on an even keel now. Like you said, all the characters
5:57
It's really interesting. Not, you know, Iago doesn't stand out anymore. You all stand out
6:02
Yeah, yeah. Which I love. Including the women. Yeah, the women are wonderful. Which is very crucial in this, especially in our time right now
6:08
Yeah. Yeah, I think it always boggles my mind how people, it's a shortcut
6:15
You know, we're obsessed with shortcuts in general. And in the industry, sadly, people often look for shortcuts
6:20
And the shortcut would be to get a couple of mega stars and then say, okay, people are going to come see them
6:25
We're going to fill the seats. It's fine. Or you get a director in a production where you just go
6:30
actually, no, the most important thing is the whole play. And for the whole play to work, we've got to get the right actors
6:35
And for the right actors to work, we've got to make sure that we invest in all of them. And then people come and see a story
6:40
They don't come to see a star turn. Yep. So. You know, you had played Othello before
6:47
Were you like 20? I was in college. It was the last show I did at Yale. Yeah
6:51
I don't remember it. I think my, my, my, no, I seriously, I don't remember much about it
6:56
And I feel sad. I know it was, it did very well because I remember
7:00
I remember there were lines to come in and see. And I think we might have extended
7:05
But I genuinely don't remember anything I did, which is probably good because it must have been shocking what I did at 20
7:11
Do you know what I mean? Like. Yeah. What, what the hell do I know at 20? But I, I, I certainly, I had the confidence, but probably not the skill set
7:19
So it's funny when you, when you talk to like musical theater actors or other actors
7:22
sometimes parts stay in your muscle memory, but there are a lot of actors who will do something again and say
7:28
I totally forget the first version of this I did. And it's so interesting that I would think you would hold something, but
7:34
Some roles are still there. I think it's, it depends on how you meet them, where you meet them, how you sing it
7:40
I mean, clearly an indication that I can't remember much is I probably didn't really mind into it
7:47
I think, you know, at that age and stuff, I was more presentational, you know
7:51
but when I think of the roles that I've really mined into, you know, Hamlet will stay with me forever, you know, whole speeches of it
7:59
Don't ask me, don't test me on it. But I think, I think whole speeches of it will stay with me
8:03
Henry, the big chunks of Henry VI, which you mentioned, which I did closed 10 years ago, will stay with me
8:08
But it just depends on, I think it's an indication of how much you've mined into it, you know
8:13
And you're at the right age to do these now. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely
8:17
I think, I mean, look, Othello is one of those roles where, you know
8:22
I could play him in 20 years and it'd probably still be okay. I don't think I want to. I genuinely think, you know, a lot of people say
8:28
oh, you know, it's a great, one of those great roles you can do time. I have no interest in doing it again
8:32
I think, I mean, I say that now. Talk to me in like 10, 15 years
8:37
I might want to revisit it. But the way I feel is I feel we've got a great production
8:41
And I think I've mined what I want in Othello. And I don't, I don't have a burning, the only role I've ever had a burning role to play again is Hamlet
8:50
Only because it's the most complete role ever written. And that I don't care how well you do it
8:56
There's always another version of it you could have done because it's so complete
8:59
That's the only role I feel I ever need to come back to
9:03
Because you had just recently worked with Jude Law. Yeah. Right. You had done a film version of Obsession, right
9:09
Well, it was a play version that was filmed. And your director was? Eva Van Hove again
9:14
I was wondering, I was scared to say that name. So I'm sure you and Jude had conversations because Jude Law was here in New York as Hamlet
9:21
We all fell in love with him as Hamlet here. What kind of conversations do you have about Hamlet
9:25
Well, it's funny because we, it is, it is, we have this, this, you know
9:31
as actors are supposed to be generous, right? And we're supposed to want to go and see other actors play roles
9:39
Sometimes roles we've played, sometimes roles we want to play and, you know, support them and all that
9:43
And I agree with that. But there was something about Hamlet. And I was, you know, Jude and I had, we'd known, we'd been rehearsing for several weeks and talking and stuff
9:52
And I knew he played it. We'd ask each other odd questions. Then finally one afternoon I was like, because there was a Hamlet happening in London with Andrew Scott
10:03
And I finally went, are you going to go see it? And Jude was like, I don't know, are you going to go see it
10:10
And I was like, I don't know, are you going to go see it
10:13
And he said, I don't think I am. And I went, you know, I know I'm not
10:18
And then we had the conversation where there's something about that role that is so
10:24
it's like going to see someone else sleep with my wife. It's like, it's like I can't. It's so intimate and it takes so much out of you
10:33
And you're so proud playing it. You're so, it's such a pinnacle that you're like, you've arrived, that the idea of someone
10:43
And Jude, funnily enough, said that when he was doing his Hamlet, Ian McKellen, not Ian McKellen
10:48
Alan Rickman, sent him a note saying, I would love to come see you
10:53
but I just can't, you know, because he played it, you know
10:56
And so there's something about that role. There is. It's the most brilliant human study I've ever come across
11:06
And I think there's a reason why it gets, you know, not every Hamlet is like this, but it was funny to meet someone else and then hear about someone else who felt the same way
11:14
You're all on the same page. You're also working with some of the greatest actors in this production of Othello
11:19
I mean, Corey Stahl, Heather Lynn. What's it like sharing the stage with them
11:24
They're just ultimate pros and very talented and very generous people. And Alison Wright also and Babik
11:30
And I mean, I mean, there's, that's what I came back in my initial point
11:35
Bravo for picking a cast, not just a star, you know, because when you have a cast, it makes life easier because you come and you bounce off
11:43
someone who's giving you stuff and they bounce off you and you're generous
11:47
because you're secure in the fact that you know what you're doing and they know what they're doing
11:52
And we have fun also. There's a lot of there is a crazy. It's a crazy bunch, you know, PJJ Fernandez and, you know, there's some funny people in there
12:02
You need humor in that, especially the more tragic, you know, you really need humor
12:06
But ultimately, it's just looking around. And I think people have been commenting on it that I've come to see saying
12:11
they can't remember ever seen such a strong cast ensemble together. Everyone brings it to the table
12:18
What makes Ruben such a sought after and wonderful director to work with
12:26
His humanity. He has a real, you know, he's got a very Rubens of I love the man
12:31
He's very, he's got a lot of his macho, you know, he's got that thing
12:38
But at the heart, there's a big heart at the heart of that. I think that's one of the most attractive combinations in people is when they have this
12:45
But, you know, there's real warmth. And I think his approach to Othello sort of proves what I feel about him
12:52
which is that he's a deep romantic who really wants to tell a love story
12:56
But he also understands the politics around it, you know. And I think you just have confidence in him
13:01
He's like having his like an NFL coach. Also, some days he knows when he has to be the coach
13:05
Some days he knows when he has to be the teacher. Some days he knows when he has to be the artist
13:09
Some days he knows when he has to be the actor, literally get on that stage and say, do it like this
13:14
He doesn't like to do that in all fairness. But it's great having an actor direct you also
13:19
because I think sometimes directors have never experienced what it's like to be on that stage. I've never experienced. So it's great to have someone that understands
13:25
He gives you room. He really gives you a lot of room to try and try and try
13:30
And then it's like, all right, one at this, you know. So you have a real positive energy
13:38
You have a wonderful, healthy ego. I think all the great directors I've worked with have phenomenal egos
13:47
You know, they're in charge. Yeah, in charge of a lot. And a lot is hanging on their shoulders. I think you need it
13:52
The best directors I've worked with all have this crazy, but it's an ego that's supported by the work
13:59
It's not just one that's born of fear and insecurity, you know
14:05
What was the rehearsal process like? We have a lot of actors here and a lot of actors will be watching around the world
14:10
Rehearsing Othello with that group, where do you start? Do you come in with your lines already memorized? What do you do
14:16
Well, I do. I do. I, which is, I think is why I got on so well with Evil, because Evil wants that
14:24
You know, with Evil Van Hoove, if you ever work with him, he, he, you actually arrive on the first day of rehearsal
14:30
and you actually start rehearsing in your costumes. And if not on the stage, on a replica of the stage
14:38
So there's no sudden thing of tech or dress rehearsal surprises like that
14:43
You're just into it and they're making adjustments and they're, you know what I mean
14:47
And he, that's why he, he loves short rehearsal processes. He doesn't want too much time because you're right in it
14:53
And anyway, so it worked really well with him because I've always believed in coming in
14:59
If you can, I mean, sometimes schedules don't allow it. I mean, if you're shooting a series where they're throwing lines at you every day
15:05
and you have a kid at home or a couple of kids, you just don't have the time. I get that, but I don't have a kid. Not that I know of
15:13
And I, I, I, so I had time. So, and so what I, what I did was, what I did was I go around the city
15:26
My process is really awkward because I think people sometimes want to hear something really fascinating
15:30
about going to the zoo and watching gazelles or something. And I, I, I genuinely just learn the lines
15:37
I, I drill those lines till, till I could see them during the washing up or ordering my, you know
15:44
drill them so that when I get into the room, I trust that I have natural instincts
15:50
and I trust my impulses and I trust my brain. But the line, but then ultimately I trust the director and the other actors in the room
15:57
And if, if I know my lines, I can be watching the other actors in the room
16:00
I can be watching their reactions as opposed to being stuck in the page. I can be seeing what they're doing and adjust because you're always going to have an idea of what you want to do
16:09
You know, and that's wonderful because directors love you coming in with ideas
16:12
But what you have to be is malleable also. If I've come in here thinking this and Corey decides that, whatever, and I go, actually that's
16:18
you've got to have the generosity to understand when something better than what you've thought of is being presented to you or something
16:26
I always say yes. Ruben was talking to me about that. He says one thing he loves about me is that I'll always try it
16:31
Even if in my head I'm screaming, no frigging way. I can't really swear on this, can I? No, no swearing
16:39
Okay, okay. Because I have to remember that. I have to remember that
16:43
I change it. Frigging is lovely. It's a nice word. It's not a real swear word
16:48
And he said he likes that. I always believe in first trying what's thrown at you
16:54
Before you start saying, oh, my character wouldn't do that and all that nonsense. That's just fear. I feel that's just fear. Try what's thrown at you
17:00
Because sometimes he's been thinking about it as a director for months before you even knew about it
17:06
He's also got the years on you. That actor has his own instincts, which are different from yours
17:12
Maybe there's a wonderful alchemy between his instincts and yours. So my whole thing is learn the lines, be limber, and be brave
17:19
and come into the room and see what people throw at you. And then it starts forming
17:24
I mean, this is a very physical interpretation of Othello. I never once thought, oh, I'm going to be physical Othello
17:31
It just happened in the room when the emotions started coming, different things started happening
17:37
And you're open to that because the language is in there. The language then starts leading you
17:42
The language leads you into even your physical choices, which you can't do unless you're really rooted in them
17:49
Would you like to go to coffee houses, like loud places? I love to go to noisy places and learn my lines because if I can do it in those places
17:58
when I get to the rehearsal room where it's quiet and focused, it's easy
18:02
So that's where I learn my lines, in coffee shops and subways and walking down the streets
18:09
I mean, there's a lot of people in New York and London that think I'm actually mad
18:15
Because they just see me in the corner in my, you know, cortado going
18:24
See, a lot of New Yorkers, you see that when you go to a coffee shop and watch someone. I recite lines on the street every day, like, you know, dialogue or whatever
18:31
It's wonderful to just keep it running in your head so you don't have to worry about it
18:37
Yeah, it's such a big role. How challenging is it for you
18:41
What are the challenges of this role of Othello? It's emotionally draining. Even when I played Hamlet, you know, Hamlet has these wonderful soliloquies that he
18:55
when it starts getting really rough, he then looks at the audience and says, you know
19:01
you know, to be or not to be, that is the question, help me with that. Whether it is noble in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
19:08
or let me talk to you about this, is what he's doing. Othello doesn't have soliloquies, you know, he doesn't
19:16
It's all in his head, it's all in his mind. He's trying to figure it out himself
19:22
And then he thinks he's figured it out and it's like, but it's never like, can I talk to you about this
19:27
Can I? There's no, oh, that this too, too solid flesh would melt or resolve itself
19:35
There's no, I'm suffering here. Do you know what I mean? There's none of that. He just suffers
19:40
So I find it very difficult because there are no release valves, there's no escape valves
19:45
there's no coming down. It's like he's on that pitch and he's constantly balancing love, hate, murder
19:52
redemption, honor, you know, all those things constantly. It's not as big, there are no, Iago has more lines, Hamlet has more lines, all those, you know
20:00
but it's the nature of it, it's the stakes of him that make him really difficult
20:04
That's why I'm not in a hurry to play him again. Do you know what I mean
20:08
I know, I love how you say there's no release to your character, which is quite interesting because he's always fighting these different sides through the entire show
20:14
Absolutely, yeah. Constantly, it's coming at him and he's fighting. I tried once in rehearsal to see if I could say something, there's a speech he has
20:23
why did I marry this honest creature doubtless sees and knows more, much more than he unfolds
20:30
or curse of marriage that we can call these delicate creatures ours or not. I tried that once to the audience and it just seemed so cheap, it just seemed so
20:39
this is in the rehearsal, it just seemed so easy, it just seemed I'm letting myself off the hook
20:45
And it seemed like I was begging for sympathy, it's not, he doesn't have an awareness of your sympathy
20:51
he is judge and jury of his life, of that island literally and of his life
20:56
So there is no release vows, so he has to take it on, he has to take the burden
21:02
And that's what makes it hard, is not having, because I'm one of those actors
21:06
I love doing soliloquies to people, I love seeing their faces and their reactions
21:12
but I can't in this one. The only time I got to do that is the very beginning court scene
21:17
her father loved me often, but that's only because the audience become the court
21:21
as opposed to a soliloquy, which is like you're talking to them, that's the only time
21:26
The rest of the time is just him dealing with that, that's what makes it really hard
21:32
And he loves her, but the fact of the matter is I don't care whatever the motivations are
21:37
whether it's right or wrong together, the fact is that he loves her, but he kills her
21:42
And you got to resolve that somehow with yourself, and it's never resolved, but I just have to do it
21:47
And it's hard. How long was the rehearsal process? Four weeks. Four weeks
21:54
When did you feel that you were on the right page? Like you said, I have him now
21:59
Was there a point during rehearsal where you said, I have him now
22:03
I knew, not that I have him, but I knew there was a point where I was like
22:07
okay, I have the ingredients now, and then let's just see how, what the casserole is going to turn out to be
22:15
Because I know for a long time, the first couple of weeks, I was struggling a great deal with
22:21
the first half, the general, the guy in command, because you can't play that
22:26
You're either it, you have to find your version of that. You've got to tap into your version of that
22:30
So that, it's funny, I was more at home going to the psychosis and the madness and the whatever
22:37
than I was with that general, you know. And then I'd say into the third or fourth week, it's funny because Ruben gave me a note and just said
22:48
you know, the beginning is really your only chance to be charming
22:53
I was like, and that was the key. I was like, okay, I'll just smile
22:59
And then suddenly the ease of the ruler came in and the ease of the man who commands thousands came in
23:07
And it was from that little note of this is your only chance to be charming
23:11
I was like, okay, I know that. Isn't it great when you work with a great director who they give you one word that you're like, oh
23:19
that unlocks everything for you, you know? And it made that make sense
23:24
You know, not only is Shakespeare one of the greatest writers, but do you also think of him as a great director
23:29
Yes, I do. Tell us why. As my students here in the front row might know, I've always said that don't, you know
23:41
it's long before Freud and everything like this, this guy was born and given to us as a gift
23:50
a bit like Mozart was and whatever, that for some reason they get it
23:54
They get life, they get humanity, and Mozart did it through his music and, you know
23:58
Picasso through his art and Shakespeare with his language. They just get human nature so amazingly
24:05
So what does he do? He's going to put a troupe together
24:10
He didn't have the time we had for rehearsal processes. The script, he was writing the stuff on the day
24:15
They were getting that stuff and doing it and trying it out. So what does he do if he wants to make sure they get there
24:21
He puts the code in the language. He puts the directing code in the lines they have to say
24:30
So this theory that Shakespeare doesn't give stage direction except for exit pursued by a bear or something like that
24:38
it's all nonsense. He's giving you directions all the time in the sound of the words, the length of the words
24:47
how many syllables in a word, when he jumps from prose to verse, why does he do that then
24:52
Why does he have just a tiny bit of verse then jumps back to prose? What's going on with you as a person
24:57
How do you do those consonant sounds one after the other? What's that telling
25:04
I heard they say even now, thou likes not that when Cassio left my wife
25:10
What didst not like? Do you see what saying those sounds make you do
25:15
You're suddenly, what the hell are you talking about? Those are the clues he gives you throughout
25:25
I come into murder, because let's embrace what it is, the woman I love, and my speech starts with
25:34
it is the cause, it is the cause, my soul. Let me not name it to you, you chased stars
25:45
It is the cause. It's the most monosyllabic speech in Shakespeare. And monosyllabic words, you can't rush them
25:53
You gobble. So when you have to speak that deliberately, what is it doing to you as you build up the strength to kill your wife
26:06
He's giving you a direction of how to start that scene. So that's why I think he's not just the greatest writer, but the greatest director
26:15
And in a lot of modern writing, we don't have that. I mean, that's just, I love modern writing
26:20
I mean, I grew up wanting to be a movie star. I still hope to be
26:25
But we're not given writing like that, that lives in the language
26:34
The acting for that sort of stuff is all between the lines, as you guys know
26:39
It's what you do before you speak is what you do after you speak, if you speak at all
26:45
It's different with him. That's beautiful. You know, a lot of people have always found, actors have found Shakespeare challenging
26:51
Just put your hand up. How many people find Shakespeare challenging as an actor? Okay
26:56
How many of you don't find it challenging? So it's interesting. So you studied, obviously, with all these incredible people
27:03
What is the best way into Shakespeare for people like the actors who are struggling with Shakespeare
27:08
I would just say it's a mindset. I think it's ingrained in us very early
27:16
It's often taught badly at school. It starts with school. I mean, I'm not blaming the teachers
27:22
I blame the curriculum that says you're supposedly doing Midsummer Night's Dream
27:29
but you only get to do four chapters in it, and a teacher reads it out
27:33
and you just sit there listening to someone read out Shakespeare. The approach to it is all wrong initially
27:42
There's initially a suspicion, deep suspicion. There's a sense of boredom because that's probably how the class was
27:51
So we get to it as adults, and it's thrown at us, and we're like
27:55
well, I don't like Shakespeare, or I don't get Shakespeare. That's what I get, and I just go, why
28:01
It's English. Not only English, but the best English ever written. You love the characters, so why can't you connect with how they speak
28:10
Why is it a problem when someone gives you the most beautiful imagery to describe
28:17
How often in life are we like, God, I wish I could explain this? This is a guy that explains it for you
28:23
So what a gift to be able to have someone put the��
28:30
Florizel says to a predator, a young kid, trying to figure out how to say how much he��
28:37
What you do still betters what is done. I wish I'd said that at 16 to someone
28:45
Do you know what I mean? I just think that you've got to get over the fact that it's alien to you
28:52
You've got to get over the fact that it's something you have to be overly reverential about
28:58
You've got to be really brave. You've got to embrace the sounds of it
29:03
If there's a k sound and you're angry at someone, it probably is because he's relating it to that very rude word that starts with k
29:11
Embrace that. Don't be too cerebral with it. We overthink it. Yeah, you need to do the homework and think it, but it comes down to the sounds and the rhythms and the music
29:20
which is another thing Ruben's amazing at being a musician himself, is the music of it
29:24
You can feel when you're going off. There are rules to be learned
29:28
Don't get me wrong. There's line ending rules. There's all those rules. You can do that in a class
29:32
You can do that in less than a semester. You can learn the rule, but then you have to go and do it with bravery and get over the fact that it's alien
29:40
Really take your time with it. It's like learning music also. If I want it when I play the piano, I don't go, I'm going to just play this whole piece
29:47
I'll give myself two bars for that day if it's really difficult
29:51
If it's easier, then I'll give myself longer than that, but just give yourself the time to know
29:56
You've got to know. What you have to know is know exactly what you're saying
30:00
It's not enough to have a general idea. Why does he use that word
30:05
The specificity of the imagery is key to Shakespeare. It's not a general wash, but overall it's fear
30:13
It's fear that has come out of years of being made to think that it belongs to the elite
30:19
It doesn't belong to the elite. The people that loved Shakespeare and went there were the people that were slaughtering chickens and bear fighting next door
30:27
Those are the people that went. They weren't even watching. Often they'd be in the play. The play would be happening
30:31
They'd be doing something else, but they could hear it and understand it. It doesn't belong to any elite class at all
30:38
My final question is, what is the best bit of advice that you've been given
30:42
either personally or professionally, that you live by? Wow. This is about ... I don't know if this ... I'll probably go home and think
30:55
damn, I should have said this instead. In that spirit of making sure you surround yourself with the right people
31:04
my agent, who's been my agent to this day, I remember there was a period I was going through this really horrible period
31:10
Teresa, I wanted to take a job that has been offered to me
31:14
She knew it wasn't the right job. She knew there wasn't another job there, but she knew that wasn't the right job
31:22
She said, I'm going to believe in you even if you can't right now
31:31
Be around people that say that to you because it's faith. Faith doesn't have proof
31:37
That's why it's called faith. That's why it's a vocation, not a job
31:42
That was one of the greatest things, is to understand that wherever you're at mentally
31:48
if you look around and there's still people that believe in you, then you're good
31:52
I have been doing this ... Clap, please. That was the best. I have been doing this for 26 years, and I have to tell you, this afternoon was perfect
32:01
Oh, wow. Your insight to all these actors that are here and watching around the world, it was a master class
32:07
Thank you. You're in the middle of doing Othello in the Park. It was open last night
32:11
You have a day off today. You spent it here with us. I thank you from the bottom of my heart
32:15
This has been wonderful. Thank you so much. If you haven't seen him in Othello, go see him in Othello. Thank you very much
32:19
Thank you so much. The very best. Thank you. Thank you, guys
32:23
Thank you. Thank you
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