David Paul Scofield

(b. 1922)

English actor. Theatrical roles: Hamlet (Hamlet), Macbeth (Macbeth), priest ( "The Power and the Glory"), Lear (King Lear), Salieri (Amadeus), Thomas More ( ; Man for All Seasons ") and others participated in films:" Man for All Seasons "," King Lear "," Henry V "," 1919 ", etc.

David Paul Scofield was born Jan. 21, 1922 in a small village Herstpirpoynt, near Brighton. His father was director of the local elementary school.

In twelve years, Paul went to school for boys in Brighton. In the second year of study he was involved in the play "Romeo and Juliet. Scofield played the main female role. "My Juliet was a sensation" - the actor recalled many years later. Soon, he was assigned the role of Rosalind in the play "As You Like It." Again I had to wear a wig, this time a blond. First male Shakespearean roles in the school theater was Prince Harry in "Henry IV".

In 1935, Scofield first appeared on the professional stage - in the play "The only way to" Brighton of the Royal Theater. He was an extra.

"In the middle of the last academic year - says the actor - my failure in the academic career brought me to the point. I dropped out of school. It was just before the Second World War. Administrator Brighton Royal Theater and director of the school Varndinskoy procured me a scholarship in the studio Kroydonskogo repertory theater.

Classes at the studio did not last long. In connection with the war Kroydonsky theater closed. Along with him was closed and the studio. Scofield moved to Westminster, where he managed to go to school at the London theater masks.

April 16, 1940 Scofield believes the landmark date. That day he spoke at Drinkwater′s play Abraham Lincoln in two roles and, moreover, gave his first remarks on the professional stage. It was the third clerk ( "Yes, sir") and the first soldier ( "Yes, sir").

Fall of 1940 began fierce bombardment of London. The school was evacuated to Bideford. Here student rep has developed a vigorous activity.

Next period of creative biography of Scofield was touring. He moves from the troupe in the troupe, appears in the British province.

First of this role can be regarded as Scofield role of Horatio in "Hamlet" by Shakespeare.

Photo: "David Paul Scofield"

The play went on stage at Birmingham Repertory Theater. Residents of this town still believe that they "discovered" Scofield. Ophelia sang nineteen Joy Parker. Paul enjoyed watching for a simple and at the same time pathetic manner of playing this charming girl. A few months later they were married.

Autumn of 1944 Scofield and Joy were invited to a permanent troupe of Birmingham Repertory Theater. From the perspective of English actor to get to the theater to Sir Barry Jackson - it was like to win a hundred thousand in the lottery. Scofield family rented a small apartment in Castle Bromwich, where he settled three. Third was their little son, Martin.

Scofield played at Birmingham Repertory Theater two intense season. During this time he made at least seventeen roles in plays by Moliere, Shaw, Chekhov, Ibsen and O′Casey ...

Autumn 1945 Sir Barry Jackson, approved by the Director Stratford Shakespeare Memorial Theater, invited me to his Scofield. Paul "played" three of the festival, each of which lasted from April to October.

In the first season, critics noted his Malcolm in Macbeth, "they wrote of" the transparent clarity of the image that the actor has made remarkable purity figure role. His Malcolm - "a bold, frank sincere young man - was like a ray of soft light, pushed back the darkness of the bloody events of the tragedy." Scofield has made an indelible impression on audiences in the role of Don Adriano in Shakespeare′s comedy "Fruitless efforts of love".

In 1947, he played Mercutio in "Romeo and Juliet" (directed by Brook), Mephistopheles in "Faust′s tragic history," Marlowe, Sir Andrew Egyuchika in "Twelfth Night and Pericles in the same name by Shakespeare.

The third festival brought Scofield role of Hamlet. Stratford′s "Hamlet" in 1948 caused many reactions in the British press. Known critics commented favorably on the work of young Scofield, noting that before the actor left untapped.

In October 1948 Scofield bye to Shakespeare Memorial Theater. The initiative of Peter Brook, he was included in the troupe Tennent. Brooke planned to give him the role of Hamlet, a priest in the play "The Power and the Glory" Harry in the play Eliot "Family gathering".

Photo: "David Paul Scofield"

It is no accident the regular season came in the history of the theater under the name "Commonwealth Scofield - Brook Theater in Phoenix.

In 1955, he became known route of the first tour company: Brighton, Oxford, Birmingham, Moscow, London.

New Hamlet Scofield strongly differed from his own earlier work. In "Hamlet" in 1955 in every action, every gesture, every word the actor was perfectly consistent and logical. Hence the feeling of complete naturalness. Not all critics of this new Hamlet Scofield fell to taste. Only J. Tryuin took this job without reservations: "I can not think of anyone who would be able to convey both the suffering without false theatricality. Nothing contained herein shall be withdrawn only to the outer side of the case. Scofield is not feigned sorrow. It was sad. And we should rejoice that this Renaissance prince with a furrowed brow could lead our actors in their journey to Moscow, in their speeches at the stage of the Stanislavsky.

"I was in Moscow in 1955. I am very grateful to my friends in Russia. At the airport I was greeted so many people! - Recalls Scofield. - Already at the first performance was met with an ovation, which are impossible to forget ... We, the British actors were all shocked by the warmth with which we greeted Muscovites. British audiences rather cold. Perhaps even the American public for the warmth of the reception is close to yours. We came with "Hamlet." Then, with "King Lear" staged by Peter Brook. A few years later with "Macbeth." That was in 1955, in 1962 and in 1968. "

Ten days Scofield played Hamlet twelve times. We had to have an iron health and nerves of steel to withstand such pressure. "It is characterized by a special buzz, which mysteriously transferred to the auditorium without the help of facial expression, gesture, movement - wrote biographer UV Kovalev. - It does not amaze viewers with the wealth of musical voice, not to conquer them inspired elegance. But he possessed in the highest degree the art of eloquent glance. x3c...x3e Scofield knows how to think, not saying a word, and yet his thought comes to the hall with full clarity, as if he expressed it aloud. "

British actors leave Moscow in a state of exhaustion. Meanwhile, Moscow tour was just a prelude to an extremely busy season in London′s theater "Phoenix".

Photo: "David Paul Scofield"

It began with "Hamlet", which aired for three months. During these three months Scofield played the Prince of Denmark a hundred and twenty four times.

In April, the premiere of the play "The Power and the Glory. At the same time began rehearsals of "family gathering". Then the new prime minister and a series of performances. "After this season - told Scofield - I half did nothing. There was no force.

The most interesting and important for Scofield should be considered "power and glory" - a play Kennana and Bosta on the novel by Greene. The novel takes place in Mexico late 1930. His hero - a Catholic priest, pursued by the law and the police. His fable - the pursuit of the priest, the capture and subsequent execution. "I myself a Catholic - says Scofield - but I find it hard to follow the Green, when he delves into the subtleties of moral philosophy of Catholicism or exposes a critical analysis of the Catholic dogma. All these theoretical difficulties beyond my comprehension. " Scofield in the role of priest was surprised the London audiences and critics.

July 1, 1960 at London′s Globe Theater presented the premiere of the play by Robert Bolt about Thomas Sea "Man for All Seasons. A play well-known director Noel Vilmen. Main role played Paul Scofield. Success exceeded expectations. The play did not leave the scene "Globe" for nine months, every night making the full fees.

No less enthusiastic was greeted Broadway staging of "Man for All Seasons. As a result, Robert Bolt was commissioned screenplay. Fred Zinnemann film was released in 1966 and has been widely recognized spectators. April 10, 1967 at a meeting of the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts in Hollywood, "Man for All Seasons" was named best film of the year. Paul Scofield won the Oscar for Best Actor the year.

One of the American reviewers, who had not seen Scofield in other roles, he asked him: "You always such a quiet voice?" At that Scofield said: "It′s not my quiet voice. This Thomas Mohr. But you could hear? "

On voice Scofield lot said and written. In the role of Sir Thomas More, he attains wealth and emotional connotations, without raising his voice above the normal conversational level. This, incidentally, allowed Scofield achieved amazing results in the final scene, when the last attempt to drag the enemies of Thomas More suddenly shouted, screamed as King Lear or Hamlet at the sight of a ghost.

"My Thomas Moore, - says Scofield, - was a man of flesh and blood, with a strong family affections.

Photo: "David Paul Scofield"

Whatever his spiritual interests and beliefs, they did not involve him in the quiet backwaters of life. He was a man alive, sensitive, able to enjoy all the blessings of life. "

In January 1962, when Scofield was forty years old, he played King Lear. The play "King Lear" directed by Peter Brook can be safely attributed to the highest achievements of the English theater 1960.

Scofield works "backward" from the text long and hard trying to poetry "the sound", revealing the emotional experience possible. He quite deliberately puts forward technique. Rehearsing "Lear," Scofield many times uttered the same line, stammering, trying a variety of accents and intonations, and often refused the traditional reading, not because it is traditionally known to the audience, but because it has not align with his inner sense of truth.

Many partners Scofield spoke with admiration of his amazing concentration. Discovering Lear, Scofield simultaneously get used to the character and the clock did not go out of the way ", and even turning to the prompter for hints, remained king.

Lear was for Scofield is probably the most difficult role of all that ever played them. Even much later, when the play was already played in London, Paris, Moscow, Leningrad, each time the actor spent nearly three hours in her dressing room to enter into the image.

Scofield can not be called a comedy actor, but he successfully played in classical and contemporary comedies, and even sang the verses in "modern" musical, "Expresso Bongo".

At the time, Scofield struck Canadian audience that has played in the morning performances of Don Adriano de Armado, and in the evening - Coriolanus. That′s when criticism began to speak loudly about the amazing range of the actor. On another occasion, Scofield played, one after another, the role of the inspector and Macbeth.

All attempts to include Scofield to any school or the direction in contemporary English theater fail. But, with regard to schools or directions, - says Scofield - I had no luck. Maybe lucky. Once I was in isolation, halfway between the two directions. One of them - let′s call it a classic - is embodied in the works of John Gielgud, and another - in the "Royal Court tietr." But I am neither there nor here.

Photo: "David Paul Scofield"

"Scofield is inclined to attribute it to" isolated position "features his working principle." Purely psychological approach to the role, to act, the game generally not available to me - he said. - purely intellectual approach seems inadequate. I can rely completely on intuition. And of course on the technique. But that is another conversation. Without technology in general can not be an actor. "

Paul Scofield - a master of contemporary theater. He was one of three directors of the Royal Shakespeare Theater. But Scofield left the position - administrative chores interfere with creative work. For shoulders at Scofield played dozens of roles.

Famous English actor Richard Burton once said: "Of the ten greatest moments I have experienced in the theater, eight - is Scofield, one - and one Gielgud - Olivier. Scofield best ... "

Paul Scofield willing to act in films. "Man for All Seasons" (1966) - this masterpiece went round all the world. He played in the movie "King Lear" (1971) (statement of Peter Brook) and "Henry V" (1989). In the early 1990′s he starred in American films of Italian director Franco Zeffirelli′s "Shadow of Hamlet′s father." "Another interesting movie called" 1919 ", - he said Scofield. - I filmed it with an Austrian actress Maria Schell. My hero of one of my age. In his youth, our characters were patients of Sigmund Freud. The picture of how people met already in his declining years, remembering his youth. This is a subtle psychological film.

Schofield played in the National Theater. He worked in commercial theaters of London.

One of the recent work of the actor at the National Theater, not only confirmed the glory of Scofield, but multiply it. The image of Salieri in the play "Amadeus", staged the play by Peter Shaffer, Scofield has demonstrated character, where the nobility and elegance combined with the baseness and meanness. Salieri to inflame passions and depth fashioned Scofield, can be compared with Thomas More.

The concentration and depth Scofield, and yet his punctuality cause admiration. Actor signed a contract with the National Theater for two performances - "Amadeus" and "Othello. And when the Broadway theater company "Schubert" suggested that he play Salieri and Othello, he refused, causing a shock.

Photo: "David Paul Scofield"

He said: "I′m not going to play" Othello "now. We will come to New York and put" Othello "at another time."

In early January 1997 Paul Scofield appeared at the National Theater in a short drama Ibsen "Yun Gabriel Borkman" (directed by Richard Eyre). The performance was an event of the season. Scofield has ruined Borkmana strong stubborn old man. He spent five years in prison and eight years in self-imposed home confinement, but still burning with the desire to dispense great things for the common good. Shakespearean sweep of passion and rhythm of speech reminiscent of the great skofildovskom King Lear. Alas, such classical tragedians, like Scofield, no longer in the English theater.

Lives is a great actor of our time in Sussex and gets to London, as in the beginning of the century, by train. By nature he is a villager. We Scofield small house in the village of Balcombe in Sussex. Horse riding - pleasant part of rest. My wife opened in his gift of the artist and illustrates children′s books. Son - a professor, teaches at the University of Kent. The daughter lives in Scotland, on the coast, on a deserted farm. She was a teacher, and now keeps goats and sheep, making sheep cheese and yogurt, and sells the hotel ...

"Today, I am concerned about the British scene, and my position on it - argues Scofield. - Now I like nothing filled periods when I can afford to be just himself. I think that all life proceeds in several stages. In the early acting career, I was firmly convinced that an actor must do all what he is asked, of course, the more you experience, the better. But I also think that this in itself is gradually receding from the moment when you can do that really want ... "

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