The Stage

Irons discusses acting methods on Sky Arts

Published Monday 29 October 2007 at 18:20 by Matthew Hemley

Jeremy Irons will share his thoughts on acting and his career as part of the Sky Arts’ series Clive James - Talking in the Library.

Irons will talk to James about his vast range of television and theatre work, including his performance in ITV’s 1981 production of Brideshead Revisited and his 2006 appearance in Christopher Hampton’s Embers in the West End.

Irons reveals he would like to see Embers, in which he played Henrik, turned into a film and says: “One of the characters doesn’t speak much and it is all about how you are communicating without words. I certainly would like to have another crack at it because I think there is more there.”

The actor also talks about the differences between acting for stage and for television and how he adapts vocally for each medium.

He says: “When I work on stage and when I work on film, I use different stuff. You have to hit the consonants when you are on stage because your voice basically echoes and you have to do the beginning and the end of words so the audience can hear you. But if you do that on film it looks unreal, so you consciously relax.”

He adds: “Some actors take it too far and they mutter on film. I’ve done scenes with people and I have to say, ‘I’m sorry, I can’t hear what you’re saying’.”

The 30-minute programme will be broadcast on Sky Arts this Wednesday at 7.30pm.