Kenneth Cranham talks to Jane McGowan about his award-winning role in The Father, a dark comedy about memory loss and ageing. Cranham's performance in the play was recently awarded the hugely prestigious Olivier Award for Best Actor 2016. The play will be showing at Richmond Theatre April 11-16
Kenneth Cranham is one of those actors… you may not recognise the name but you will certainly know the face. The star of countless films, including Layer Cake, Hot Fuzz and Hollywood blockbusters, Valkyrie and Maleficent, the actor is probably best known for his portrayal of lovable cockney rogue, Harvey Moon in the hit 1980s series, Shine on Harvey Moon.
But for the past two years, the 71-year-old south Londoner has been immersed in the role of Andre in Florian Zeller’s play, The Father. Cranham plays an elderly man suffering from dementia and the show depicts his plight and his daughter’s response to his increasingly confused behaviour.
“Andre is essentially like me,” he laughs. “He’s aware he’s losing things, but he can’t understand why. He doesn’t see any reason why he needs assistance and can’t understand other people’s behaviour towards him.”
A smash with critics and audiences alike, the play has been praised for its handling of devastating subject matter.
“I had the most beautiful letter from a man, a 6ft 6” rugby player in fact, telling me how the play had helped him come to terms with his father’s dementia. He said he had wept throughout and although he had spent a lot of time previously trying to understand what was happening to his dad, it was only when he saw the play that he understood.”
As hard-hitting as the themes may be, there are moments of great humour.
“You must tell people it’s very funny,” he insists. “The writer calls it a tragic farce.”
Cranham gives a stellar performance – he was named Best Actor at last month’s Critics’ Circle Awards and won the Olivier Award for Best Actor – with some calling it the performance of a lifetime.
“My fellow actors keep remarking on the reviews, telling me I am lucky to get such a role at my age,” he laughs.
“I am surprised this has happened as (in your 70s) you are not usually the lead anymore. I have played some great parts recently, but they were to the side and I was quite enjoying that, then this came along.”
With 173 performances as Andre under his belt and another 100 to go, Cranham is understandably looking forward to a well-earned rest – although he is quick to point out he has no immediate plans to quit the profession he quite clearly loves.
“Oh, actors don’t retire,” he laughs. “They simply stop being able to remember their lines or people stop employing them.”
Hopefully neither possibility will occur anytime soon.
You can check out our review of The Father here
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You can buy tickets to see The Father at Richmond Theatre here