Q&A with The Orange Tree Theatre's artistic director Paul Miller

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Richard Hubert Smith

Paul Miller, who was appointed artistic director of The Orange Tree Theatre in July last year, talks to Becky King about the new show, Each His Own Wilderness by Doris Lessing, which opens this week and runs until May 16

What inspired you, and whose idea was it, to stage Doris Lessing’s Each His Own Wilderness?

Doris Lessing, who died in 2013, is a writer whose work I’ve admired for many years as a novelist. Her work includes things like The Golden Note Book (1962), The Good Terrorist (1985) and other fantastic books. I knew she had written a couple of plays in the 1950s and 60s, so I had a look at them and this one jumped out at me as being very like her novels ­– but also very relevant to us now.

It had one brief outing at The Royal Court in 1958; but that’s all. It has not been seen since. So it just seemed to me that there will be a lot of interest in seeing this rare excursion in the theatre by a great writer.

Can you give me a brief summary of some of the themes the story explores?

It’s about a generation of radicals who are dismayed by the apparent apathy of the younger generation.

What can your audience expect to experience from the production?

​It's very dramatic, funny and it is quite intense. Oh and unusual!

So is it anything like you’ve staged before?

No, it’s completely different. This season of plays that launched in September has deliberately taken us from one new place to another. This is a new direction.

Have you put any slants on this adaptation or is it faithful to Doris Lessing’s script?

We are seeing to it as she wrote it, it is her play.

Can you tell me a bit about the performers? Their efforts, talent and the standard of acting that can be expected?

We have a fantastic cast of seven and are in our final week of a four week rehearsal period. It's been quite intensive but good fun. Susannah Harker and Clare Holman are terrific leading actresses of their generation. There is wonderful talent here at the Orange Tree!

How has the experience been for you in this role since you took over from Sam Walters last year?

It has been great, and very exciting to launch one production after another.

Have there been any major changes or new ideas at the theatre or have you continued with Sam's legacy?

We are carrying on mixing exciting new work with rare revival, in much the same way as Sam did. There have been all sorts of changes at the theatre, I suppose, but the artistic principle remains very similar.

Can you give me three words to summarise your personal feelings towards this play?

It has been fun, intriguing and original.

Richard Hubert Smith