Rupert Wickham - Actor Rupert Wickham is an experienced actor with some twenty-three Shakespeare productions under his belt, as well as a string of other theatre, television and film credits. In Nicholas Hytner’s production of Henry V at the National Theatre he was called upon to play two contrasting parts: Captain Gower, a professional soldier, and the French Ambassador. Gower is intensely loyal to King and Country but shocked and repelled by some of his Monarch’s actions, in particular the order to kill the French prisoners. He found it interesting as an actor to explore the different sides of his character. The French Ambassador too is a figure put in an impossible position. Rupert describes it as a joy of a part to play. He sees parallels between the ups and downs of life as an actor, and working in a company such as the National Theatre, and the camaraderie of a band of brothers in the armed services. Working together is a very important part of the theatrical experience he says. This was underlined for him in Henry V , where Director Nicholas Hytner was insistent upon working hard on every part in ensemble scenes, even where only one person was speaking. |  | |
