The Unofficial Peter O'Toole Pages!

UK Guardian: O'Toole lashes out at the state of modern theatre

Scotsman.com: Sorry Brad, but Troy was the pits

In the Scotsman article, a spokesman for the Scottish Arts Council responds to O'Toole's comments:

"Mr O’Toole should come north if he feels his enthusiasm for theatre waning."The standard of Scottish work for the stage - in producing, performing and in writing - is exceptionally high and there is a lot of exciting, entertaining and thought-provoking work being shown on stages from Dumfries to Caithness and all parts in between."We've a new breed of young artistic directors re-invigorating Scottish theatre both in style of presentation and in the work produced," she said. "Meanwhile, the National Theatre of Scotland also promises a new era for Scottish audiences, actors and playwrights."Nor should the connection between public investment in theatre and the commercial sector be overlooked. The broadcast industries rely very heavily on actors who began their career on the stage; experience which doubtless adds depth to their screen performances."

Posted by Hamish at 08:24 AM | Permalink

Troy Movie Was Like A Hovis Ad, Says O'Toole
By Anita Singh, PA Showbusiness Editor(the Scotsman)
"Veteran actor Peter O’Toole has revealed what he really thinks of movie epic Troy.
The Lawrence of Arabia star said the big-budget film reminded him of a Hovis advert.
It was panned by critics – and O’Toole, who appeared opposite Brad Pitt, said he can see why.

In an interview with the Radio Times, the 72-year-old said: “I call it ‘Trovis’ – after watching 50 minutes I found myself in quiet despair, and suddenly that Hovis advert came into my mind over Brad Pitt’s face.

“I got the chuckles and had to leave.”
O’Toole played King Priam and Pitt played Achilles in the £111 million movie which was poorly received by the world’s critics.

It was dubbed “Homer-lite” while one critic described it as “utterly preposterous”.
Elsewhere in the interview, O’Toole raged against the state of British theatre.

The Irish-born actor, who has enjoyed an acclaimed stage career and received an honorary Oscar, said: “There are always promising young actors, and today the sensible ones f*** off from what calls itself ‘the theatre’ as soon as they can because it’s such badly-done s***.

“Do you feel you can hop on a bus to the West End and see the likes of Paul Scofield, Richard Burton, Laurence Olivier?

“The Old Vic and Stratford were places where the best actors in the English-speaking world did their greatest work. That was their remit – not whether a third-rate, biddable a***hole could do 39 productions of As You Like It upside down with red noses. The bulbous, state-run theatre provides a healthy living for smart-alec t****.”

The father of three added: “I tell my children to avoid theatre and go into cinema and TV.”O’Toole’s latest role is in the BBC3 drama Casanova, in which he plays the ageing Lothario looking back on his life."

More links to the story: itv.com, keralanext.com, The SunUK.

Posted by Hamish at 02:02 PM | Permalink

Hey, if you've got something you want to add to an entry you see here, go ahead and make a comment (click comments below). All comments have to be approved by the moderator (me), but if it's appropriate, it will be made public within 12-24 hours of posting... Note: I don't think that posters will make inappropriate comments - it's spam that I have to be concerned with.

Posted by Hamish at 07:14 AM | Permalink

from M&C Soundtracks:

"The latest details of the cover artwork for the forthcoming 'Man Of La Mancha: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack' have been released.

Music by Mitch Leigh. Lyrics by Joe Darion.
Music Adapted and Conducted by Laurence Rosenthal. Release Date: 4/12/05

Peter O’Toole lights up the screen in this offbeat but colorful adaptation of the 1965 stage musical adapted from Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote. O’Toole tackles a dual role, playing both Cervantes and his classic character with style and verve. He’s delightful as Quixote, the 17th-century Spaniard afflicted with a dementia that makes him think he’s a medieval knight, duty-bound to uphold the age of chivalry and vanquish evildoers. James Coco plays his loyal sidekick, Sancho Panza, and Sophia Loren fills the role of Dulcinea, the peasant woman whom Quixote would champion. Director Arthur Hiller doesn’t concern himself overly with the original show’s “book,” written by Dale Wasserman; instead, he makes the film a vehicle for the Mitch Leigh-Joe Darion music. O’Toole, gets the memorable numbers (including the beloved standard The Impossible Dream) and performs them in grand manner, even though his singing is dubbed by British actor-singer Simon Gilbert.

Laurence Rosenthal earned an Academy Award nomination for his adaptation of the songs and score."

Posted by Hamish at 11:19 AM | Permalink

The Unofficial Peter O'Toole Pages turns 7 years old today. What a long strange trip it's been. Almost 140,000 hits, too.

Posted by Hamish at 12:01 AM | Permalink

The New Statesman has a good article on a theatrical tradition known as "nubbing" - spouting believable but not legitimate Shakespearean prose to cover a lost line while in performance. Apparently O'Toole was good at it in his days walking the boards:

"...the young Peter O'Toole, when at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, had a few nubs up his sleeve. One can imagine O'Toole falling back on his nub after a particularly hung-over matinee. . .or indeed using it to spice up a dull evening - rather in the way that Michael Gambon or Judi Dench allegedly cause mischief with a misplaced word or an unexpectedly unbuttoned corset.

O'Toole's best nub required an actor to carry a purse with him at all times, explained Caird. On being lost for words, you clap the actor standing next to you on the back, look sharply into the wings and say: "Here come the lords of Ross and Willoughby, bloody with spurring and fiery-red with haste; take thou this purse, thou naughty knave, and meet me straightway in the marketplace." You then hand the actor your purse and stride off into the prompt corner to reacquaint yourself with the text."

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Also, I found this article by Guy Adams in the BC Weekly "The Boards" on drinking, Stanislavski, and that particular class of actor who gains a rep for ripping it up. Oddly, the article makes mention of O'Toole...

Posted by Hamish at 12:59 PM | Permalink

Guardian UK has this to say about O'Toole in the BBC's "Casanova", in which O'Toole plays the renowned lover in his twilight years:

"...In a stroke of casting genius, Peter O'Toole, looking spookily like the painting Willem Dafoe must have in his attic, plays the ageing lothario with a galaxy-worth of twinkles."

The Herald has a good notice too:

"How can you lose with a film that contains both Venice and Peter O'Toole?"

"What really lifts the production, a film better by far than BBC Three has ever deserved, is, first, the acting. O'Toole, languid as ever, still has the ability to let you see the embers of passion blazing in his eyes."

And here's a short bit from the Belfast Telegraph:

"Peter O'Toole played old Casanova with charming menace."

Posted by Hamish at 08:34 AM | Permalink