Star of stage, screen and television, and one
of only two people to be awarded two Knighthoods, Sir
Derek Jacobi is one of Britain’s most distinguished
actors.
‘If you want to be an actor, don’t. If
you need to be an actor, do.’
The world of
theatre could not have been further from Derek’s
childhood: an only child, born in Leytonstone, London.
With his father a department store manager and his
mother a secretary, his was very much a working class
background. But nonetheless Derek always knew he was
going to be an actor, and he remembers clearly the first
time he was in costume – draping himself in his mother’s
glorious wedding veil as he paraded up and down the
Essex Road with his friends.
A few short years
later, at the age of seven, Derek made his acting debut,
playing both lead roles in a local library production of
The Prince and the Swineherd. By the age of 18 Derek was
playing Hamlet (his most famed role) at the Edinburgh
festival. He won a scholarship to Cambridge, where he
studied and acted alongside other future acting greats
including Ian McKellen. His talent was quickly
recognised and in 1963 he was invited to become one of
the first members of Laurence Olivier’s National
Theatre.
Often admired for his willingness to
grapple with even the most dislikeable of characters,
Derek Jacobi has worked continuously throughout his
career, starring in roles ranging from the lead in I,
Claudius to Hitler in Inside the Third Reich and Francis
Bacon in the controversial Love Is The Devil. But it is
his numerous Shakespearean roles that have gained him
worldwide recognition.
This book is, however,
much more than a career record. Funny, warm and honest,
Jacobi brings us his insider’s view on the world of
acting. From a simple childhood in the East End to the
height of fame on stage and screen, Derek recalls his
journey in full: from the beginnings of his childhood
dreams to the legendary productions, the renowned stars
and the intimate off-stage moments.
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