Silent acting

I guess we are all in love with Roger's voice. However, it is also extremely enjoyable to look out for the little, but ever so precise details he uses to round out his characters by way of body language.

If someone asked me to prove within 30 seconds what a superb actor Roger is, I would probably show him Roger's last scene in "The Wind that Shakes the Barley". In a few seconds and with just a few tiny gestures Roger manages to change the viewer's attitude towards his character. Suddenly, he appears lost and lonely and desperate and he wins the viewer's sympathies. Well, mine at least.

Another tiny bit which I love occurs during the last meeting between Roger's character and the headmaster in "A Class Apart". The men look each other in the eyes. At first, Roger looks defiant and provocative. But then he cannnot sustain the eye contact and looks down. For a moment it appears like he is ashamed of himself. But of course, the louche bastard soon resurfaces ....

And then there's this:



Sorry, I just had to. He actually terrified me when I went to take the photo because everything just changed and I was convinced I'd done something terrible, but then I realised Douglas was standing in front of me. He turned into a character in the blink of an eye, without forethought, and was recognisably Douglas, even though that character is usually faceless. Amazing, amazing man.

(There's a longer story about the picture, but I think most people have already read it).

Pudu, I think that photo of Mr Allam is one of the best I've ever seen of him. He looks handsome in it, and absolutely in character. Well done!

As for me, I remember a few bits of 'Henry IV part I' in which, as Falstaff, he doesn't even have to open his mouth to make the audience laugh uncontrollably. He really is amazing.