E.P. seems to be largely forgotten these days - older folk remember him in the beeb's 1967 Forsyte Saga as the definitive Soames and RSC-watchers of a similar vintage claim that his Shakespearean performances of that time were little short of definitive.
However, the RSC itself seems determined that he shall be forgotten: he barely figures in 'previous production' features in RSC programmes and while the RSC likes to claim that Peter Brook's 1962 King Lear with Paul Scofield was 'the ulitmate Lear', many of those who saw Trevor Nunn's 1968 production with EP in the title role, say that Porter made the part his own like no one else has ever done (or done since).
I've heard mutterings that EP could be difficult to work with, though in a constructive rather than prima-donnaish way, ie, he demanded that everyone else brought the same degree of intensity to rehearsals as he did. This may not have made him popular with some colleagues, but EP can hardly have been alone in this.
Anyone know anything about the reasoning behind this apparent snubbing? Or have any EP stories/memories?
However, the RSC itself seems determined that he shall be forgotten: he barely figures in 'previous production' features in RSC programmes and while the RSC likes to claim that Peter Brook's 1962 King Lear with Paul Scofield was 'the ulitmate Lear', many of those who saw Trevor Nunn's 1968 production with EP in the title role, say that Porter made the part his own like no one else has ever done (or done since).
I've heard mutterings that EP could be difficult to work with, though in a constructive rather than prima-donnaish way, ie, he demanded that everyone else brought the same degree of intensity to rehearsals as he did. This may not have made him popular with some colleagues, but EP can hardly have been alone in this.
Anyone know anything about the reasoning behind this apparent snubbing? Or have any EP stories/memories?
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