A Sir Is to Direct at the National Theatre

Jurnalul National: Who would you want to be if you were an actor?

Sir Richard Eyre: As an actor, I would like to be Gerard Depardieu, an eccentric guy and in no way a romantic. As a character, I see myself as a guy that doesn’t match the stereotypes, but is admired for the things he does for the people around him.

What movie, which exists already, would have you liked to direct?

I will not name only one movie, but some of the works of Jean Luc Godard and Ingrid Bergman. However, I cannot think of a movie made in the past 10-15 years that I would have liked to direct, even though I have admired a lot of productions.

PASSED BY HAMLET

What do you know about Cristi Puiu?

Nothing yet. (He shows me a tape: "Moartea Domnului Lazarescu" (Death of Mr. Lazarescu)). Is this his movie? This is all I know…

What about Sergiu Nicolaescu?

No, nothing. Pintilie is the only name in the Romanian cinematography that I know.

Any Romanian actors?

Caramitru. I have known him in a long time, but I have never worked with him. We have only talked a lot and made plans for a play in which he would have the lead role. "Hamlet" is the play. Unfortunately, he has already played this part, but it was directed by someone else. Now, since he is the manager of the National Theatre, we might see this plan into action a lot easier. I will certainly direct a play at the National Theatre, but not in the next year.

Have you seen any Romanian plays?

Yes, I did. It was a long time ago, before Ceausescu died, and it happened during a tour of the Bulandra Theatre outside the country. I think it was in the early 80s. This is when I met Caramitru as well. In those times, the actors were very courageous and used art to say all the things they weren’t allowed to say because of the communist regime. My impression was that you had very talented actors.

What is your view on Romania?

Oh, I see Romania as a set of pictures. I visited Bucharest in 1973 for the first time. This city has its own identity no matter the regime. During the Ceausescu period, it used to be very dark, not just because the streets didn’t have enough light, but because this was what you could have seen in the people’s eyes - sufferance. The enthusiasm came during the Revolution. Then, in the years of democracy, one could see a lot of disappointment. The people expected their lives to transform, but they woke up to see approximately the same things. The changes appeared in the shops and in the products one could find in them. The worst aspect of the Occidental society - the consumerism - easily entered Romania. I am aware of the fact that things hardly change in a country that met the dictatorship.

However, things have changed…

That’s true! Huge changes appeared. A foreigner can easily see them. First of all, the people have changed together with their mentalities. The real issue is about Bucharest and the Romanians losing their identity. This city mustn’t transform into one of those "European" cities without any lack of identity.

HONOR AND FRIGHT

In 2003, you quit as a BBC Governor. Why did you do it?

I was a governor for nine years. I kind of was on the edge, because it didn’t feel like I had too much experience, which meant I couldn’t do too many things.

Where you under any political pressure?

Not really. Nevertheless, there have always been all kinds of matches with the Government. Generally, the public TV and radio stations are under pressure from the state, which finances them. Although they say BBC is politically independent, in Great Britain, there is always pressure from the state.

How did you become "Sir"?

It happened in 1987. I remember I had been announced two months before the ceremony, in the New Year’s Eve night, and I was very confuse: it was a great honor, but it seemed like a step towards death. I felt like a woman before getting married and getting ready to change her last name. Ever since, people didn’t call me by my name, but "Sir". The ceremony hasn’t been spectacular: I kneeled in front of the Queen, and she touched my shoulders with the sword. I don’t feel like a "Sir". The only advantage of the title is the one that I can always make reservations at the hotel or restaurant without any hard work.

DESCRIPTION
"I am tolerant to the other people, I have that curiosity of observing new people and places and I also like to work, a lot. No coddling" - Sir Richard Eyre

WORLD-CLASS ENNOBLED DIRECTOR

Sir Richard Eyre is one of the most reputed theater, film and television directors in the world. He studied at Cambridge and Oxford, and he was the artistic manager of the London Royal Theatre for almost 10 years, which is the period that many critics see as the golden era of this institution. Sir Laurence Olivier was the general manager. The director led BBC for more than 8 years (1995 - 2003), as a Governor. Besides the numerous plays he directed (some of them being played on Broadway), Eyre stood put as a film director and producer with "Tumbledown", "Iris" and "Stage Beauty". For "Iris" only (with Judi Dench and Jim Broadbent) he was awarded an Oscar and other 10 awards and 20 nominees. Many critics rewarded Eyre during his career acknowledging this way his contribution to art. Sir Richard visited Romania last week with the occasion of the British Film Festival.