THE BIG INTERVIEW
Enjoying a lifetime of costume dramas
British actor Simon Callow has been seen in many guises . Here , Robin Dutt finds out about the man behind the mask
I
meet actor Simon Callow at a discreet French cafe in South Kensington . He is enthusiastic – immediately affable with a slight hurry in his step . And this hurry is understandable . Simon Callow , CBE , is a man much in demand . In addition to his thespian work , he is a musician , writer and theatre director .
We order – he a diminutive pot of tea , and a traditional bowl ( no handle ) of French-style coffee for me . Born in 1949 , Callow ' s origin in the world of the theatre followed at a rapacious pace when he wrote a letter to Sir Laurence Olivier , at that time at the height of his powers as the artistic director of the National Theatre and of course an internationally acclaimed Shakespearian actor – something of a national treasure which the young Callow was enthused by . The great man suggested Callow join the box office staff of the theatre .
This was no rebuff to an aspiring talent – quite the contrary . It was by observing actors that Callow realised that a career in acting was indeed for him . The lessons of observation proved to be most valuable . Combining his other considerable talents , each of which so accurately typifies him , they certainly represent the sum of the whole .
It is still surprising , perhaps , that he made his stage debut 43 years ago . His various credits include Amadeus and Being An Actor ( both 1984 ), and he directed Shades in 1992 . In the same year he starred in the TV series Little Napoleon . But arguably it was 1994 ' s Four Weddings and a Funeral for which he was nominated for a BAFTA award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role that endeared him to so many . R
44 SAVILE ROW STYLE MAGAZINE