Paul Bentley

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Paul Bentley
PaulBentley.jpg
Born
Paul Richard Bentley

(1942-07-25) 25 July 1942 (age 82)
Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Occupation(s)Actor and writer
Years active1967–present
Spouse
Annie Healey
(m. 1979)
Children2

Paul Richard Bentley (born 25 July 1942) is a British stage, film and television actor, perhaps best known for playing the High Septon in the television series Game of Thrones . He is also a writer.

Contents

Early life

Bentley was born in Sheffield and brought up in Surrey. He attended Wimbledon College, a Jesuit grammar school, and Kingston Polytechnic. He then attended Birmingham University, achieving a BA in English literature and an MA in Drama and Theatre Arts. [1] His M.A. dissertation, on the stage history of Wagner's Parsifal , involved a research visit to the Wagner Festival Theatre at Bayreuth, Germany.

Career

After university Bentley moved to Munich, hoping to become an opera director. He began acting in English programmes on the Bavarian radio station Bayerischer Rundfunk. He also appeared in the film The Last Escape , in which he played a British spy in Bavaria in World War Two. [2]

He returned to England in 1970 and continued acting, mainly in repertory theatre, at venues including the Byre Theatre at St. Andrews, the Leicester Haymarket Theatre, the Duke's Playhouse at Lancaster, and the Newcastle Playhouse.

In 1973 Bentley wrote the book and lyrics for Shylock, a musical version of The Merchant of Venice , performed at the 1974 Edinburgh Festival. He played the title role; the composer and director was Roger Haines. [3] Shylock won a Scotsman Fringe First Award. [4] In 1977 an updated version called Fire Angel, [5] set in a 20th century New York City Mafia nightclub, appeared at Her Majesty's Theatre, London. [6] Bentley was the alternate leading man, his first West End part. A revised version of the original Shylock was produced at the Leicester Haymarket Studio Theatre in 1981 [7] and at the Manchester Library Theatre in 1982. [8] Bentley again played the title role and Haines directed both productions.

Bentley's second West End show was in Tommy Steele's Singin' In The Rain at the London Palladium. [9] In 1985 he went to Dublin to play Captain Corcoran in H.M.S. Pinafore , which transferred to the Old Vic in 1986 [10] and for which Bentley was nominated for an Olivier Award for the Outstanding Performance of the Year by an Actor in a Musical. [11] This success led to four back-to-back West End shows lasting five years: Lend Me A Tenor , Follies , Cats and Aspects of Love . Next came an off-West-End Assassins followed by a national tour of Aspects of Love, [12] then Phantom of the Opera in Manchester [13] and back to London for Company , Kiss Me Kate and Dame Edna – the Spectacle. [14] Bentley has other radio, television and film credits but most of his work has been in theatre.

In 1994 Bentley was asked by the Danish composer Poul Ruders to write the libretto for his opera The Handmaid's Tale based on Margaret Atwood's novel, [15] which won a Cannes Classical Award and Reumert Prize. [16] [17] In A Handmaid's Diary, Bentley tells the story of the opera from the first phone call to the first night (directed by Phyllida Lloyd). [18] Ruders' and Bentley's second opera was Kafka's Trial. [19] [20] Librettos for three other composers followed: Ana Sokolovic's The Midnight Court, [21] Dominique Le Gendre's Bird of Night [22] and James Rolfe's Inês. [23]

Bentley has also written a novel, The Man Who Came After Hyacinth Bobo, about the Fourth Crusade and the Siege of Constantinople, published in Greek [24] and English, [25] plus occasional newspaper and magazine articles. Bentley's latest works include Inquisition , a play about the famous Jesuit scientist Teilhard de Chardin, and a radio play in which Jane Austen meets Lord Byron.

Personal life

Paul Bentley married Annie Healey in 1979. They met at the Byre Theatre, St. Andrews, where Annie was an assistant stage manager. They have two daughters, Emma and Rebecca, who both work in the theatre. Bentley's sister, the novelist Ursula Bentley, died in 2004. [26]

Bentley took part in Mastermind on BBC TV (15 March 1992) where his specialist subject was The Life and Works of King Ludwig II of Bavaria. [27] He lost in this first round with a score of 29.

He is a member of the Wagner Society and the Society for the Promotion of Byzantine Studies. He was the Founder Chairman of the British Association for Modern Mosaic from 1999 to 2005 [28] and remains a member. He is the editor of the website Mosaic Matters, [29] a website about mosaics, and he also edits the British Teilhard Network.

Awards and nominations

YearAwardProductionResult
1986Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a MusicalH.M.S. PinaforeNominated

Stage and screen credits

Theatre

YearTitleRoleNotes
1983–84Singin' In the RainSteve the Film Director London Palladium, London
1985–86H.M.S. PinaforeCaptain Corcoran The Old Vic, London

Gaiety Theatre, Dublin

Tour

1986–87Lend Me A TenorTito Morelli (Il Stupendo) Globe Theatre, London
1987FolliesRoscoe Shaftesbury Theatre, London
1987–89CatsBustopher Jones & Gus New London Theatre, London
1989–92Aspects of LoveMarcel Prince of Wales Theatre, London
1992AssassinsProprietor Donmar Warehouse Theatre, London
1996CompanyLarry Donmar Warehouse Theatre, London

Albery Theatre, London

1997Kiss Me KateGremio Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, London
1997A Midsummer Night's DreamEgeus Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, London
1998Edna – The SpectacleVarious roles Theatre Royal Haymarket, London
1999PersuasionSir Walter and Admiral Croft Northcott Theater, Exeter

Theatre Royal, Windsor

2001Over The MoonRichard The Old Vic, London
2002IolantheLord Chancellor Savoy Theatre, London
2002FolliesRoscoe Royal Festival Hall, London
2004 We Happy Few Various roles Gielgud Theatre, London
2006–08Mary PoppinsAdmiral Boom and the Bank chairman Prince Edward Theatre, London
2008GigiLawyer Dufresne Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, London
2011 Bridget Jones' Diary Mr. Darcy's FatherWorking title workshop
2014AladdinThe EmperorCentral Theatre, Chatham
2015The Sleeping BeautyKing Clarence Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage
2016OliverMr. Brownlow Grange Park Opera, Northington

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2003 Absolute Power Sandy "Rigor" MortersBBC – Country Life
2004 The Courtroom Inspector JacksonChannel 4 – Season 1 Fists of Fury
2006 ChuckleVision Mayor of SlapsbergenBBC – Season 18 Oompah Oompah
2011 Doctor Who Professor CandyBBC – Series 6 Let's Kill Hitler
2011 Doctors Mr. GoldBBC – Episode 145 The Jug
2013–2015 Game of Thrones High SeptonHBO & Sky – Seasons 3, 4 and 5
2021 The Nevers JudgeHBO & Sky - Season 1

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1970 The Last Escape JarvisUnited Artists
2001Jack Brown and the Curse of the CrownRupert the ButlerHot Gold Ltd
2011 The Iron Lady Douglas HurdPathé Films

Radio

YearTitleRoleNotes
1986The Threepenny OperaMacheathBBC Radio 3
1990Friday Night Is Music NightVarious rolesBBC Radio 2
2009The Good CompanionsMorton MitchamBBC Radio 3

Recordings as singer

YearTitleComposed & Written ByRoleRecord Company
1987FolliesSondheim & GoldmanRoscoeFirst Night Records
1989Aspects of LoveLloyd Webber & Black & HartMarcelPolydor
1997PassionSondheim & LapineColonel RicciFirst Night Records

Recordings as librettist

YearTitleComposerRecord Company
2000The Handmaid's TalePoul Rudersdacapo
2006Kafka's TrialPoul Rudersdacapo

Operas as librettist

Bibliography

References

  1. "Archive Interview • PAUL BENTLEY • Follies • 2002". Rogues & Vagabonds. 23 June 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  2. Grauman, Walter (6 May 1970), The Last Escape , retrieved 19 October 2016
  3. "Scottish Theatre Archive – Event Details". University of Glasgow. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  4. "Digital Edition". opera.archive.netcopy.co.uk. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  5. Fire Angel Archived September 24, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  6. "Fire Angel · British Universities Film & Video Council". bufvc.ac.uk. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  7. "Joan Bakewell rpts on the background to"Shylock", a musical... Stock Footage Video | Getty Images". www.gettyimages.co.uk. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  8. "Shylock (1982): Library Theatre, Manchester | BBA Shakespeare". University of Warwick. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  9. "Credits for Singin' in the Rain (Original London Production, 1983) | Ovrtur". www.ovrtur.com. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  10. 1986 Musicals [ dead link ]
  11. "Olivier Winners 1986". olivierawards.com. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  12. "London 1993–1994". Really Useful Group. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  13. "The Phantom of the Opera (1st UK Tour, 1993) | Ovrtur". www.ovrtur.com. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  14. "Archive for Edna: The Spectacle at Theatre Royal Haymarket, London. 1998. [ONE PERSON SHOW]". uktw.co.uk. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  15. "Classical Net Review – Ruders – The Handmaid's Tale". Classical Net. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  16. "News – Poul Ruders receives Cannes Classical Award – Music Sales Classical". musicsalesclassical.com. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  17. "Reumert-Prisen | Gyldendal – Den Store Danske". denstoredanske.dk. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  18. "Paul Bentley: A Handmaid's Diary". Musicroom. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  19. "Ruders, Poul – Kafka's Trial (Da Capo Audio CD)". boosey.com. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  20. "Classical Net Review – Ruders -Kafka's Trial". Classical Net. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  21. "Review – The Midnight Court – Queen of Puddings, Toronto – Christopher Hoile". stage-door.com. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  22. "Royal Opera House – Collections Online – Bird of Night" . Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  23. "Queen of Puddings Music Theatre – James Rolfe and Paul Bentley's Inês – Classical FM 96.3". Classical FM 96.3. 3 March 2009. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  24. ".:BiblioNet : Ο άνθρωπος που διαδέχθηκε τον Υάκινθο Βωβό / Bentley, Paul". biblionet.gr. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  25. Bentley, Paul (25 August 2014). The Man Who Came After Hyacinth Bobo: a Fourth Crusade novel. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN   9781500952242.
  26. Donnelly, Frances (26 April 2004). "Ursula Bentley". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  27. "Magnus MAGNUSSON pres prog from church in Chatham's historic... Stock Footage Video | Getty Images". www.gettyimages.co.uk. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  28. "Mosaic Art NOW: What's It Going to Take to Advance Contemporary Mosaic?". Mosaic Art NOW. Archived from the original on 26 November 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  29. "Mosaic Matters- the online magazine for all things mosaic". mosaicmatters.co.uk. Retrieved 19 October 2016.