Sir Derek Jacobi On Lockdown, Literature And The Love Of His Life
Reader's Digest UK|August 2021
The lively legend of stage and screen, Sir Derek Jacobi, opens up about the beginnigs of his career, the meaninglessness of awards and meeting his now-husband, Richard Clifford
Nicola Venning
Sir Derek Jacobi On Lockdown, Literature And The Love Of His Life

SIR DEREK JACOBI is feeling a bit chipper. After a terrible year which has devastated the entertainment industry, things are looking up. Lockdown has now ended, venues are reopening and Derek is itching to get back to normal. “I cannot wait to go to the theatre and have dinner with friends afterwards. I cannot wait”, says the scion of stage and screen. At nearly 83, he has already been offered a film role, shooting this July. “I think it would be silly to say no after all this time”.

Softly spoken, charming, with a dapper sense of dress, Derek has been acting royalty for decades. He had already forged an illustrious reputation in the theatre before he shot to fame playing the stuttering, reluctant Roman emperor in the TV series I, Claudius for the BBC in 1976. Despite skimpy sets and a low budget, it was an unlikely hit and kept the nation entranced. “Having hardly done any telly, I was suddenly being fed into people’s homes twice a month [in the TV series].” The role and his performance poured rocket fuel on an already sparkling career.

“Within two years of I, Claudius, I was starring on Broadway, that’s the kind of game-changer it was. Every actor wants a few peaks like that; I have had a couple of big ones [Hamlet, Cyrano de Bergerac], but the really big one was I, Claudius.”

Bu hikaye Reader's Digest UK dergisinin August 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye Reader's Digest UK dergisinin August 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

READER'S DIGEST UK DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
EVERY SECOND COUNTS: TIPS TO WIN THE RACE AGAINST TIME
Reader's Digest UK

EVERY SECOND COUNTS: TIPS TO WIN THE RACE AGAINST TIME

Do you want to save 1.5 seconds every day of your life? According to the dishwasher expert at the consumer organisation Choice, there’s no need to insert the dishwashing tablet into the compartment inside the door.

time-read
3 dak  |
Reader's Digest May 2024
May Fiction
Reader's Digest UK

May Fiction

An escaped slave's perspective renews Huckleberry Finn and the seconds tick down to nuclear Armageddon in Miriam Sallon’s top literary picks this month

time-read
1 min  |
Reader's Digest May 2024
Wine Not
Reader's Digest UK

Wine Not

In a time of warning studies about alcohol consumption, Paola Westbeek looks at non-alcoholic wines, how they taste and if they pair with food

time-read
3 dak  |
Reader's Digest May 2024
Train Booking Hacks
Reader's Digest UK

Train Booking Hacks

With the cost of train travel seemingly always rising, Andy Webb gives some tips to save on ticket prices

time-read
4 dak  |
Reader's Digest May 2024
JOURNEY TO SALTEN, NORWAY, UNDER THE MIDNIGHT SUN
Reader's Digest UK

JOURNEY TO SALTEN, NORWAY, UNDER THE MIDNIGHT SUN

Here, far from the crowds, in opal clarity, from May to September, the sun knows no rest. As soon as it’s about to set, it rises again

time-read
8 dak  |
Reader's Digest May 2024
My Britain: Cheltenham
Reader's Digest UK

My Britain: Cheltenham

A YEAR IN CHELTENHAM sees a jazz festival, a science festival, a classical music festival and a literature festival. Few towns with 120,000 residents can boast such a huge cultural output!

time-read
6 dak  |
Reader's Digest May 2024
GET A GREEN(ER) THUMB
Reader's Digest UK

GET A GREEN(ER) THUMB

Whether you love digging in the dirt, planting seeds and reaping the bounty that bursts forth, or find the whole idea of gardening intimidating, this spring offers the promise of a fresh start.

time-read
6 dak  |
Reader's Digest May 2024
Under The GRANDFLUENCE Suzi Grant
Reader's Digest UK

Under The GRANDFLUENCE Suzi Grant

After working in TV and radio as an author and nutritionist, Suzi Grant started a blog alternativeageing.net) and an Instagram account alternativeageing). She talks to Ian Chaddock about positive ageing”

time-read
3 dak  |
Reader's Digest May 2024
Sam Quek: If I Ruled The World
Reader's Digest UK

Sam Quek: If I Ruled The World

Sam Quek MBE is an Olympic gold medalwinning hockey player, team captain on A Question of Sport and host of podcast series Amazing Starts Here

time-read
3 dak  |
Reader's Digest May 2024
Stand Tall, Ladies
Reader's Digest UK

Stand Tall, Ladies

Shorter men may be having their moment, but where are the tall women?

time-read
3 dak  |
Reader's Digest May 2024