Why do they do it? If you’re a millionaire, highly sought after with an unforgiving agent, surely making another admittedly tedious blockbuster movie or appearance in the latest hit TV series would stop you even thinking about getting up on a stage.
Without even considering the fears encountered by a long list of highly experienced actors who struggle with stage fright, the average Joe would be petrified at the prospect of standing on a stage in front of 1,000 or more people, concerned that they might say the wrong thing or end up in the wrong place much of the amusement of a crowded theatre. To up the ante, if you are a big name, each of those fans is likely to have paid a ludicrous amount of money and, in return, demand a sublime experience.
You can instantly understand that an actor who has recently graduated from drama school will relish the chance to test their mettle at the highest level. Similarly, if someone hasn’t worked at his or her chosen profession for a while and finds working in restaurants for minimum wage depressing, it is entirely understandable that they will be desperate for any opportunity to further their career.
However, in recent times, stages in London and New York have been dominated by stars, many of whom can literally earn millions for a film performance and eye watering, if slightly smaller, amounts for TV appearances. Yet they still hanker after the chance to shine (or not) in a theatre.
The latest announcement heralds a return to live performance after an absence of almost four decades by Gary Oldman, a man who some might imagine appears in almost every movie made on either side of the Atlantic and has recently reprised his star TV turn as Jackson Lamb in season four of Slow Horses.
He will certainly be in the spotlight, having chosen to return as the eponymous antihero in Beckett’s Krapp’s Last Tape at Theatre Royal York. For the uninitiated, this is a solo performance with minimal action, though some highly amusing moments of stage business. In other words, every night, all eyes will be on Mr Oldman, relishing his talent but also waiting for any inadvertent slip-up.
In case any reader has enjoyed a complete news blackout of late, Gary Oldman is hardly alone. One might almost wonder whether everyone who appeared in Succession signed a contract requiring them to take on a stage show as part of the deal. In most cases, they have got stage history (not always recent) and therefore know what to expect.
We have also seen regular stage appearances from other film and TV actors who fall into two very distinct categories. First, some, like Cate Blanchett, are clearly addicted to live performance and will eagerly book time out from the money-making on a regular basis to feed their addiction.
That is understandable, but when it comes to performers who may not have been on a stage since appearing in the school nativity play but also hanker after the opportunity to show off skills that are often practically non-existent, the decision is more questionable.
Returning to the original question, why would someone who is presumably comfortably off and could more lucratively spend his or her time on a small or large screen want to face the public eight times a week with no second chances if something goes wrong? Having never acted and with no desire to do so, this critic is not well placed to understand the motivations.
In some cases, you might think that the opportunity to work alongside highly skilled professionals in a major production would be irresistible. That still doesn’t explain why the likes of Oldman, Andrew Scott (in Vanya), Jodie Comer (in Prima Facie) and Sarah Snook (in The Picture of Dorian Gray) have chosen to strut their stuff all alone. Perhaps the idea of communing with and delighting a live audience packed with devoted fans on a nightly basis might be the big attraction?
Others, who are always up for a challenge, might be seduced by the opportunity to demonstrate whether or not they can conquer a new challenge (or one not attempted for a generation).
In any event, fans drool over the opportunity to see their idols in the flesh, while producers are never going to turn down a sold-out run, even if a leading actor with superstar status eats into the profits.