Remembering Paris

BY STEPHEN REYNOLDS
I first met Tony at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in 1974. I was a student there at the time and was part of the stage management team on a production Tony was directing. The first time I worked for him as an Actor was in 1976. I had been asked to go to Liverpool Playhouse to appear in a Christmas production of The Adventures of a Bear Called Paddington. Tony was directing and for whatever reason did not cast the play. The cast that had been brought together for this production could not have had a better leader. Tony took us on a fun journey and although we may have been seen as the second company at the Playhouse we had a wonderful time and looked forward to performing Paddington every performance. It was during this time that we became friends and I also had the pleasure of meeting his son Simon.

I was fortunate to work with Tony several times over the years and all of them memorable.

But it’s the things Tony brought to my life that I may have missed had I not met him that I shall remember him for.

In the early 1980’s I met Tony for a coffee and as we talked Tony found out I had not been to Paris. “I want to go and see Tess of the D’Urberbvilles” he said. This was the film by Roman Polanski, which was having trouble getting a cinema release in Britain. “Why don’t we go to France to see it and then I can show you Paris?” I agreed. Tony organised everything. We went in late October. Took the train from London to Dover the Hovercraft from Dover to Calais and the train from Calais to Paris. I was then given a weekend I have never forgotten. One that had been meticulously organised but felt like it just happened. I saw the setting in which Tony wanted to direct Much Ado About Nothing, visited the Chateau of Versailles and the Pompidou Centre. He took me to a Restaurant called Aux Charpentier and we ate wonderful food. We walked and talk and shared so much with so much with each other.

I know that he had been to Paris before with many other people but he had the capacity to make you feel that this was as special for him as it was for you.

Thank you Tony for giving me so much. Especially Paris.