Adrian Lester has described his portrayal of Cyrano in the West End transfer of Cyrano de Bergerac as one of his most demanding roles to date. The 57-year-old actor, known for Trigger Point, Hustle, Riviera, The Undeclared War and Ponies, discussed the production on Tuesday's edition of This Morning.
Demanding Role Details
Speaking with presenters Andi Peters and Rochelle Humes, Lester addressed the challenges of the role, including the elaborate prosthetic nose and intricate fight sequences. Rochelle noted: "For you though, it's a demanding role because you're on stage the whole time. The entire show."
Lester confirmed: "Pretty much!" When asked if it was his most demanding role to date, he said: "Yeah, it's up there. There's three that have been really demanding. One was Hamlet, then Company and now this, where you're just not off stage."
Stage Time and Show Details
Rochelle asked how long the stint lasts, and Lester replied: "It's two and a half hours with an interval. It's not that long. It's two and a half hours with an interval", adding: "I'm off stage for about seven or eight minutes!" Andi was visibly astounded, exclaiming: "That's it? Wow!"
The play's synopsis reads: "Fiercely funny and intensely romantic, Cyrano lives by his words and his sword. Haunted by doubts about his own his appearance, he watched from the shadows as Roxane falls for another man. Handsome but hopeless with words, Christian turns to the one person who can help."
Cast and Reception
Following a sold-out, critically acclaimed run, Olivier Award-winner Lester is joined by Susannah Fielding as Roxane. The production is directed by Simon Evans and co-adapted with Debris Stevenson. Viewers took to Twitter, now X, to praise Lester's interview, with one person saying: "I really like Adrian. Hustle was one of my favourite programs #thismorning" and another adding: "Loved him in Hustle. #thismorning."
This Morning continues on weekdays at 10am on ITV and ITVX.
