Sir Derek Jacobi, the BAFTA-winning actor, has opened up about a director who left him feeling terrified during his illustrious career spanning nearly seven decades. The 87-year-old veteran performer revealed that working with theatre director John Dexter was a particularly difficult experience, describing him as 'hateful'.
Difficult Collaborations at the National Theatre
Jacobi and Dexter collaborated multiple times at the National Theatre, with Dexter directing him in productions such as Othello in 1964 and Armstrong's Last Goodnight the following year, among other plays. Dexter, who also worked with legendary figures like Sir Laurence Olivier and Dame Maggie Smith, passed away during heart surgery at the age of 64 in March 1990.
When asked if he had always gotten along with his colleagues, Jacobi told The Guardian: 'Mercifully, I have forgotten the bad times. Genuinely. I must have had them, but too infrequently for them to be in the front of my memory.' However, prompted by his husband Richard Clifford, Jacobi added: 'John Dexter was hateful. His method was to bludgeon a performance out of an actor. He directed me in lots of things at the National. I was terrified of Dexter. I don't think he would have got away with it today.'
Jacobi also recalled William Gaskill, another National Theatre director, as being terrifying, noting he was 'slightly cleverer, but just as nasty'. Gaskill died in 2016 at the age of 85.
A Storied Career
Jacobi has amassed an impressive collection of awards over his career, including a Tony Award, a BAFTA Television Award, two Laurence Olivier Awards, and two Emmys. As one of the founding members of the National Theatre, he has appeared in numerous Shakespearean productions, from Hamlet and Macbeth to King Lear and Romeo and Juliet.
Speaking to The Independent in 2021, Jacobi downplayed the significance of awards, saying: 'Awards are lovely, and they go in the cabinet with the glass door so everyone can see them. But it's not about that. They always want you to say something political or original. I prefer to keep my mouth shut. I've seen the terrible things it does to those who open their mouths too wide. I've never been a political animal. Most actors are. I've never marched for anything.'
At 87, Jacobi remains active in the industry and is set to appear in the forthcoming comedy-drama Frank and Percy, alongside Ian McKellen, Roger Allam, and Joanna Lumley. In his interview with The Guardian, he expressed a desire to reach the age of 100, stating: 'I want to experience what it will be like to be 100. I want to find out what state I'm in.'
