Beyond the Pale

Experienced theatre director Sir Jonathan Miller, 73, attacks 'Celebrity Obsessed' West End

The veteran writer, producer and director told The Times on Monday that he believed many West End producers would rather cast famous faces in their productions than talented unknown performers.

Citing his recent failed attempt to bring his critically acclaimed version of Hamlet to the London stage, Miller claimed "Producers might have been swayed if I'd been prepared to put in for more luminous names"

The two versions of Shakespeare's play that are currently on in the capital both have famous leads. Jude Law heads up the cast at the Wyndams Theatre whilst the RSC version of The Bard's most famous tragedy is to be fronted by David Tennant or "that man from Doctor Who" as Miller described him.

The artistic director of the RSC, Michael Boyd, hit back by declaring that though he "understood" Sir Jonathan's frustrations, Tennant was not cast as Hamlet just "because he is Doctor Who", but "because he is an excellent actor who deserves to play the role" Boyd went on to site the work Tennant had done with the company before becoming a household name, starring in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet and The Comedy of Errors.

Michael Grandage, artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse, went even further. He said that he felt "disappointed" that "in commenting on his own production of Hamlet, Jonathan Miller felt it necessary to take a swipe at two of the UK's leading actors."

Published by: Nathan Brooker