John Watson interviewed by Nigel Kelly
New Zealand character actor John Watson has played many parts during his long and distinguished career, the latest of these being Quentin Crisp in Resident Alien.
This was put on at the TAPAC Theatre, Western Springs New Zealand during July 2008 as part of New Zealand's Heroes Festival.
All photos were taken by Max Osborne.
This is a full length in-depth interview, so I have divided it into Question and Answer sections with links to each one.
Or of course you can just read down through it all in full if you wish.
Q. When did you first become aware of Quentin Crisp?
Q. Did you ever meet him?
Q. Betty Bourne toured Australia in Resident Alien. Did you see any of his performances?
Q. The play was put on as part of the Heroes Festival. Do you think he is justified as a hero?
Q. How did you become aware of the play?
Q. How did you prepare for playing such a unique character?
Q. The play got some excellent reviews. In the New Zealand Herald Shannon Huse said "John Watson's affectionate portrayal shows not only Quentin Crisp's humour and strength but also his failings." It must be very gratifying that people appreciated your performance. Do you have a favorite review?
Q. Do you find there is much interest in Quentin in New Zealand?
Q. Has your life been influenced by Quentin's philosophy and ideas?
Q. If the chance arose would you like to reprise the role?
Q. You have been acting for over thirty years now, all your adult life. Was acting what you always wanted to do?
Q. What was your first acting role?
Q. You have done a lot of acting both on the live stage and for the camera. Do you have a preference?
Q. I have heard some actors say that because the two media are so different in terms of the acting techniques used, that moving between them regularly helps to 'keep them on their toes'. Would you agree with this?
Q. Who has inspired you or taught you the most about your craft?
Q. Are there any roles you would especially like to play?
Q. Which of the roles you have played for camera or stage have brought you the most satisfaction as an actor?
Q. Would you ever like to get behind the camera and direct or perhaps direct on stage?
Q. What is next in your schedule?
Q. Most actors say they could never retire. Could you ever see yourself retiring?
Q. What advice would you give to aspiring actors?
Q. If you could relive your life would you still be an actor?
When did you first become aware of Quentin Crisp?
Like many people down here in the South Pacific (and elsewhere), I first became aware of Quentin through his "representative on earth" John Hurt in the film "The Naked Civil Servant". It must have been about 1977 when it was shown on the ultra conservative NZBC television channel here in New Zealand.
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Q. Did you ever meet him?
No. But during the production of 'Resident Alien' it was astonishing to find the number of people here in NZ who have met Quentin and/or seen him perform. A friend who helped me with make-up has a photo of himself with Quentin taken in the early 80s when Quentin visited New Zealand. My friend was Quentin's make up artist for that visit. Synchronicity.
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Q. Betty Bourne toured Australia in Resident Alien. Did you see any of his performances?
Betty Bourne didn't bring the show to New Zealand. Fortunately for me the play only came as far as Sydney Australia. I didn't see it over there, but I've seen some remarkable clips of it on the internet.
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Q. The play was put on as part of the Heroes Festival. Do you think he is justified as a hero?
Totally.
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Q. How did you become aware of the play?
In mid 2006 I was rabbitting through the plays section of the Auckland Public library, when the script of 'Resident Alien' fell off the shelf into my hand. I took the script home and read it. Laughed and cried. I couldnąt believe that a play of this quality hadnąt been produced in New Zealand. So I set about producing it.
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Q. How did you prepare for playing such a unique character?
I spent 12 months studying and researching and learning the lines. Then I tried to forget I was re-presenting a real person and got on with playing the character. I knew from the start that I would never be Quentin Crisp. I listened to tapes of his show and he elicited three laughs per line. I settled for one per line. He was a consummate performer.
I also gathered the best possible team around me, using contacts made over 30 years in the business. My Director was Amanda Rees, who I had worked with very successfully once before on a Canadian play called 'Half Life.' The stage Designer was John Parker, one of New Zealand's most experienced designers, who I have worked with often. The Costume Designer was Kirsty Cameron who does many of the major movies over here. And the wig maker was Annette Beany, who does the New Zealand Opera wigs. The Lighting Designer was Andrew Malmo. Photographer Max Osborne. A dream team.
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Q. The play got some excellent reviews. In the New Zealand Herald Shannon Huse said "John Watson's affectionate portrayal shows not only Quentin Crisp's humour and strength but also his failings." It must be very gratifying that people appreciated your performance. Do you have a favorite review?
The reviews for 'Resident Alien' were all gratifyingly positive. But my favourite review of all time was when I played Orsino in Twelfth Night at Centrepoint Theatre in 1978. Complete with ostrich feather in my hat. Bruce Mason, then the reviewer for the Dominion newspaper described me as looking 'like Douglas Fairbanks senior, after an extended period at Weight Watchers.'
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Q. Do you find there is much interest in Quentin in New Zealand?
Yes. Almost everyone I speak to about him remembers seeing John Hurt in 'that television film.'
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Q. Has your life been influenced by Quentin's philosophy and ideas?
I chose to do the play for its philosophy. I think that all the best plays I have been involved in carry a similar theme. The right of the individual to be himself.
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Q. If the chance arose would you like to reprise the role?
I intend to tour New Zealand with this play.
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Q. You have been acting for over thirty years now, all your adult life. Was acting what you always wanted to do?
I stumbled into acting by pure lucky chance. New Zealand has a very strong amateur theatre tradition, and I had done a few plays at University and with local amateur groups. I was 23 years old and about to travel overseas, when a friend who had just returned to NZ advised me to get a good look at my own country first. He said I should audition for the NZ Players Drama Quartet and spend a year touring schools. I auditioned. They asked if I could drive a van. I said yes.
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Q. What was your first acting role?
My first professional acting job was as actor/manager for the New Zealand Players Drama Quartet in 1972. We played to almost every Secondary School in the country, and travelled over 14000 miles around New Zealand in less than 12 months.
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Q. You have done a lot of acting both on the live stage and for the camera. Do you have a preference?
Yes. I prefer the stage. I feel at home on stage. But I have been teaching acting for camera courses for the last 20 years. When I started out working for TV and Film in the early 80s there was no one was teaching the difference (and similarities) between stage and screen acting.
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Q. I have heard some actors say that because the two media are so different in terms of the acting techniques used, that moving between them regularly helps to 'keep them on their toes'. Would you agree with this?
This may be true for other actors but....When I got my first acting role for television in the early 1980s I had been doing stage work for a solid eight years. I took all the stage skills I had learned and used them in front of the camera. The result was horrible. I have spent the last 20 years trying to unlearn how to act when I get in front of a camera. My first love is stage, I am better at it, but I have been dabbling in digital video directing and editing.
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Q. Who has inspired you or taught you the most about your craft?
The people who have taught me the most have been Artistic Directors. I have been fortunate enough to learn my craft on the job as it were. In the decade between 1975 and 1985 I was a permanent member of two very special theatre companies. The first was Centrepoint Theatre in Palmerston North under the directorship of Paul Minifie. Over a period of two and a half years there, I played major roles in more than a dozen plays....back to back. I then moved to Auckland and Theatre Corporate where I stayed for another three years working in ensemble style theatre under the direction of Raymond Hawthorne. Play after play after play. It was a great training ground. These ensemble companies disappeared from the NZ theatre scene in the late 80s. Since then all work in theatre has been on a contract basis. One play at a time. Each play with a different cast of actors. I donąt know how the next generation of players are supposed to polish their craft.
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Q. Are there any roles you would especially like to play?
I'd love to go back and do them all again. (Except for 'Earnest.') And in about a decade I will be almost ready for Lear.
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Q. Which of the roles you have played for camera or stage have brought you the most satisfaction as an actor?
Max in 'Bent.' Andy in the film 'Death in the Family.' Firpo in the great New Zealand play 'End of the Golden Weather'. Jack in the Australian prison play 'Jack'. Dysart in 'Equus.' Ed in 'Torchsong Trilogy.' Azdak in 'Caucasian Chalk Circle.' And Quentin Crisp in 'Resident Alien' !!
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Q. Would you ever like to get behind the camera and direct or perhaps direct on stage?
Yes. My years of teaching acting for camera have led to directing. Short films, documentaries, music events, and Tai Chi, on digital video, which I also edit.
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Q. What is next in your schedule?
Next is another one man play. 'Len.' The life and times of Len Lye (1901-1980). He was a New Zealander. An artist of the first degree. A film maker. A kinetic sculptor. A painter. A writer. Almost all the script is taken from his writing. The Govett Brewster art gallery in New Plymouth holds his work. I'm planning to play 'Len' there next year. He was a contemporary of Quentins and lived in New York from 1944. I wonder if they ever met?
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Q. Most actors say they could never retire. Could you ever see yourself retiring?
Never!
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Q. What advice would you give to aspiring actors?
"Don't." No. To paraphrase Shakespeare's 'to thine own self be true'... I would say 'Go as yourself.' (I'm sure Quentin would approve.)
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Q. If you could relive your life would you still be an actor?
Absolutely. I thank my stars daily that I stumbled into this profession.
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