Blogs Pathways to Shakespeare Pathways to Shakespeare How did our actors and directors first find Shakespeare? What drew them to it in the first place and kept them coming back? You are in: Blogs Also in this section Also in this section Whispers from the WingsThe Othello ProjectOut of the SpotlightInternational Women's DayLearning LinesRoyal Shakespeare Community Blog Viv Graver interviews Viv Graver is a retired teacher, who taught Shakespeare for more than 30 years in the north of England. Her blog is a series of interviews with RSC cast and creatives about their path to Shakespeare and how they first came to it, at school and elsewhere. Tony Gardner Pathway #51 - 29 April 2024 Acclaimed for his roles in Fresh Meat and Last Tango in Halifax, we talk to Tony Gardner about his RSC debut in Love's Labour's Lost. Read Viv's Blog Richard Katz Pathway #50 - 8 January 2024 RSC veteran actor Richard Katz, recently seen in The Fair Maid of the West, talks about his many roles on our Stratford-upon-Avon stages. Read Viv's Blog Dylan Read Pathway #49 - 5 October 2023 The actor talks about drawing on his Jacques Lecoq physical theatre training to create a shape-shifting Witch for Macbeth. Read Viv's Blog Tyreke Leslie Pathway #48 - 24 July 2023 A recent drama school graduate, Tyreke has already been cast in two RSC productions. He talks to Viv Graver about his route into the acting profession. Read Viv's Blog Madeleine Mantock Pathway #47 - 23 May 2023 Madeleine Mantock discusses the challenges of bringing the central character of a beloved novel to life on stage in the world premiere of Hamnet. Read Viv's Blog Jamie Wilkes Pathway #46 - 18 May 2023 Jamie is playing Iachimo in our new production of Cymbeline. He talks about seeing the show from every angle. Read Viv's blog Heledd Gwynn Pathway #45 - 23 February 2023 Heledd talks about playing Ariel in The Tempest, learning a new instrument and her favourite moments in the show. Read Viv's blog Giles Taylor Pathway #44 - 22 December 2022 A Christmas Carol's Giles Taylor talks about playing multiple roles in the same production and the joys of repeated collaborations with directors. Read Viv's blog Emma Pallant Pathway #43 - 24 November 2022 Emma Pallant talks about playing Mrs Cratchit in A Christmas Carol and her approach to Shakespeare over her career. Read Viv's blog Emma Manton Pathway #42 - 24 November 2022 Viv Graver chats with Emma Manton about playing Twelfth Night's Malvolio as a woman. Read Viv's blog Forbes Masson Pathway #41 - 21 February 2020 Viv Graver talks to the Boy in the Dress actor about coming to Shakespeare later in life and his experiences with the RSC. Read Viv's blog Charlotte Randle Pathway #40 - 26 November 2019 The King John actor talks to Viv Graver about onstage and off-stage motherhood and playing a tough woman. Read Viv's blog Tom McCall Pathway #39 - 9 October 2019 RSC regular Tom McCall talks to Viv Graver about his role as Hubert in King John and 'falling into Shakespeare'. Read Viv's blog Amy Trigg Pathway #38 - 9 August 2019 Amy Trigg talks to Viv Graver about discovering Shakespeare, using a wheelchair on stage, and overcoming her imposter syndrome. Read Viv's blog Amanda Harris Pathway #37 - 24 July 2019 Actor Amanda Harris talks to Viv Graver about her long history with the RSC and being part of our 2019 summer of Shakespeare. Read Viv's blog Lucy Phelps Pathway #36 - 3 May 2019 Lucy Phelps talks to Viv Graver about playing Rosalind in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and how being multilingual helps her unlock Shakespeare. Read Viv's blog Joseph Arkley Pathway #35 - 16 April 2019 Joe Arkley, who plays Katherine in our gender-swapped version of The Taming of the Shrew, talks about becoming an actor and challenging expectations. Read the blog David Ajao Pathway #34 - 25 March 2019 Actor David Ajao talks about finding his way into theatre and playing Orlando in our current production of As You Like It. Read Viv's blog Patrick Drury Pathway #33 - 29 January 2019 A regular feature of recent RSC productions, Patrick Drury talks to Viv Graver about what happens when good people get caught up in tragedy. Read Viv's blog Claire Carrie Pathway #32 - 2 January 2019 From Shakespeare to Christmas Past, Viv talks to Claire Carrie for our Pathways to Shakespeare blog about "thinking up" to the audience. Read Viv's blog Sheila Reid Pathway #31 - 6 November 2018 Actor Sheila Reid talks to Viv Graver about how she became an actor and her current role as Thersites in Troilus and Cressida. Read Viv's blog James Clyde Pathway #30 - 16 October 2018 Tartuffe and Tamburlaine actor James Clyde talks to Viv Graver about tragedy, comedy and the immediacy of theatre. Read Viv's blog David Acton Pathway #29 - 18 September 2018 Viv Graver talks to David Acton about his contrasting roles in Macbeth and The Merry Wives of Windsor. Read Viv's blog Karen Fishwick Pathway #28 - 10 July 2018 "Shakespeare isn’t for or made by one kind of accent" - Karen Fishwick talks to Viv Graver about taking on her first Shakespearean role as Juliet. Read Viv's blog Michael Hodgson Pathway #27 - 19 June 2018 The Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet actor talks to Viv Graver about coming late to Shakespeare, and his different roles at the RSC. Read Viv's blog Niamh Cusack Pathway #26 - 9 April 2018 Macbeth actor Niamh Cusack talks to Viv Graver about coming from an acting family and the motivations of her character, Lady Macbeth. Read Viv's blog Nicholas Bishop Pathway #25 - 5 February 2018 Actor Nicholas Bishop talks about his journey into acting, and playing Orsino and Charles Dickens together. Read Viv's blog Beruce Khan Pathway #24 - 19 December 2017 Actor Beruce Khan talks about taking Hamlet around the world, and his current roles in Twelfth Night and A Christmas Carol. Read Viv's blog Hannah Morrish Pathway #23 - 10 November 2017 Hannah Morrish talks about the complicated place of women in Shakespeare's Roman plays. Find out more Amber James Pathway #22 - 31 July 2017 Rome Season actor Amber James talks about how she got interested in Shakespeare and her journey into theatre. Read Amber's blog Josette Simon Pathway #21 - 23 June 2017 Passionate, strong and in control of her own destiny: the actor playing Cleopatra describes her pathway to Shakespeare. Find out more Antony Byrne Pathway #20 - 23 May 2017 The actor playing Mark Antony talks about rehearsals as a playground where you can chuck the paintbox around. Read more Martin Hutson Pathway #19 - 26 April 2017 The Rome season actor talks about playing Cassius and Saturnius, and trying his hand at directing. Read Viv's blog Alexandra Gilbreath Pathway #18 - 2 February 2017 As Alexandra Gilbreath comes to the end of her run as Angellica Bianca in Aphra Benn’s The Rover, she confesses to feeling somewhat melancholic. Read Viv's Blog Joseph Millson Pathway #17 - 11 November 2016 Joseph is back in the Swan Theatre playing the main role of Willmore in The Rover. He was last here ten years ago in Marianne Elliott’s Much Ado about Nothing. Read Viv's Blog James Corrigan Pathway #16 - 3 October 2016 Heroism, love, pathos: James, who plays Palamon, loves The Two Noble Kinsmen. Read Viv's blog Bethan Cullinane Pathway #15 - 26 September 2016 Bethan plays Innogen in Cymbeline. Bethan finds Innogen petulant, headstrong and flawed Read Viv's blog Natalie Simpson Pathway #14 - 5 September 2016 Never in her wildest dreams could Natalie have imagined this year at the RSC: Ophelia, Guideria and Cordelia in one season Read Viv's Blog Lucy Ellinson Pathway #13 - 15 July 2016 Lucy had worked in panto and done male impersonation in cabaret and found inspiration for her Puck there Read Viv's blog Marcus Griffiths Pathway #12 - 1 June 2016 Marcus has become a familiar face to regular theatre goers. He is currently playing Laertes in Hamlet and Cloten in Cymbeline Read Viv's Blog Sandy Grierson Pathway #11 - 16 May 2016 Anyone who has seen Sandy Grierson as Faustus must acknowledge the amazing energy of his performance Read Viv's Blog Paapa Essiedu Pathway #10 - 5 April 2016 10 years ago Paapa had never acted, yet here he is at 25 playing Hamlet at the RSC Read Viv's blog Chu Omambala Pathway #9 - 10 March 2016 Shakespeare 'wasn't exactly a delight' at school for the A Midsummer Night's Dream actor Read Viv's blog Dominic Skinner Pathway #8 - 4 March 2016 How did a young architect find his way onto the Royal Shakespeare Theatre stage playing Flute in A Midsummer Night's Dream? Find out more Jonathan Broadbent Pathway #7 - 4 January 2016 Actor Jonathan Broadbent's journey to Shakespeare, and how this informed his Swan Theatre roles in Love for Love and Queen Anne Find out more Miles Richardson Pathway #6 - 12 November 2015 Miles says that his first memory of Shakespeare is “cold and green” Find out more Patsy Ferran Pathway #5 - 21 August 2015 Patsy just knew she had to accept the role of Portia, an opportunity not to be missed. But she worried that she might be doomed Find out more Joanna Vanderham Pathway #4 - 25 August 2015 Playing Desdemona in Othello was a double first for Joanna Vanderham: her first Shakespearean role in her first big theatre Find out more Nick Haverson Pathway #3 - 16 January 2015 Nick Haverson, working at the RSC for the first time, had important roles in all three plays this season Find out more Michelle Terry Pathway #2 - 30 December 2014 Interview with actor Michelle Terry from Love's Labour's Lost and Love's Labour's Won Find out more Edward Bennett Pathway #1 - 30 December 2014 Edward Bennett appeared as Berowne in Love's Labour's Lost and Benedick in Love's Labour's Won in 2014 Find out more You may also like