July 19th 2023.
In person, Mark Rylance can be as unpredictable as he is on stage - something I can definitely attest to after our conversation. We were supposed to talk about his latest role, the 19th century maverick doctor Ignaz Semmelweis. Stephen Brown’s new play, first seen at Bristol Old Vic, is about the real life eponymous flawed hero who pioneered the practice of handwashing in hospital, saving countless lives - a tale well-suited to our pandemic times.
That was the main focus of the conversation, but we ended up discussing such a wide range of topics - from Extinction Rebellion to Michael Stuhlbarg pipping Mark to the starring role in the Coen brothers’ film A Serious Man - as well as the Kevin Spacey court case.
These topics had me wanting to know whether the qualities that make Mark such a unique actor were innate or carefully cultivated. He replied, “Everyone’s got a particular vibration. Why can you immediately hear it’s Mozart; how do you know it is the Rolling Stones even before Mick Jagger is singing; why can you immediately see that the painting you are looking at is a Rembrandt?”
Dr Semmelweis will be Mark Rylance’s first West End production since reprising Rooster in Jerusalem - a role he is still very passionate about. I asked if he would ever consider turning the smash hit into a film. He replied “Not with me. I never want to film it”, but added that of course he’d been asked. He jokingly added, “It would be like pinning a butterfly. I’d rather play it as long as I can [in the theatre], sitting in that chair at 80, if only to torture the 75-year-old Mackenzie [Crook, Rylance’s co-star]”.
This led me to ask if Mark thought Kevin Spacey could ever make a comeback. After a long pause, he replied, “As an actor I used to go to Broadmoor Hospital. We helped people come to terms with what they did, which was usually killing someone they loved. We helped them understand their triggers, come through the dangers of suicide and eventually move back into society. If we can do that for murderers and arsonists, can’t we do that for brilliant artists?” He went on to mention other disgraced powerful men in the business who might also deserve a second chance.
Finally, I asked Mark what he looks for when choosing his next role. He said he gets offered a lot of things, but his wife - the composer and director Claire van Kampen - tells him to ask himself, “Is this something someone else could do?” If it is, they don’t really need him.
Dr Semmelweis is at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London until October 7th, and tickets can be booked here.
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