Hercule Poirot "A Dead Man's Folly & Q&A with David Suchet

I have managed to get last minute tickets to the preview screening of the latest Hercule Poirot, 'Dead Man's Folly' including a Q&A with the bastion of British (or should that be Belgian) entertainment himself: David Suchet. That's why I'm grinning like a Cheshire Cat.

To most people my age, Agatha Christie's saga is merely an outdated set of stories by a novelist long-gone, enjoyed only by the middle-aged (and middle class) masses over cheese and biscuits of a Sunday evening. But I am here to tell you that it is so much more than that.

It is so many things: A master class in acting; an example of unparalleled commitment to the text; a who's who of British television (in front and behind the camera); a drama that is at once compelling, heartfelt and humorous: a reminder of times more simple (if also more sinful) but perhaps more than that; it's a reassuring moral compass to navigate the quagmire of today's murky-grey societal values. 

As you may have seen I am virtually salivating by the time we careen through the establishing storm of 'Dead Man's Folly' in a vintage 50s automobile - & I can't decide whether it's the anticipation of a new instalment or a subconscious connection between the lead character (Sean Pertwee) and his VoiceOver of Masterchef. Regardless I was riveted from here, to the tale's definitive conclusion. I'm not going to drop any plot-spoilers but it won't disappoint any fans of the book. 

Perhaps this is in fact the key to the series' longevity. It's not just that Christie writes (as did Shakespeare) of the 'human condition', the things inherently important to all - love and betrayal, money and greed etc, it's that she does so in such a singular a compelling voice, such that even when the story is presented in the same template time after time, we are still compelled to discover who did it and more importantly, why!

And it's this voice that Mr. Suchet tells us he has always strived to uphold. He has always carried, when filming, a list of detailed notes from his original study of the novels with which he can remind himself the nuances and foibles of the complicated character we all know and love. 

So how was it - sitting in the front row, close enough to an idol to comb his slicked back hair? Well, he is (mercifully) slimmer than we know him on the small screen, much  more laconic too with a far easier gait; eloquent, confident, ready with an anecdote for any occasion, oh and interestingly he pronounces it "TheAtre" like a true stage lovey! Overall it was enlightening.

David reassures us (I feel we ought to be on first name terms now) that by this point he knows Poirot's every possible reaction to any given circumstance and if he were so inclined could live as Poirot for the rest of his life. Just the thought of the perpetual moustache grooming would be enough to make even Daniel Day Lewis cry off.

When asked of being type cast he speaks with great enthusiasm for how lucky he has been with the role, how he has had the opportunity to pursue other ventures simultaneously (and one wonders if he could have continued had this not been the case, I suspect not). 

What struck me most from an actor's perspective was the revelation that the final shot of 'Murder in the Orient Express' with Poirot shouldering the moral burden of being held judge, jury and executioner - was in fact filmed first. All before he had even met any of the film's other actors - a sign if true class!

I could go on - about his portrayal of Salieri in the stage play of Amadeus, migrating west to play an American detective in 'a Perfect Murder', his depiction of Wolsey in Henry VIII, all of which influenced me in my decision to take up and pursue acting as a career but suffice it to say; it is his unflinching dedication to the role of Hercule Poirot; a curious, eccentric, lonely, ruthless yet gentle detective whose little grey cells always allow him to uphold what is right and save the day, that I will remember him for.

#Hollyoaks

                 

I'm at Wembley, England are playing Moldova (well more thumping them really - not terribly British) and I'm all packed for a trip to Sunny Spain with friends. I'm just contemplating whether it's even worth going to bed tonight given that we're on the first flight out of Heathrow in the morning, when the Batphone rings:

Incoming Call

"The BWH Agency"

Somehow, I know before I've even answered, I've been offered the role I read for yesterday - an episode of Hollyoaks). I pick up:

AGENT

They'd like to offer you the part!

TRIS 

(Cheery)

My girlfriend's going to kill me

AGENT

Errr...?

At this point two things become clear: 

1) I have neglected to tell my agent about my holiday ... and 

2) I will be spending more time in the air than I'd anticipated. 

Several days later (I've been to Spain & back) & my taxi (which arrived 20 minutes late) is stuck in traffic en route to the Hollyoaks set. I'm acutely aware of the fines imposed on Hollyoaks actors for late arrival so I mentally chastise cab drivers all over the world for ...

Depriving me of my much-needed caffeine hit...

Not accepting card payments, & ultimately... 

Ruining my career.

My 'cabbie voodoo doll' (patent pending) is already in tatters by this point but this doesn't seem to phase the driver one bit since it turns out, HE'S not late for anything. Thankfully though I needn't have worried -and we screech in just in time. 

The filming experience was unlike any other I'd done. Normally some poor over-stretched runner is responsible for your whereabouts, your appearance, in short your every movement. It was refreshing not to be constrained by any of that. I checked in at reception and was directed to the Green Room. I took a load off and met some of the other actors; longer-term stalwart Nick Pickard (Tony), as well as Connor Wilkinson (Finn) followed by, well everyone else - after a while it felt like the communal room back at uni halls. Everyone was really friendly asking what I was in for/who I was acting with. Some had already completed their scenes and were off to the gym for a training session before lunch.

After a bit of a wander around I found a call sheet tacked to a board. I was scheduled for the second scene of the day onwards. As the time was fast approaching I thought it a good idea to locate my costume (more asking of directions) and I was given a couple of options to choose from. I found myself changing alongside one of the long-term regulars. It then seemed like I should maybe check in with the folks of hair and make-up (around a few more corners) and hey presto I was almost ready. I knew that 2 of the characters' names had changed since my audition so I asked and was furnished with the updated script and was good to go on in the nick of time.

On set, the actors I worked with (James Sutton and Stephen Billington - John-Paul &  Danny) were humble, welcoming and self-less; and the production team even shuffled things at the last minute to shoot all my scenes together so I could swan back off to Spain. 

Hercule Poirot: "Dead Man's Folly" and Q&A with David Suchet

I have managed to get last minute tickets to the preview screening of the latest Hercule Poirot, 'Dead Man's Folly' including a Q&A with the bastion of British (or should that be Belgian) entertainment himself: David Suchet. That's why I'm grinning like a Cheshire Cat.

To most people my age, Agatha Christie's saga is merely an outdated set of stories by a novelist long-gone, enjoyed only by the middle-aged (and middle class) masses over cheese and biscuits of a Sunday evening. But I am here to tell you that it is so much more than that.

It is so many things: A master class in acting; an example of unparalleled commitment to the text; a who's who of British television (in front and behind the camera); a drama that is at once compelling, heartfelt and humorous: a reminder of times more simple (if also more sinful) but perhaps more than that; it's a reassuring moral compass to navigate the quagmire of today's murky-grey societal values. 

As you may have seen I am virtually salivating by the time we careen through the portentous storm of 'Dead Man's Folly' in a vintage 50s automobile - & I can't decide whether it's the anticipation of a new instalment or a subconscious connection between the lead character (Sean Pertwee) and the VoiceOver of Masterchef. Regardless I was riveted from here, to the tale's definitive conclusion. I'm not going to drop any plot-spoilers but it won't disappoint any fans of the book. 

Perhaps this is in fact the key to the series' longevity. It's not just that Christie writes (as did Shakespeare) of the 'human condition', the things inherently important to all - love and betrayal, money and greed etc, it's that she does so in such a singular a compelling voice, such that even when the story is presented in the same template time after time, we are still compelled to discover who did it and more importantly, why! And it's this voice that Mr. Suchet tells us he has always strived to uphold. He has always carried, when filming, a list of detailed notes from his original study of the novels with which he can remind himself the nuances and foibles of the complicated character we all know and love. 

So how was it - sitting in the front row, close enough to one of my idols that I could very well comb his already slicked hair? Well, he is (mercifully) slimmer than we know him on the small screen, much  more laconic too with a far easier gait; eloquent, confident, ready with an anecdote for any occasion, oh and interestingly he pronounces it "The-Atre" like a true stage lovey! Overall it was enlightening.

David reassures us (I feel we ought to be on first name terms now) that by this point he knows Poirot's every possible reaction to any given circumstance and if he were so inclined could live as Poirot for the rest of his life. Just the thought of the perpetual moustache grooming would be enough to make even Daniel Day Lewis cry off.

When asked of being type cast he speaks with great enthusiasm for how lucky he has been with the role, how he has had the opportunity to pursue other ventures simultaneously (and one wonders if he could have continued had this not been the case, I suspect not). 

What struck me most from an actor's perspective was the revelation that the final shot of 'Murder in the Orient Express' with Poirot shouldering the moral burden of being held judge, jury and executioner - was in fact filmed first. All before he had even met any of the film's other actors - a sign if true class!

I could go on - about his portrayal of Salieri in the stage play of Amadeus, migrating west to play an American detective in 'a Perfect Murder', his depiction of Wolsey in Henry VIII, all of which influenced me in my decision to take up and pursue acting as a career but suffice it to say; it is his unflinching dedication to the role of Hercule Poirot; a curious, eccentric, lonely, ruthless yet gentle detective whose little grey cells always allow him to uphold what is right and save the day, that I will remember him for.

Brick Lane

Time is of the essence so I'll keep this brief.
I'm stranded in shoreditch. I've been snatched and removed to some kind of other world, a different country at least. How they whisked me through passport control is anybody's guess but I'm currently holed-up in a "café;" "#cafe1001" apparently.
The natives are reminiscent of the aboriginals, with intricate indigenous skin markings, piercings-a-plenty & their clothing manages to be both dated and current, fashionable and awkward.
Clearly razors are banned in this hemisphere since cyclists and skateboarders alike boast what I am calling FCUK beards, or perhaps they provide protection from the elements when traveling along cobbles streets. I am opposite a man wearing a fur scarf that suggests a baby chinchilla met it's end in the making while his partner's dyed grey hair is tied in place with a tie-dyed bandanna.  I'm beginning to wish is brought a cloak to hide under.
There's no water source here so locals must walk for days or partake in the local brew: "Red Stripe" ...
Oh crap I've been spotted...gotta go

To Put Away Childish Things

I must have been two years old. Mummy & Daddy had a special book that had bright, vivid pictures like none I'd ever seen before. The stories we read from it didn't have pages like my other books - they weren't colourful or fun to touch but it didn't matter, because the pictures seemed to move in front of my very eyes, whisking me away to see my friends under the sea, or into the air among a million balloons, in a heartbeat...

One day I watched a story about a man. Or rather a story from a strange man in a blue vest. He seemed to speak straight to me, and I could read in his eyes the importance of what he said - even if I was too young to understand fully at the time. He spoke to me about getting older and even asked me what I would like to be when I grew up…I forget what I replied … but the one thing I do remember was him urging me to "keep dreaming". I laughed and told him he was a 'Silly man!! ... You can't dream when you're awake!' … "Tristam-Lewis-Summers!" said the man, raising his voice and fixing me with his big green eyes, "THAT is the best time to dream".

I asked my parents often about the 'silly man and the magic book' but never saw hide nor tail of either. I was told that the whole idea was itself a dream, or something I had imagined. At school I wrote silly stories of magical lands, creatures of the future and was invariably told to be give up such childish pursuits, be sensible and concentrate more. But, fact or fiction, It didn't matter to me - I kept the man's message where all good stories lie - at the back of the mind yet close to the heart.

Years have passed since that sunny moment and I am now a man grown myself. Inevitably there comes a time when we look to the future and ponder our own legacy and what we may leave behind - will it be fame, success, money, children... We wonder what these enduring remembrances will speak of after our all-too-brief time - and we endeavour to shape them in a way that reflects the people we wish so much to be. In the end, all we can really hope is that one day we all see a glimpse of 'the strange man' (and all he stands for) reflected back to us in those things we love and leave behind.

Tristam Summers (1987 & 2013)?

My article on "Being an Actor/ Voiceover in L.A."

I was recently asked to write an article for a publication back in the U.K about my experiences of acting in general and my time in L.A.. I thought I'd share it with you die-hard blog following fans (I know what you're thinking - what the hell would I know .... and yet, you're still reading!!):

"Acting. It’s a strange one. Often established actors will tell you if there’s ANY other way for you to make a living, take it. In fact the late, great Walter Matthau famously said: “All you need to succeed in this industry is fifty lucky breaks;” and it’s true, the life of an actor is more up and down than the Pirate Ship at Chessington - but it can also be incredibly rewarding.

Since leaving school I’ve come a long way in the pursuit of what seemed at the start to be a pipe-dream. I’ve acted in a variety of short films (I should point out that ‘variety’ here speaks to both their content and quality); gained qualifications in both dance and stage combat, signed an agent in London, trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama, acted in plays off West End, bolstered my showreel, recorded a voice-reel, appeared in staple TV shows such as ‘The Bill’ (may it rest in peace) and ‘Material Girl’; worked on feature films (even as a stunt-man in one), I’ve landed roles on internet soaps and animated sketches, acted in commercials for the likes of Walkers Crisps; I’ve attained an entertainment visa for the USA and moved to Los Angeles, developed a coffee addiction, signed a manager, signed a theatrical agent, signed a commercial agent, signed a voiceover agent (I know! Why so many agents?!); I’ve had sketches play out on shows in the U.S. such as ‘Jimmy Kimmel’s Late Night Live!’ (which isn’t altogether ‘live’. Nor is it filmed ‘late at night’ -welcome to Hollywood folks). I’ve impersonated Ben Wishaw’s ‘Q’ in the latest Bond film and was also the voice for all Apple adverts in the UK for almost 3 years, advertising everything from iPhones to Apps. And given that these played out at prime time on all channels during shows such as ‘Downton Abbey’ and the ‘X-Factor’ it’s more than likely you’ve heard my dulcet tones without even knowing it. So for this I half-heartedly apologise.

It’s currently ‘Pilot Season’ in L.A – the time of year when actors from all over the world descend on Hollywood hoping to land a role in, for instance, the new Robin Williams TV pilot ‘The Crazy Ones’, set in an ad agency in Chicago (keep an eye out for this one, looks to be a good ‘un). The potential for success here is mind-blowing but so is the competition. While the UK has fewer people chasing the roles, there is far less being made, so the odds work out to be about the same. I should also say that this career isn’t for the pusillanimous either (look it up, I had to, and it builds character) – you need the heart of a child and the hide of an elephant, to endure rejection on an often daily basis. Worse than the rejection though and by far the norm, is hearing absolutely nothing at all back from your latest audition that you spent hours preparing. But such is the life of an actor.

That said, there’s never a dull moment in this profession – only last week I was negotiating the snowy streets of London in my ski gear and now I’m sat at a coffee shop in West L.A with the sun on my face. I should offer another apology at this point – and not for the sickening weather reminder, no - this article was going to focus on advice for anyone hoping to break into the world of acting but I have literally just received a call from my voiceover agent (at which a painfully fashionable barrister politely indicated the ‘no mobile phones’ sign on the wall of said supremely pretentious establishment and ushered me out). It was for an audition to play an animated robot, and now instead of extolling the virtues of a career ‘treading the boards’, I feel I have no choice but to share with you, the description of my character ‘ZINC' from the accompanying email, as a window into my life as an actor:

“ZINC: A Retro-Futuristic robot...” (hang on a sec ... Retro...futuristic?) “... Can be a 12 year old boy, or a young teenage voice or adult male ...” (so at least they’re clear on what they’re after!) “... MUST BE A GREAT SINGER ...” (why they feel the need to shout this is beyond me) “Should sound a little British or perhaps Jordanian ...”(!!!!!) I’m not making this up) “ ...Think John Cleese, Billy Connelly or Russell Brand ...” (a more disparate group of individuals one can barely conceive). “...Appointment time/address...  blah-blah-blah”. I wish I could tell this isn’t a regular occurrence.

And so there you have it - that gives you an idea of what we actors contend with on a day to day basis. It also has the secondary benefit of solving what I shall do tonight: Why I will be dusting off my ‘Retro-Futuristic-Billy-Connelly-Robot’ impression of course. That old chestnut! So wish me luck. (As ever). And if you don’t believe me, I’m at Tristam_summers@hotmail.com and will be happy to forward the email."