Beside Myself

by Antony Sher

Actor, author, artist, Antony Sher grew up with a profound sense of being an outsider, uncomfortable at home in South Africa, and totally out of place as Rifleman 65833329 during conscription in Namibia. Small, weedy, Jewish, painfully conscious of his unfulfilled homosexuality, Ant, as his mother called him, found refuge in art, later in theatre and escape to London. Initially turned down by RADA and Central, he went on to create a series of triumphant stage performances - including Richard III, Macbeth, Pam Gems' Stanley - and to become the first actor of his generation to be knighted. His novels have been acclaimed, as have his theatre-journals filled with his own illustrations. Creativity is Sher's rush, although there was a time when a cocaine habit threatened his survival. Whether describing the battle with this growing dependency, or the sinister paradise of white South Africa in the fifties, or his personal experiences of theatre figures as diverse as Olivier, Stoppard and Mike Leigh, he writes with remarkable candour, wit and great style. In this unique autobiography, Antony Sher takes us on a personal odyssey through the approvals and dismissals, awards and addictions, doubts and dreams which have characterised his first fifty years.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Theatre, Queer, Autobiography

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Sir Antony Sher, born in Cape Town, South Africa on June 14th, 1949, was an actor, memoirist, playwright, painter, and novelist, best known for his performances of Shakespearean characters like Richard III, Macbeth, and Sir John Falstaff. He has performed in plays by such writers as Molière, Chekhov, Brecht, Arthur Miller, Mike Leigh, and Harvey Fierstein, and has portrayed historical figures as diverse as Primo Levi and Adolf Hitler, Benjamin Disraeli and Ringo Starr. In 1985 he received the Laurence Olivier Award for his work as Richard III, and again in 1997 for Stanley.

His writings include novels, plays, and memoirs, including Year of the King: An Actor's Diary and Sketchbook, his account of playing Richard III for the Royal Shakespeare Company, called by actor Simon Callow "the most wonderfully authentic account of the experience of creating a performance."

He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2000.

In 2005, Sher and his partner – director Gregory Doran, with whom he frequently collaborates professionally – became one of the first gay couples to enter into a civil partnership in the UK.

Reviews

[Malcolm Frawley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up in apartheid era South Africa Sher heads to London in his late teens to apply for drama school. His subsequent careers as an actor, author & artist are entertainingly documented in these pages. He also examines his homosexuality & his eventual path to romantic happiness. What is perhaps most fascinating is his almost complete ignorance, due to his family's affluence, of what apartheid was doing to the black population of his homeland. It isn't until he moves to the U.K. that he gains a perspective on the atrocity that was apartheid. This is an insightful & enjoyable read that illustrates Sher's approaches to his various crafts & the fears he occasionally has to surmount. The sense of the man underneath is also revealed. I did cringe at his reliance on apparently verbatim diary entries during the final 3rd of the book. This seems a somewhat lazy way out of assembling a memoir/autobiography but his use of these pages is nowhere near as egregious as Stephen Fry's was in the most recent volume of his life story, which should probably have been published as his diaries. At least we would have been warned.

[Les Sher · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent window into the life of a superb actor, writer and fine artist. A very frank account, fascinating on so many levels. Antony Sher is a great loss to the world. He was a giant of a man. I recommend his book most highly.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great insight into this top classical theatre actor of the leading-man variety. Cool to read about the man's personal motivations for playing his favorite and most notable roles. I need to read more biographies, and I'm glad I read this one. The book took me forever to get through, but it was a worthy read. Cons: his style is a little sentimental and his writing isn't always gripping, and a few times I felt I was getting too many details about the production of a play that took place thirty years ago in another country. The parts I enjoyed most (preventing me from returning the book to the library through a couple renewal cycles) were sections where I learned what he thought made a certain popular play or performance great. He explained how he felt from show to show as an actor, as a human being, as a self-conscious person, as an addict, as a minority, and as a foreigner. He explained how his best efforts to determine a character often clashed with his direction, and talked about what it felt like to be truly one with his character during a performance, which I think is something every actor would be interested in. And of course, to read about the business aspect of someone who is so immersed in this artistic lifestyle is informative for me, since I'm not steeped in that world.

At times I felt the book lacked structure, but he did adhere to chronological order, which is enough. The end didn't offer much in the way of overall reflections on his life. I think this goes to say that Tony Sher is still seeking himself on his jagged path, and much of that search goes beyond interpretation. Such is the life of the chimeric people who become actors. I'm fine with this. But, I will happily return the book to the library now and move on. Thanks for sharing your stories, Tony Sher--I too found myself in your struggles and triumphs.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

About 20% of this book is Sher's recollection of South Africa-- of his family, his favorite vacation spots, and of the ugly political realities. My interest in these subjects only stretches so far, and those chapters always slightly overstay their welcome. But the chapters about acting and theater are fascinating-- intensely so.

Sher is never satisfied with giving a "good" performance. His work must be excellent, the best it can possibly be. Furthermore, it must be something out of left field, a clever approach you wouldn't have anticipated. This holds even for the most famous parts, like Cyrano de Bergerac, Dr. Astrov, Josef K., Macbeth, and, of course, Richard III.

I may expand on this review later, since this book felt rather significant, but I skipped a few chapters, and so I must refrain for now.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extraordinary piece from a gifted actor, artist, and writer. He is a master of his crafts.