PAULINE PERSPECTIVE
A Life with The Bard
Tim Hardy (1954-59) describes how ‘Shakespeare has it covered’.
“And that was the moment it all began. In all my time at the school, no one had ever said I was good at something – anything.”
‘We’d very much like you to play Antonio the Sea Captain!’ This from a boy I’d never met, waiting for me after class. ‘It’s a production of Twelfth Night we’re putting on ourselves.’ ‘Sorry, you’ve got the wrong person. I’ve never acted in my life.’ I could have added that I had absolutely no desire to do so, now or at any time in the foreseeable future. ‘Well, actually we’ve asked everyone else who’d be available. You’re the only one left.’ ‘As in bottom of the barrel.’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Thanks.’ ‘Look, you wouldn’t have to act or anything, there isn’t time now. We’re into the third week of rehearsals. Just learn the lines and say them.’ And that is what I did. He was right, there was not time to do anything other than learn the lines and say them, in this case more-or-less in the right order. To be honest, I did see a lot of acting – or rather A-C-T-I-N-G – going on
38
ATRIUM
SPRING / SUMMER 2021
around me, while all I could do was hope the words would do the work for me. And in a strange way that I could not explain, I did come to like the taste – the feel – of the words in my mouth. Anyway, all went well and when it was done we celebrated with several cartons of J Lyons’ Dunky Doughnuts, delivered direct from Cadby Hall just by the school, and therefore warm and fresh in a way you could never find in the shops. One of the best reasons for going to St Paul’s. ‘Well done, Scalchi.’ This was Mr Pirkis (Master 1955-86), President of E Club. ‘Oh….thank you, sir.’ ‘Yes…you’re quite good at this.’ And that was the moment it all began. In all my time at the school, no one had ever said I was good at something – anything. In any discipline, scholastic or sporting, if I did my very best I might just about be average, and often not even that.
