Interview: Ronald Pickup

Ronald Pickup was born in Chester (recently received an Honorary degree from the University of Chester), and trained at RADA. Pickup is a highly acclaimed film, television and stage actor, seen recently on our small screens in Lark Rise to Candleford, Holby City, Coronation Street and Foyle’s War.  He has featured in many films, from The Day of the Jackal in the 1970’s, or The Mission in the 1980’s to the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, and the recent sequel. He has played Orwell in Orwell on Jura, and other historical characters including Verdi, Nietzsche and Stravinsky.  In theatre, Ronald worked with Laurence Olivier at the National Theatre and has appeared in many of our major theatres and roles. He is here today because of his work with Beckett, starting with his role as Man in Play at the Royal Court Theatre in 1976, dir by Ronald McWhinnie, where he first met Beckett. He was chosen to work with Beckett and Billie Whitelaw in the BBC version of Beckett’s haunting tv play,Ghost Trio, screened as Shades with Not I, and …but the clouds… on the Lively Arts programme in 1977. Most recently, he played Lucky alongside Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart and Simon Callow in Waiting for Godot, directed by Sean Mathias, at the Haymarket, 2009.

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Staging Beckett team members, Matthew McFrederick and Professor Anna McMullan, alongside Walter Asmus and Dr Nick Johnson at the TCD Beckett Summer School. IMG_3277
Walter Asmus in conversation with Nick Johnson for the second Staging Beckett public talk at the Beckett Summer School, August 2014.
James Knowlson with Richard Wilson and the BBC Artsnight team at the University of Reading, July 2015.
Richard Wilson and James Knowlson during the filming of the BBC's upcoming Artsnight episode dedicated to Samuel Beckett, July 2015.
Lisa Dwan and Walter Asmus at the Royal Court, December 2013.
Lisa Dwan and Anna McMullan interview University of Reading, March 2018.
Samuel Beckett directing the San Quentin Drama Workshop actors Bud Thorpe and Rick Cluchey. (Photo by Chris Harris, David Gothard Collection.)
Billie Whitelaw's dress for Footfalls
Godot, Gare St Lazare, 2014.
Conor Lovett in Godot, Gare St Lazare, 2014.
Fizzles, 'Beckett in the City'. Photo courtesy of Company SJ., 2013.
Beckett observing rehearsals at the Riverside Studios. (Photo by Chris Harris, David Gothard Collection.)
Waiting for Godot at 60: An Exhibition, 2015.
Exhibition photo, 2014.
Exhibition photo, 2014.
Exhibition photo, 2014.
Staging Beckett conference at the University of Reading, 5 April 2014
Staging Beckett conference at the University of Reading, 5 April 2014
Staging Beckett conference at the University of Reading, 5 April 2014
Staging Beckett conference at the University of Reading, 5 April 2014
Staging Beckett conference at the University of Reading, 5 April 2014
Staging Beckett conference at the University of Reading, 5 April 2014
Staging Beckett conference at the University of Reading, 5 April 2014
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Staging Beckett team members, Matthew McFrederick and Professor Anna McMullan, alongside Walter Asmus and Dr Nick Johnson at the TCD Beckett Summer School. IMG_3277
Walter Asmus in conversation with Nick Johnson for the second Staging Beckett public talk at the Beckett Summer School, August 2014.
James Knowlson with Richard Wilson and the BBC Artsnight team at the University of Reading, July 2015.
Richard Wilson and James Knowlson during the filming of the BBC's upcoming Artsnight episode dedicated to Samuel Beckett, July 2015.
Lisa Dwan and Walter Asmus at the Royal Court, December 2013.
Lisa Dwan and Anna McMullan interview University of Reading, March 2018.
Samuel Beckett directing the San Quentin Drama Workshop actors Bud Thorpe and Rick Cluchey. (Photo by Chris Harris, David Gothard Collection.)
Billie Whitelaw's dress for Footfalls
Godot, Gare St Lazare, 2014.
Conor Lovett in Godot, Gare St Lazare, 2014.
Fizzles, 'Beckett in the City'. Photo courtesy of Company SJ., 2013.
Beckett observing rehearsals at the Riverside Studios. (Photo by Chris Harris, David Gothard Collection.)
Waiting for Godot at 60: An Exhibition, 2015.
Exhibition photo, 2014.
Exhibition photo, 2014.
Exhibition photo, 2014.
Staging Beckett conference at the University of Reading, 5 April 2014
Staging Beckett conference at the University of Reading, 5 April 2014
Staging Beckett conference at the University of Reading, 5 April 2014
Staging Beckett conference at the University of Reading, 5 April 2014
Staging Beckett conference at the University of Reading, 5 April 2014
Staging Beckett conference at the University of Reading, 5 April 2014
Staging Beckett conference at the University of Reading, 5 April 2014
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