While rehearsing for the 50th anniversary revival of
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead at the Old Vic in London this week, Daniel Radcliffe was naturally
asked about the other major West End production,
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and why he has yet to see it.
Quote:
Daniel Radcliffe: "I'm not trying to stay away from the show. I'm trying to stay away from what could potentially be the experience of seeing it. I know other people from the cast have gone to see it, I just feel like if I was sitting in an audience of Harry Potter fans, it would be possibly be a slightly different show, and it would possibly be that I would be watching it as much feeling people watching me watch it. This could all be in my head, but I just envisage it possibly not being relaxing.
"I had a beard until two days ago. And then I knew I'd be doing this, so I shaved it off, and then realised how immediately it makes me look younger and more like Harry Potter."
Dan also commented on the spinoff of Shakespeare's
Hamlet, which he is costarring alongside Joshua McGuire. The
Harry Potter actor will play Rosencrantz (who was portrayed by former costar Gary Oldman in the movie adaptation over 20 years ago).
Quote:
Dan: "Just very excited, and a little intimidated. The size of the thing you're taking on. It's a lot to learn, it's a challenging show, but incredibly fun and rewarding to do."
"Imagine if you didn't like [your costar]. It would also be a very different play. That would come out. You could play these characters as not liking each other, probably. Or you could play them where they frustrate each other but, essentially, they're friends."
UPDATE: A couple of interviews from the press day this week for the production, with Whats On Stage and ITV News, were released online. Dan again reiterates in both how much and why he wants to avoid seeing the Cursed Child plays.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead starts previews on February 25th, and runs through April 29, 2017. For those in the U.K. who can't make the live production, a theatrical viewing of the play can be watched on April 20th via the National Theatre Live,
here.