A celebrated actor and director, John Bell has been a driving force in the shape and direction of Australian Theatre for more than half a century. A former Associate Artist with the Royal Shakespeare Company in the UK, he’s performed all of Shakespeare’s seminal roles, often several times over. He’s also formed two theatre companies, one of which still bears his name.

In this conversation, John Bell shares with Simon Moore some of the highlights of his long and distinguished career, the evolution of Australian theatre and the ever-changing craft of acting, plus provides an insight into what drew him as a teenager to William Shakespeare and why his works are so important to modern audiences.

Photo: Pierre Toussaint