Star of stage and screen Nigel Havers thas spoken of his love for Suffolk as he prepared for his latest show at the Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds
It may’ve been a while since he’s lived here, but actor Nigel Havers still thinks of Suffolk as home. So much so he and his wife plan to settle in the county one day.
“My first memories are of Suffolk, it’s my manor. I love the smell of it, the look of it, the big skies. It’s a wonderful county, just fantastic; I love it,” says the star of stage and screen.
His parents lived in Ousden, about 20 minutes from Bury St Edmunds and he went to prep school at Nowton Court just up the road when he was very young. His wife, Georgiana Bronfman, grew up just outside Newmarket.
“We never knew each other but we must have crossed paths many times... My father died many years ago, my mother now lives in the south of England and I live in Wiltshire a lot but my wife was born in Suffolk so we’ve sworn that one day we’ll move back.”
He even has an area in mind.
“It would be between Bury and Newmarket because both my wife and I, we love racing so we want to be as near to Newmarket racecourse as we can. I’m sure one day I’ll be there again. Busy lives but never say never; one day we’ll make it happen,” says Havers, enjoying a short break from filming.
He remains teasingly tight-lipped when I ask if he can tell more about what he’s shooting.
“Not yet, you’ll hear about it later.”
Havers is returning, albeit briefly, to Suffolk on August 25. The actor and director will sit down for a conversation with writer, columnist, critic and Radio 4 presenter Libby Purves.
He’s one of the theatre’s patrons.
“It’s one of the most perfect Georgian theatres if not the only perfect one still left in England. I have performed there but not recently because the shows I’ve been in are too big, it’s a very intimate theatre. The next time I do a small intimate play I’ll take it there.”
Known for roles in Chariots of Fire, Empire of the Sun, Don’t Wait Up, The Charmer and countless theatre productions; the night will be a fascinating retrospective of his career to date.
“I suppose it is. I just rock up, have a pint of beer and launch into it. I won’t do any preparation at all, I’ll just wing it. Inspiration will hopefully just come to me. I won’t be nervous that night,” he says.
Nigel Havers in Conversation with Libby Purves comes to the Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds, 7.30pm, August 25.
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