Playing Under the Piano

August 29, 2022
Acting memoirs don’t come much better than this humorous and self-effacing account by Bonneville, best known for his roles as the Earl of Grantham on Downton Abbey and Henry Brown in the Paddington movies. Bonneville makes the vicissitudes of his profession accessible while never taking himself too seriously, or his successes for granted. Born Hugh Williams in London in 1963, Bonneville had a pleasant childhood, forming close bonds with his parents; his father was a urologist, and his mother a government worker whose true employer, MI6, he only learned after her passing in 2015. He was attracted to acting at an early age, starting modestly: when he was about nine, he impersonated Davy Crockett to impress a girl he had a crush on. He became a member of the National Youth Theatre in 1980, joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1991, and went on to perform with masters of his craft, including Judi Dench and Kenneth Branagh (who ended up giving him his first movie role, a small part in the 1994 film Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein). There are behind-the-scenes looks at Downton, as well as an entertaining account of Bonneville’s experiences with Courting Alex, an unsuccessful American sitcom. He also provides genuine insights into the actor’s craft as well as moving sections detailing his aging father’s diminishing mental capacities. This one’s a winner.

March 1, 2023

Actor Bonneville, best known for his roles in Downton Abbey and Paddington, takes listeners on a retrospective of his life and career in what he describes as "a series of snapshots I've taken along the way." Born in London in 1963, Bonneville was one of three children of a urologist and a nurse (after his mother's death, Bonneville learned that she had worked for the Secret Intelligence Service MI6). He was attracted to the stage at a young age, taking part in school acting clubs and productions. He joined the National Youth Theatre at 17, and later he would begin his acting career with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Bonneville displays a humble approach to his career; the stories of his successes and blunders and his anecdotes about fellow actors--Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Laurence Olivier, and others--are engrossing and often laugh-out-loud funny. His narration is superb with just the right touches of humor and occasional sentiment. VERDICT Bonneville is a great storyteller, and this recollection of the ups and downs of his career is a winner.--Phillip Oliver

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