Samuel Alexander Joseph West (born 19 June 1966) is an English actor, narrator and theatre director. He has directed on stage and radio, and worked as an actor across theatre, film, television and radio. He often appears as reciter with orchestras and performed at the Last Night of the Proms in 2002. He has narrated several documentary series, including five for the BBC about the Second World War. He plays Siegfried Farnon in the Channel 5 remake of the veterinary drama series '' All Creatures Great and Small''.

Early life and education

West was born on 19 June 1966 in

Hammersmith Hammersmith is a district of West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It is the administrative centre of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, and identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. ...

, London, the elder son of the actress Prunella Scales and the actor Timothy West, and the grandson of the actor Lockwood West. He has one brother, Joe. He was educated at Alleyn's School and

Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford Lady Margaret Hall (LMH) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located on the banks of the River Cherwell at Norham Gardens in north Oxford and adjacent to the University Parks. The college is more formall ...

, where he studied English literature and was president of the Experimental Theatre Club. West originally intended to attend Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, but decided to focus on his career after he was cast as King Caspian in the BBC's 1989 series '' The Voyage of the Dawn Treader''.

Career

Stage

West made his London stage debut in February 1989 at the Orange Tree Theatre, playing Michael in Cocteau's '' Les Parents Terribles'', of which critic John Thaxter wrote: "He invests the role with a warmth and validity that silences sniggers that could so easily greet a lesser performance of this difficult role, and he lets us share the tumbling emotions of a juvenile torn between romantic first love and filial duty." Since then, West has appeared frequently on stage; he played Valentine in the first ever production of Tom Stoppard's '' Arcadia'' at the National Theatre in 1993 and later spent two seasons with the

Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and produces around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, St ...

playing the title roles in ''

Richard II Richard II (6 January 1367 – ), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, and Joan, Countess of Kent. Richard's father died ...

'' and '' Hamlet'', both directed by

Steven Pimlott Steven Charles Pimlott (18 April 1953 – 14 February 2007) was an English opera and theatre director, whose obituary in ''The Times'' hailed him as "one of the most versatile and inventive theatre directors of his generation". His output ran the ...

. In 2002, West made his stage directorial debut with '' The Lady's Not for Burning'' at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester. He succeeded Michael Grandage as artistic director of Sheffield Theatres from 2005–2007. During his time, as artistic director West revived the controversial '' The Romans in Britain'' and also directed ''

As You Like It ''As You Like It'' is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio in 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has b ...

'' as part of the RSC's Complete Works Festival. West left Sheffield when the theatre closed for refurbishment in 2007 and made his

West End West End most commonly refers to: * West End of London, an area of central London, England * West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England West End may also refer to: Pl ...

directorial debut with the first major revival of '' Dealer's Choice'' following its transferral to the Trafalgar Studios. He also continued his acting career: in 2007 he appeared alongside Toby Stephens and Dervla Kirwan in '' Betrayal'' at the Donmar Warehouse, In 2008, he played Harry in the Donmar revival of

T. S. Eliot Thomas Stearns Eliot (26 September 18884 January 1965) was a poet, essayist, publisher, playwright, literary critic and editor.Bush, Ronald. "T. S. Eliot's Life and Career", in John A Garraty and Mark C. Carnes (eds), ''American National Biogr ...

's '' Family Reunion'' and in 2009 he starred as Jeffrey Skilling in '' Enron'' by Lucy Prebble. His 2008 production of '' Waste'' at the Almeida Theatre was chosen by '' The Times'' as one of its "Productions of the Decade". From November 2012 to January 2013 he appeared as Astrov in a production of '' Uncle Vanya'' at the Vaudeville Theatre. He played Ivanov and Trigorin in the Chichester Festival Theatre's Young Chekhov Season from September 2015, alongside Nina Sosanya, Anna Chancellor, and James McArdle.

Film

West appeared in the film '' Reunion'' (1989) with Jason Robards and Christien Anholt as an aristocratic boy who befriends the son of a Jewish doctor in 1930’s Germany. West played the lower-middle-class clerk Leonard Bast in the Merchant Ivory

film adaptation A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dial ...

of E. M. Forster's novel '' Howards End'' (1992), featuring with

Emma Thompson Dame Emma Thompson (born 15 April 1959) is a British actress. Regarded as one of the best actresses of her generation, she has received numerous accolades throughout her four-decade-long career, including two Academy Awards, two British A ...

, Helena Bonham Carter and Anthony Hopkins. For this role, he was nominated for best supporting actor at the 1993 BAFTA Film Awards. West appeared with Thompson again in the film ''

Carrington Carrington and Carington are surnames originating from one of the Carringtons in England, or from the town of Carentan in Normandy, France. It is also rarely a given name. Surname Scientists * Alan Carrington (1934–2013), British chemist *Benj ...

'' (1995). His film career has continued with roles in films such as Franco Zeffirelli's '' Jane Eyre'', '' Notting Hill'', '' Iris'', '' Van Helsing'' and '' Darkest Hour''. In 2004, he appeared in the year's highest rated mini-series on German television, ''Die Nibelungen'', which was released in the United States in 2006 as '' Dark Kingdom: The Dragon King''. In 2012, he played

King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of Ind ...

in '' Hyde Park on Hudson''.

Television

West has appeared in many long-running series: ''

Midsomer Murders ''Midsomer Murders'' is a British crime drama television series, adapted by Anthony Horowitz and Douglas Watkinson from the novels in the '' Chief Inspector Barnaby'' book series (created by Caroline Graham), and broadcast on two channels of I ...

'', '' Waking the Dead'' and '' Poirot'' as well as one-off dramas. He played

Anthony Blunt Anthony Frederick Blunt (26 September 1907 – 26 March 1983), styled Sir Anthony Blunt KCVO from 1956 to November 1979, was a leading British art historian and Soviet spy. Blunt was professor of art history at the University of London, dire ...

in '' Cambridge Spies'', a BBC production about the four British spies, starring alongside Toby Stephens (

Philby Philby can refer to the following people * St John Philby a British intelligence officer and explorer * His son Kim Philby, a KGB mole double agent inside the United Kingdom's MI6 * Philby (The Kingdom Keepers), Philby (''The Kingdom Keepers'') ...

), Tom Hollander ( Burgess) and Rupert Penry-Jones ( Maclean). He reprised his role as Blunt in "Olding", the premiere episode of the third season of '' The Crown'' released in 2019. In 2006, he took the lead role in a BBC production of '' Random Quest'' adapted from the short story by John Wyndham and the next year played Edward Heath in '' Margaret Thatcher – The Long Walk to Finchley'', also for the BBC. In 2010 he played Peter Scabius in the televised adaptation of

William Boyd William, Willie, Will or Bill Boyd may refer to: Academics * William Alexander Jenyns Boyd (1842–1928), Australian journalist and schoolmaster * William Boyd (educator) (1874–1962), Scottish educator * William Boyd (pathologist) (1885–1979), ...

's novel '' Any Human Heart'', while in 2011 he starred as Zak Gist in the ITV series '' Eternal Law''. In addition, he appeared in the BBC sitcom '' As Time Goes By'', as Terry in the episode "We'll Always Have Paris" (1994). He played Frank Edwards in the ITV drama '' Mr Selfridge'' and Sir Walter Pole in the 2015 BBC adaptation of ''

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell ''Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell'' is the debut novel by British writer Susanna Clarke. Published in 2004, it is an alternative history set in 19th-century England around the time of the Napoleonic Wars. Its premise is that magic once existe ...

''. He stars in the Channel Five series (broadcast in September 2020) '' All Creatures Great and Small'' as Siegfried Farnon. A second six-episode series and Christmas special was broadcast in 2021, followed by a third season airing in late 2022.

Radio

West is regularly heard on radio as a reader or reciter and has performed in many radio dramas, including ''Otherkin'' by Laura Wade, '' Present Laughter'' by

Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time'' magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and ...

, Len Deighton's '' Bomber'', '' Life and Fate'' by Vasily Grossman, Michael Frayn's '' Here'' and '' The Homecoming'' as Lenny to

Harold Pinter Harold Pinter (; 10 October 1930 – 24 December 2008) was a British playwright, screenwriter, director and actor. A Nobel Prize winner, Pinter was one of the most influential modern British dramatists with a writing career that spanne ...

's Max. In 2011, he made his radio directing debut with a production of '' Money'' by

Edward Bulwer-Lytton Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton, PC (25 May 180318 January 1873) was an English writer and politician. He served as a Whig member of Parliament from 1831 to 1841 and a Conservative from 1851 to 1866. He was Secret ...

BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 3 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It replaced the BBC Third Programme in 1967 and broadcasts classical music and opera, with jazz, world music, Radio drama, drama, High culture, culture and the arts ...

Personal life

West has appeared alongside his actor parents on several occasions: with his mother Prunella Scales in '' Howards End'' and '' Stiff Upper Lips'', and with his father Timothy West on stage in ''

A Number ''A Number'' is a 2002 English play by Caryl Churchill. The story, set in the near future, is structured around the conflict between a father (Salter) and his sons (Bernard 1, Bernard 2, and Michael Black) – two of whom are clones of the first ...

'', ''

Henry IV, Part 1 ''Henry IV, Part 1'' (often written as ''1 Henry IV'') is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written no later than 1597. The play dramatises part of the reign of King Henry IV of England, beginning with the battle at ...

'' and ''

Part 2 Part Two, Part 2 or Part II may refer to: Films and television * "Part 2" (Twin Peaks), also known as "The Return, Part 2", the second episode of the third season of the TV series ''Twin Peaks'' Music * ''Part Two'' (Throbbing Gristle album), 200 ...

''. In two films ('' Iris'' in 2001 and the 1996 television film '' Over Here''), Sam and his father have played the same character at different ages. Sam West -London, England-15Jan2010

In '' Edward the Seventh'' (1975), he and his brother Joseph played young sons of the title character, who was played by their father. In 2002, all three family members performed in

Stravinsky Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (6 April 1971) was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor, later of French (from 1934) and American (from 1945) citizenship. He is widely considered one of the most important and influential 20th-century clas ...

's '' The Soldiers Tale'' at the

St Magnus Festival The St Magnus International Festival is an annual, week-long arts festival which takes place at midsummer on the islands of Orkney, off the north coast of mainland Scotland. History and management The festival was founded in 1977 by a group inc ...

Orkney Orkney (; sco, Orkney; on, Orkneyjar; nrn, Orknøjar), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of the island of Great Britain. Orkney is 10 miles (16 km) north ...

and in 2006 they gave a rehearsed reading of the

play '' Family Voices'' as part of the Sheffield Theatres Pinter season. West became the patron of

Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus (also known as Sheffield Phil) is a large choir based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The chorus consists of about 190 members from Sheffield and the surrounding area and performs between five and ten concer ...

in February 2008, having been the narrator for a concert of theirs in February 2002. He is also a patron of London children's charity Scene & Heard, Eastside Educational Trust and Mousetrap Theatre Projects. While at university, West was a member of the Socialist Workers Party and later briefly the Socialist Alliance. West has been politically active for many years; he was a critic of the New Labour government of Tony Blair and their involvement in the Iraq War. On 26 March 2011, he spoke at the TUC March for the Alternative. West has written essays on ''

'' for the Cambridge University Press series ''Players of Shakespeare'', on '' Hamlet'' for Michael Dobson's CUP study ''Performing Shakespeare's Tragedies Today'' and on Shakespeare and Love and Voice and Radio for

. He has also published articles on

, on

Caryl Churchill Caryl Lesley Churchill (born 3 September 1938) is a British playwright known for dramatising the abuses of power, for her use of non- naturalistic techniques, and for her exploration of sexual politics and feminist themes.

and on the Shipping Forecast. He frequently writes and speaks in public about arts funding. West has collected stamps since childhood and owns more than 200 Two Shilling Blues. In 2013, he was one of the judges for the Forward Prizes for Poetry. In December 2014, he appeared on two programmes for '' Christmas University Challenge'', as part of a team of alumni from

. West is an Associate Artist of the

and a trustee and previous Chair of the

Campaign for the Arts Campaign for the Arts is a charitable organisation in the United Kingdom. It works to champion, defend and expand access to the arts and culture, for and with the public. As of 2022, Campaign for the Arts has over 250,000 registered support ...

. He was a member of the council of the British Actors' Union

Equity Equity may refer to: Finance, accounting and ownership * Equity (finance), ownership of assets that have liabilities attached to them ** Stock, equity based on original contributions of cash or other value to a business ** Home equity, the dif ...

from 1996–2000 and 2008–2014. He is a keen birdwatcher. In 2007, West moved in with playwright Laura Wade, but in 2011 the couple temporarily split up. In 2013, West was cast in a minor role in '' The Riot Club'', the film version of Wade's successful play, '' Posh'' and in 2014 the couple had a daughter. In August 2017, the couple had a second daughter. West is a supporter of

AFC Wimbledon AFC Wimbledon is an English professional Association football, football club, based in London Borough of Merton, Merton, London, that plays in the EFL League Two, after being relegated from the EFL League One following the 2021–22 EFL Leagu ...

Filmography

Film

Television

He narrated the Yorkshire Television documentary ''The SS in Britain'' for director Julian Hendy in 1999, and considering his role in the ITV drama series ''Mr Selfridge'', he was the voiceover for ''Secrets of Selfridges'' (PBS) in 2014.

Theatre

Acting

* '' The Browning Version'': Taplow (1985) – directed by Clive Perry, ( Birmingham Repertory Theatre) * '' Les Parents terribles'': Michael (February 1989) – directed by Derek Goldby, ( Orange Tree Theatre) * '' The Bread-Winner'' (1989) – directed by Kevin Billington, ( Theatre Royal, Windsor and touring) * '' A Life in the Theatre'' (October 1989 – February 1990) – directed by Bill Bryden, (

Theatre Royal Haymarket The Theatre Royal Haymarket (also known as Haymarket Theatre or the Little Theatre) is a West End theatre on Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in use. Samuel Foot ...

, transferred to Strand Theatre) * '' Hidden Laughter'': Nigel (June 1990) – directed by Simon Gray, ( Vaudeville Theatre) * ''

The Sea The Sea may refer to: *The sea, a body of salty water. Arts, entertainment, and me dia Films * ''La Mer'' (film) (''The Sea''), an 1895 French short, black-and-white, silent documentary film directed by Louis Lumière * ''The Sea'' (1933 film) ( ...

'': Willy Carson (1991) – directed by

Sam Mendes Sir Samuel Alexander Mendes (born 1 August 1965) is a British film and stage director, producer, and screenwriter. In 2000, Mendes was appointed a CBE for his services to drama, and he was Knight Bachelor, knighted in the 2020 New Year Honour ...

, (

Royal National Theatre The Royal National Theatre in London, commonly known as the National Theatre (NT), is one of the United Kingdom's three most prominent publicly funded performing arts venues, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal Opera House. I ...

) * ''

Cain Cain ''Káïn''; ar, قابيل/قايين, Qābīl/Qāyīn is a Biblical figure in the Book of Genesis within Abrahamic religions. He is the elder brother of Abel, and the firstborn son of Adam and Eve, the first couple within the Bible. He wa ...

'' (1992) – directed by Edward Hall ( Minerva Theatre) * '' Mr. Cinders'' A Musical Comedy: Jim Lancaster (December 1992 – February 1993) – directed by Martin Connor ( King's Head Theatre) * '' Arcadia'': Valentine (April–November 1993) – directed by Trevor Nunn, (

) * '' The Importance of Being Earnest'': Algernon – directed by James Maxwell, ( Royal Exchange Theatre) * '' Henry IV Part 1'' and

: Hal (1996–1997) – directed by

Stephen Unwin Stephen Unwin (born 29 December 1959) is an English theatre director. Stephen read English at Downing College, Cambridge, where he directed many student productions, including an award-winning production of Measure for Measure that transferred to th ...

( English Touring Theatre) * '' Journey's End'': Captain Stanhope (January–February 1998) – directed by David Evans-Rees ( King's Head Theatre) * ''

Antony and Cleopatra ''Antony and Cleopatra'' (First Folio title: ''The Tragedie of Anthonie, and Cleopatra'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The play was first performed, by the King's Men, at either the Blackfriars Theatre or the Globe Theatre in around ...

'': Octavius Caesar (1998) – directed by Sean Mathias, (

) * ''

'': Richard II (2000) – directed by

, ( RSC) * '' Hamlet'': Hamlet (2001) – directed by

, ( RSC) * '' The Master and Margarita'': The Master (2004) – directed by

, ( Chichester Festival Theatre) * '' Doctor Faustus'': Faustus (2004) – directed by

, Martin Duncan and Edward Kemp, ( Minerva Theatre) * '' Much Ado About Nothing'': Benedick (2005) – directed by Josie Rourke, ( Crucible Theatre) * '' The Exonerated'': Kerry Max Cook (2006) – directed by Bob Balaban, ( Riverside Studios) * ''

'': B1/B2/Michael Black (2006) – directed by Jonathan Munby, (

Studio Theatre (Sheffield) The Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse (formerly the Studio Theatre) is a studio theatre that forms part of the Sheffield Theatres complex in Sheffield, England. The theatre, which was opened in 1971, is situated in the same building as the Crucib ...

and Minerva Theatre) * '' Betrayal'': Robert (2007) – directed by

Roger Michell Roger Michell (5 June 1956 – 22 September 2021) was a South African-born British theatre, television and film director. He was best known for directing films such as ''Notting Hill (film), Notting Hill'' and ''Venus (2006 film), Venus'', as ...

, ( Donmar Warehouse) * ''

Drunk Enough to Say I Love You? ''Drunk Enough to Say I Love You?'' is a 2006 political play with eight scenes by Caryl Churchill. It addresses the application of power by the United States mostly since the Vietnam war. Critics' responses to the play are divided. Plot summary ...

'': Guy (2008) – directed by James McDonald, ( Public Theater, New York) * ''

The Family Reunion ''The Family Reunion'' is a play by T. S. Eliot. Written mostly in blank verse (though not iambic pentameter), it incorporates elements from Greek drama and mid-twentieth-century detective plays to portray the hero's journey from guilt to red ...

'': Harry (2008) – directed by Jeremy Herrin, ( Donmar Warehouse) * '' ENRON'': Jeffrey Skilling (2009) – directed by Rupert Goold, ( Minerva Theatre, Royal Court Theatre, Noël Coward Theatre) * ''

'' (revival): B1/B2/Michael Black (2010) – directed by Jonathan Munby, ( Menier Chocolate Factory) * ''Kreutzer vs. Kreutzer'': Man (2010) – directed by Sarah Giles, ( Australian Chamber Orchestra – on tour and at the

Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architec ...

) * ''

'' (revival): B1/B2/Michael Black (2011) – directed by Jonathan Munby, ( Fugard Theatre, Cape Town) * '' Uncle Vanya'': Astrov (2012) – directed by Lindsay Posner, ( Vaudeville Theatre) * ''Young Chekhov'': Ivanov in

Ivanov Ivanov, Ivanoff or Ivanow (masculine, bg, Иванов, russian: ИвановSometimes the stress is on Ива́нов in Bulgarian if it is a middle name, or in Russian as a rare variant of pronunciation), or Ivanova (feminine, bg, Иванов ...

and Trigorin in The Seagull (2015) – directed by Jonathan Kent, ( Chichester Festival Theatre) * ''

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...

'': Brutus (2017) – directed by Robert Hastie, ( Crucible Theatre) * ''The Writer'' by Ella Hickson, directed by Blanche McIntyre, at the Almeida Theatre, London (April 2018)

Directing

*'' The Lady's Not for Burning'' (2002), Minerva Theatre *'' Les Liaisons Dangereuses'' (2003), Bristol Old Vic *'' Cosi Fan Tutte'' (2003), English National Opera at Barbican Theatre *''Three Women and a Piano Tuner'' (2004), Minerva Theatre and Hampstead Theatre (2005) *''

Insignificance People may face feelings of insignificance due to a number of causes, including having low self-esteem, being depressed, living in a huge, impersonal city, comparing themselves to wealthy celebrity success stories,Celeb craze fuels fear of insig ...

'' (2005), Lyceum Theatre (Sheffield) *'' The Romans in Britain'' (2006), Crucible Theatre *''

The Clean House ''The Clean House'' is a play by Sarah Ruhl, which premiered in 2004 at Yale Repertory Theatre, was produced Off-Broadway at Lincoln Center Theater in 2006, and has since been produced in many theaters. The play is a whimsical romantic comedy c ...

'' (2006),

*''

'' (2007), Crucible Theatre and

Swan Theatre (Stratford) The Swan Theatre is a theatre belonging to the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. It is built on to the side of the larger Royal Shakespeare Theatre, occupying the Victorian Gothic structure that formerly housed the Sh ...

*'' Dealer's Choice'' (2007), Menier Chocolate Factory and Trafalgar Studios *'' Waste'' (2008), Almeida Theatre *'' Close the Coalhouse Door'' (2012),

Northern Stage Northern Stage is a regional non-profit LORT (League of Resident Theatres)-D professional theater company located in White River Junction, VT. Founded in 1997 by Brooke Ciardelli. Northern Stage launched New Works Now in 2014. Northern Stage ...

*'' After Electra'' (2015), Theatre Royal, Plymouth and Tricycle Theatre *'' The Watsons'' (2018 Minerva Theatre, Chichester)

Radio

Directing

*'' Money'' (2011), BBC Radio 3 *
Close the Coalhouse Door
' (2012), BBC Radio 4

Audiobooks, reciting and work with musicians

West has recorded over one hundred audiobooks, among which are the Shakespeare plays ''

All's Well That Ends Well ''All's Well That Ends Well'' is a play by William Shakespeare, published in the ''First Folio'' in 1623, where it is listed among the comedies. There is a debate regarding the dating of the composition of the play, with possible dates rangin ...

'', '' Coriolanus'', '' Henry V'', '' The Merchant of Venice'', ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict amon ...

,'' '' Much Ado About Nothing'', ''

'' and ''

Macbeth ''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...

'' (directed by

Steven Berkoff Steven Berkoff (born Leslie Steven Berks; 3 August 1937) is an English actor, author, playwright, theatre practitioner and theatre director. As a theatre maker he is recognised for staging work with a heightened performance style eponymously k ...

), the complete '' Inspector Morse'' novels by Colin Dexter, the ''

Wind on Fire ''Wind on Fire'' is a fantasy trilogy written by William Nicholson. Plot overview The books are set in a realm similar to ours, but separate. They tell the story of the Hath family and the Manth people, who go on a long, harsh journey from th ...

'' trilogy by William Nicholson (''

The Wind Singer ''The Wind Singer'' is a young adult novel written by William Nicholson. It is the first book of the trilogy: Wind On Fire. It follows the quest of twins Kestrel and Bowman Hath, and their acquaintance Mumpo to restore the "Voice of the Wind Si ...

'', ''

Slaves of the Mastery ''Slaves of the Mastery'' is the second book in the ''Wind On Fire'' trilogy by William Nicholson. It picks up the story of twins Kestrel and Bowman five years on from the closing chapter of ''The Wind Singer''. It was first published in 2001. ...

'' and ''

Firesong ''Firesong'' is a book written by William Nicholson first published in 2002, and is the third part of the ''Wind On Fire'' trilogy. Plot summary ''Firesong'' begins with the Manth people deliberating over what action to take, now that the Ma ...

''), the Arthur trilogy by Kevin Crossley-Holland (''

The Seeing Stone ''The Seeing Stone'', or ''Arthur: The Seeing Stone'', is a historical novel for children or young adults, written by Kevin Crossley-Holland and published by Orion in 2000, the first book of the Arthur trilogy (2000 to 2003). Set primarily i ...

'', ''At the Crossing Places'' and'' King of the Middle March''), five books by Sebastian Faulks ('' Charlotte Gray'', '' Birdsong'', ''

The Girl at the Lion d'Or ''The Girl at the Lion d'Or'' by Sebastian Faulks, was the author's second novel. Set in the small French fictional town of ''Janvilliers'', Brittany, in 1936. Together with ''Birdsong'' and '' Charlotte Gray'', it makes up Faulks' ''France Tr ...

'', '' Human Traces'' and ''A Possible Life''), four by Michael Ridpath (''Trading Reality'', ''Final Venture'', ''Free to Trade'', and ''The Marketmaker''), two by

George Orwell Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950), better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic. His work is characterised by lucid prose, social criticism, opposition to totalitar ...

('' Nineteen Eighty-Four'' and '' Homage to Catalonia''), two by

Mary Wesley Mary Wesley was the pen name of Mary Aline Siepmann CBE (24 June 191230 December 2002), an English novelist. During her career, she was one of Britain's most successful novelists, selling three million copies of her books, including ten bestsell ...

(''An Imaginative Experience'' and ''Part of the Furniture''), two by Robert Goddard (''Closed Circle'' and ''In Pale Battalions'') and several compilations of poetry ''(Realms of Gold: Letters and Poems of

John Keats John Keats (31 October 1795 – 23 February 1821) was an English poet of the second generation of Romantic poets, with Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley. His poems had been in publication for less than four years when he died of tuberculo ...

'', ''Bright Star'', ''The Collected Works of Shelley'', ''Seven Ages'', ''Great Narrative Poems of the Romantic Age'' and ''

A Shropshire Lad ''A Shropshire Lad'' is a collection of sixty-three poems by the English poet Alfred Edward Housman, published in 1896. Selling slowly at first, it then rapidly grew in popularity, particularly among young readers. Composers began setting the ...

)''. Also '' Faust'', '' Bomber'', ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...

: The Vengeance of Morbius'', '' Empire of the Sun'', '' Brighton Rock'', '' Fair Stood the Wind for France'', '' Fluke'', ''Great Speeches in History'', ''How Proust Can Change Your Life'', '' Lady Windermere's Fan'', '' Peter Pan'', '' The Alchemist'', '' The Day of the Triffids'', ''The Hairy Hands'', ''The Lives of Christopher Chant'', '' The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous'', ''

The Queen's Man Sharon Kay Penman (August 13, 1945 – January 22, 2021) was an American historical novelist, published in the UK as Sharon Penman. She was best known for the Welsh Princes trilogy and the Plantagenet series. In addition, she wrote four medieval ...

'', '' The Solitaire Mystery'', ''

The Swimming Pool Library ''The Swimming-Pool Library'' is a 1988 novel by Alan Hollinghurst. Plot introduction In 1983 London, Will, a privileged, gay, sexually irresistible 25-year-old, saves the life of an elderly aristocrat who has a heart-attack in a public lavato ...

'', ''The Two Destinies'', '' The Velveteen Rabbit'', ''The Way I Found Her'', ''The Way to Dusty Death'', '' The Woodlanders'', ''

Under the Net ''Under the Net'' is a 1954 novel by Iris Murdoch. It was Murdoch's first published novel. Set in London, it is the story of a struggling young writer, Jake Donaghue. Its mixture of the philosophical and the picaresque has made it one of Murdoc ...

'', '' Wuthering Heights'' and Philip Pullman's ''Grimm Tales for Young and Old''. In June 2012, West recorded an English narration of '' The Book about Moomin, Mymble and Little My'' by Tove Jansson for an interactive audiobook developed by Spinfy and published by Sort of Books. In May 2015, West's reading of '' Brighton Rock'' was chosen as one of "The 20 best audiobooks of all time" by Carole Mansur of the ''

Daily Telegraph Daily or The Daily may refer to: Journalism * Daily newspaper, newspaper issued on five to seven day of most weeks * ''The Daily'' (podcast), a podcast by ''The New York Times'' * ''The Daily'' (News Corporation), a defunct US-based iPad new ...

''. As a reciter West has worked with all the major British orchestras, as well as the Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra,

Dallas Symphony Orchestra The Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO) is an American orchestra based in Dallas, Texas. Its principal performing venue is the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in the Arts District of downtown Dallas. History The orchestra traces its origins to a ...

and the

National Symphony Orchestra The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1930, its principal performing venue is the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. It also performs for the annual National Mem ...

in Washington, D.C. Works include Stravinsky's ''Oedipus Rex'' and '' The Soldier's Tale'', Prokofiev's ''Eugene Onegin'', Beethoven's ''

Egmont Egmont may refer to: * Egmont Group, a media corporation founded and rooted in Copenhagen, Denmark * Egmond family (often spelled "Egmont"), an influential Dutch family, lords of the town of Egmond ** Lamoral, Count of Egmont (1522–1568), the bes ...

'', Schoenburg's ''Ode To Napoleon'', Strauss' '' Enoch Arden'', Saint-Saëns' '' Carnival of the Animals'', Bernstein's '' Kaddish'', Walton's '' Façade'' and ''Henry V'', '' Night Mail'' and '' The Way to the Sea'' by Britten and Auden, the world premieres of ''Concrete'' by Judith Weir at the Barbican and

Howard Goodall Howard Lindsay Goodall (; born 26 May 1958) is an English composer of musicals, choral music and music for television. He also presents music-based programmes for television and radio, for which he has won many awards. In May 2008, he was na ...

's ''Jason and the Argonauts'' at the

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...

and the UK premiere of Jonathan Harvey's final piece ''Weltethos'' at the Symphony Hall, Birmingham. In 2007 West made his New York recital debut in the first performance of ''Little Red Violin'' by Anne Dudley and Steven Isserlis. In November 2010, West performed a new English translation of Grieg's complete incidental music to Ibsen's play ''

Peer Gynt ''Peer Gynt'' (, ) is a five- act play in verse by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen published in 1876. Written in Norwegian, it is one of the most widely performed Norwegian plays. Ibsen believed ''Per Gynt'', the Norwegian fairy tale on wh ...

'' with the

Southampton Philharmonic Choir The Southampton Philharmonic Choir is a large choral society based in Southampton, England. It has around 170 members and also benefits from collaborating with the students of the Southampton University Philharmonic Choir. The choir regularly pe ...

at Southampton Guildhall. He has performed at the Proms six times, including the suite version of ''Henry V'' at the 2002 Last Night of the Proms. He has also appeared with the Nash Ensemble, the

Raphael Ensemble The Raphael Ensemble is a classical string sextet formed in 1982 that concentrates on expanding the representation of popular and neglected works of the quintet and sextet repertoire. Their debut recording of Brahms' String Sextets was selected f ...

, The Hebrides Ensemble,

Ensemble 360 Ensemble 360 is a British chamber music ensemble founded in 2005 by Music in the Round following the retirement of the Lindsay String Quartet. It comprises five string players, five wind players, and a pianist, and as often as possible presents con ...

and the Lindsay, Dante and Endellion Quartets at the Wigmore Hall, London. Recordings include Prokofief's ''Eugene Onegin'' with Sinfonia 21 and Edward Downes, '' Salad Days'' and Walton's ''Henry V'' with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Leonard Slatkin. As a choral singer, West has participated in three Choir of London tours to

Palestine __NOTOC__ Palestine may refer to: * State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia * Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia * Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...

: in May 2006, when he also gave poetry readings as part of the concert programme; in April 2007 when he directed '' The Magic Flute''. and in September 2013 (see below). In 2013, the centenary year of Benjamin Britten, West narrated the Britten/ Auden film score '' Night Mail'' with the Nash Ensemble at the Wigmore Hall and later added ''Coal Face, God’s Chillun, The Peace of Britain, The Way to the Sea'' and '' The King's Stamp'' with the

Aurora Orchestra Aurora Orchestra is a British chamber orchestra , co-founded in 2004 by conductors Nicholas Collon and Robin Ticciati. The orchestra is based in London, where it is Resident Orchestra at Southbank Centre and Resident Ensemble at Kings Place. The ...

at the Queen Elizabeth and Fairfield Halls. In June he played God in Britten's '' Noye’s Fludde'' in Harrogate. In July he appeared in a Proms Plus broadcast discussing Britten's setting of poetry. In September he toured Palestine with the Choir of London as staff director of a new opera based on Britten's '' Hymn to St Cecilia'' and sang in Britten's ''

St Nicolas Saint Nicholas of Myra, ; la, Sanctus Nicolaus (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of Greek descent from the maritime city of Myra in Asia Minor (; modern-day Demre ...

''. In October, he narrated the concert world premiere of ''Britten in America'' for the Hallé orchestra, which was released on CD together with West's recordings of speeches to Britten's incidental music for Auden and Isherwood's play '' The Ascent of F6'' (the disc, ''Britten to America'', was later nominated for a 2014 Grammy Award for Best Classical Compendium). He also toured a program of Britten cabaret songs and Auden poems across the UK with Ruthie Culver and the UtterJazz Quartet. In June 2013 he appeared in the video for ''Handyman Blues'' by

Billy Bragg Stephen William Bragg (born 20 December 1957) is an English singer-songwriter and left-wing activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, with lyrics that mostly span political or romantic themes. His music is ...

, directed by Johnny Vegas. On 14 July 2017, one month after the

Grenfell Tower fire On 14 June 2017, a high-rise fire broke out in the 24-storey Grenfell Tower block of flats in North Kensington, West London, at 00:54 BST and burned for 60 hours. 72 people died, two later in hospital, with more than 70 injured and 223 escapin ...

, BBC's ''

Newshour ''Newshour'' is BBC World Service's flagship international news and current affairs radio programme, which is broadcast twice daily: weekdays at 1400, weekends at 1300 and nightly at 2100 (UK time). Each edition lasts one hour. It consists of n ...

'' programme invited West to read out an excerpt from a letter written by an anonymous firefighter giving a personal account of the fire scene and his inner thoughts on duty that night. In 2020, West appeared on the album ''From The Ground Up'': an ensemble led by Hugo Ticciati improvised over

Henry Purcell Henry Purcell (, rare: September 1659 – 21 November 1695) was an English composer. Purcell's style of Baroque music was uniquely English, although it incorporated Italian and French elements. Generally considered among the greatest E ...

chaconne bass lines while West read Shakespeare and rapper Baba Israel improvised. The album won the 2020 Gramophone Award for Best Concept Album.

Awards and nominations

As actor *1993 – Nominated BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor for '' Howards End'' *1999 – Nominated Genie Award for Best Actor for '' Rupert's Land'' *2001 – Won

London Critics' Circle Theatre Award The Critics' Circle Theatre Awards, originally called ''Drama'' Theatre Awards up to 1990, are British theatrical awards presented annually for the closing year's theatrical achievements. The winners, from theatre throughout the United Kingdom, ar ...

for Best Shakespearean Performance for '' Hamlet'' *2001 – Won Whatsonstage Theatregoers' Choice Award Best Actor for '' Hamlet'' *2008 – Nominated Whatsonstage Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best Ensemble Performance for '' Betrayal'' *2009 – Nominated TMA Award for Best Performance in a Play for '' ENRON'' *2009 – Nominated Evening Standard Award Best Actor for '' ENRON'' *2010 – Nominated Whatsonstage Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best Actor for '' ENRON'' *2010 – Nominated Olivier Award Best Actor for '' ENRON'' As reader *1999 – Won Talkie award for '' Charlotte Gray'' by Sebastian Faulks *2000 – Won Audie award for ''Realms of Gold: Letters and Poems of John Keats'' *2001 – Won Spoken Word award (Silver) for ''

'' by Kevin Crossley-Holland *2001 – Won Spoken Word award (Gold) for '' Birdsong'' by Sebastian Faulks Samuel West has received nine AudioFile Earphones Awards for his narration: '' The Day of the Triffids'' by John Wyndham (1996), '' Peter Pan'' by

J.M.Barrie Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, (; 9 May 1860 19 June 1937) was a Scottish novelist and playwright, best remembered as the creator of Peter Pan. He was born and educated in Scotland and then moved to London, where he wrote several succ ...

(1997), '' Charlotte Gray'' by Sebastian Faulks (1999), ''The Way I Found Her'' by Rose Tremain (2000), ''

'' by Alan Hollinghurst (2007), '' Faust'' by Goethe (2011), ''

'' by A. E. Housman (2011), ''A Possible Life'' by Sebastian Faulks (2012) and Philip Pullman's ''Grimm Tales for Young and Old'' (2013) As director *2004 – Nominated Olivier Award for Best Opera Revival for '' Cosi Fan Tutte'' *2008 – Nominated Olivier Award for Best Revival for '' Dealer's Choice'' *2009 – Nominated Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best Director for '' Waste'' and '' Dealer's Choice''

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:West, Samuel 1966 births Living people 20th-century English male actors 21st-century English male actors Alumni of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford British philatelists Critics' Circle Theatre Award winners English male film actors English male radio actors English male stage actors English male television actors English male voice actors English republicans English socialists English theatre directors Fellows of King's College London Male actors from London People educated at Alleyn's School People from Hammersmith Royal Shakespeare Company members Socialist Workers Party (UK) members