In conversation with Dame Sian Phillips

[@funkyswede62]

I remember seeing Sian in "I Claudius" when I was 14, on TV. She stood out and she's just mesmerizing, articulate and intelligent!

[@frogmouth]

Snap. I was in my teens too when I Claudius hit our black and white telly screens! I was bowled over by Sian Phillips and Margaret Tyzack, Derek Jacobi, John Hurt usw.

[@MikeCruz]

I couldn't agree with you more. I mean, I loved Margaret Tyzack, Derek Jacobi, Brian Blessed, and the others but every scene that Sian was in absolutely draws your attention and commands silence. I'm glad that she mentioned Beryl Reid. She was funny, dramatic, a real actor's actor. One of Reid's best, but little known roles was in The Killing of Sister George. Not to be missed.

[@bodaciousbiker]

So true! To this day, whenever I read about Augustus or Livia, I can't help but imagine them as portrayed by Brian Blessed and Dame Sian Phillips!

[@rogerlephoque3704]

She still is...

[@jslasher1]

I simply love and admire this actress. She was wonderful as the madcap Ursula Mossbank in "Goodbye, Mr Chips".

[@tommoncrieff1154]

35 minutes that flies by in the presence of an extremely starry, mesmerising, articulate, observant and learned woman, breathtaking.

[@showtunestarpower]

Watching this video is one of the best master classes in acting I've ever enjoyed. Sian Phillips is as brilliant an intellect as she is an actor. I was very intrigued by the sequence in which she talks about analyzing long speeches and isolating the most important words for emphasis and letting less important words just move along in the speech. I hope she comes to Broadway again soon - in a BIG part.

[@brendanriley2908]

My favourite actress. I'm reading her Welsh language biography at the moment by Hywel Gwynfryn. I've loved her since seeing her in I Claudius of as a kid

[@grahamroos09]

Wonderful! She is an amazing individual

[@johnking1868]

I saw her 3 years ago reading history with Roy Strong in a church near Hereford as part of the 3 choirs festival.We sat at the back of the church & could hardly hear Roy Strong but Sian Phillips' voice rang out loud & clear.Also at about the same time she was an excellent Lady Bracknell in the west end.Wonderfully talented lady!

[@mutantking88]

What a joy to hear from such a seasoned pro. Such romanticism about a bygone age. Can regional repertory companies make a solid comeback after the COVID-19 crisis please?

[@vivienmerchant]

Gold dust here. Actors: Listen and learn (William Poel - and not just in Shakespeare). It is so wonderful to have an interview - from such a consummate actress - which one can take constructive, detailed and specific advice. I'm not even an actor, but I can take some things from this and apply them to my classes in a complementary genre. Sian Phillps is the single actor who has bravery, clarity and intellectual heft with the generosity to share.

[@glencmac]

Funny that her mother is Wales had the same view of education as my mother in West Virginia. And I still have today.

[@darreylhenderson702]

Loved her in 'Clash of the Titans'

[@sclogse1]

Since I'm watching many odd snippets of David Lynch, naturally I'd like to know what her Dune experience was.

[@jedlinnen6528]

Fear, terror and misery so that's what my Welsh mother would have had instilled. She used to use phrases like ' fear of the Preacher'. She loathed valley gal Molly Parkin and I absolutely loved her

[@arthurvandeman]

exc. more please

[@hermajesty52]

Class act

[@PaulHFleming]

People have lost patience and attention span sitting two/four hours watching a play.