Haydn Gwynne
On Set With.....Haydn Gwynne
Haydn Gwynne, 51, best known as Alex in Drop The Dead Donkey, is starring alongside Kevin Spacey in Sam Mendes’s new production of Shakespeare’s Richard III at London’s Old Vic theatre. Here, she gives us a sneak peek behind the velvet curtain...


14 Monday
Jump on the Tube to get down to Waterloo for our last run-through of Richard III, six weeks to the day since we all first met for the read-through. I’m playing Queen Elizabeth and there’s always something scary about a last run-through - especially in front of people like the director Sam Mendes and my fellow cast member Kevin Spacey. Kevin’s playing Richard and I’ve known him since we worked together at the Old Vic three years ago. Sam runs a very relaxed ship though, so it ends up feeling safe and fun.


15 Tuesday
Straight after rehearsals we all rush off to the gala night of Shrek The Musical, because Sam is one of its producers. I book a taxi to take me and my two young sons across the river to Drury Lane, but - disastrously - a huge fire on the Strand means Waterloo Bridge is closed to traffic. I pop off my heels and run barefoot across town. Everyone is at the gala, from Judi Dench to Graham Norton, but my youngest son is most excited to see Harry Hill and we buy a programme for him to sign. Shrek is the perfect antidote to the murder and intrigue in Richard III.


16 Wednesday
I share a dressing room with Gemma Jones, who plays Queen Margaret. Ours is the nicest and used to be John Gielgud’s. It’s just a hop, skip and jump from the stage. This is great relief as I once missed an entrance at the ESC in Stratford. There’s nothing worse than realising it’s your cue when you’re seven floors up.


17 Thursday
For the first time, we all get into our wigs and glorious costumes. We’re like excited school children who’ve raided a dressing-up box. I knew my long, dark wig (right) would be fantastic because it’s made by Campbell Young, the king of wig makers. But Richard III’s hump is giving Kevin trouble. He wanted something a bit different, but got what looks like an odd protrusion on his shoulder. By the time he gets to his first big scene, sexily wooing Lady Anne, everyone gets the giggles. So Kevin ends up with something more conventional and his appendage gets the chop.


18 Friday
First preview with a paying audience is a bit like losing your virginity - it will always be special, but you hope it gets better. It’s sometimes scarier than Press night, but it goes well and everyone’s very relieved. All the producers are there and they open the bar for us. Suddenly I realise it’s after midnight and I run like a maniac for the last Tube, but I get there just as the doors are closing. I get home still buzzing but go to bed because it’s up early for the boys and I must be fresh for tomorrow’s matinee.
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