HE made his theatrical debut in the same production almost three decades ago. Back then he took the stage as Cardinal Wolsey, a Churchman who is also the Lord Chancellor of England in A Man For All Seasons. Since then, Patrick Teoh has always had his eyes on returning to the production, but this time in the role of Thomas Cromwell.
The play premiered in 1960 and was written by Robert Bolt. It is based on the life of Sir Thomas More, the 16th-century Chancellor of England who refused to endorse King Henry VIII’s wish to divorce his wife Catherine of Aragon in order to marry his mistress Anne Boleyn.
In The Actor’s Studio’s 30th anniversary production of A Man For All Seasons, Patrick Teoh finally got his wish and returned to the stage as Thomas Cromwell, the man responsible for the execution of Thomas More.
Teoh said: “Of course I feel very happy to be working in a play. I’m almost a full-time actor now, so this is what I do for a living.”
“As for the role, ever since I did this play for the first time in 1992, I’ve thought that Thomas Cromwell was the role to play that is most interesting.”
Teoh added: “[In the play] written by Bolt, Cromwell has many angles to his behaviour and character.”
He explains that this is because in the play Cromwell is the protagonist, or in simpler terms, the bad guy.
“So bad guys in most stories are the more colourful characters. The more layered characters [compared to] other people.”
“Cromwell is also very vocal. He is also unscrupulous, ruthless, and like Thomas More who stands by his guns, and says: ‘This is my principle, this is my faith, even if I die, I die protecting it’, Cromwell is almost the same.
“He believes that this is what he has to do to get what he wants and if anyone stands in his way, too bad for you.”
However, if he believes that the two characters who are on opposing sides are so similar, the question has to be asked: is Cromwell really a villain?
“That’s an interesting question. If you look at it a certain way, no, he is not a villain. He is just pursuing his own goals, just like Thomas More is.”
“As Cromwell sees it, he is living in England, and if he gets in the good graces of the king, despite breaking the church’s law, he is set for life.
“However, if he follows the path that More took, he will end up with his head chopped off.”
A Man For All Seasons also features Scottish actor Charles Donnelly as Sir Thomas More, Reza Zainal Abidin as Eustace Chapuys, and Na’a Murad as Henry VIII.
Completing the lineup are Qahar Aqilah, Colin Kirton, Mia Sara Shauki, Omar Ali, Axyr Hanz William, Tung Jit Yang, Hannan Barakbah, Murtada Ibrahim, Debra Teng, and Vale Wong.
This 2019 production of A Man For All Seasons is executive produced by Datuk Dr Faridah Merican, and directed by Joe Hasham.
The play will be staged at pentas 2, The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre tonight, and on Dec 11, 12, 13, 14 at 8pm, and Dec 15 at 3pm.
