THE GAZEBO
Written by Alec Coppell
Directed by Robert Chetwyn
Ian McKellen in the role of Elliot Nash
Arts Theatre, Ipswich, Suffolk
24 September 1962 - 6 October 1962
Words from Ian McKellen
This bland comedy thriller required an American accent and, even more elusive, a performance of wise-cracking mastery a la Jack Lemmon. The artistic director Robert Chetwyn, who was planning unbeknownst to me greater parts in the season to come, trained me in double-takes and didn't show any dismay at my inexperience and inadequacy. Brenda Peters, as my wife, was an expert in the genre. She had also, very impressively, lived for a time in Hollywood. We became friends.