Three children have become adults since a phone call with Jo Rowling, containing one small clue, persuaded me that there was more to Snape than an unchanging costume, and that even though only three of the books were out at that time, she held the entire massive but delicate narrative in the surest of hands.

With the best intentions, the job of acting can become a display of accumulated bad habits, trapped instincts and blocked energies. Working with the Alexander Technique has given me sightings of another way... Mind and body, work and life together. Real imaginative freedom.

The audience should feel like voyeurs. Their response is absolutely crucial.

Acting touches nerves you have absolutely no control over.

If you judge the character, you cant play it.

Any actor who judges his character is a fool - for every role you play you've got to absorb that character's motives and justifications.

A wounding tongue. I'm working on it. Perhaps its the Celt in me.