New role ‘a daunting challenge’

Press, 28 June 1989, Page 14

New role ‘a daunting challenge’

The Australian actor Leo McKern, star of television’s “Rumpole of the Bailey” will face his most challenging case yet when he opens in a new drama at London’s Playhouse Theatre following a successful tryout in Melbourne. He will play the eight-

eenth-century lawyer James Boswell, who wrote the most famous biography in the English language, the life of the legendary writer and wit Dr Samuel Johnson.

Speaking of his new role, McKern, aged 69, said the production, to

religious skits and Herbs’ “Power of Music.” Two New Zealand heroines, Katherine Mansfield and Jean Batten, feature in the Documentary Programme category and in Live Coverage the three diverse finalists are “Telethon 88,” “Seoul Olympics 88” and “Albatross Watch.” Five films have made it through to the final in the film section.

premiere on September 6, marked the most daunting challenge of his 48-year acting career. “It’s my first one-man show so I will have a lot of lines to learn,” he said.

“With the creeping insecurities of old age, it’s not a good time to start

playing one-man shows. But although it’s a terrible responsibility and a daunting challenge, it is also marvellously rewarding.” The play, “Boswell For the Defence,” is the first stage drama by the English TV writer Patrick Edgeworth.