Lenny Henry and David Suchet will be the first two subjects of a new monthly interview series to be staged at the Lyric theatre.
The comedian turned Shakespearean star and regular Olivier Award nominee best known for playing Poirot will be interviewed in January and February as part of the new ENCOUNTERS: Performers On Performance series.
Hosted by arts interviewer Fiona Lindsay, the Monday night shows promise to “investigate the enduring allure of those that [perform] and reveal the transformative nature of performing”.
Henry, who will be interviewed on 20 January, rose to fame after winning talent show New Faces in 1975. He built his reputation on children’s show Tiswas before getting his own comedy series. In recent years he has focussed on serious stage work, making his Shakespearean debut in Northern Broadsides’ 2009 Othello before appearing in the National Theatre’s The Comedy Of Errors and Fences at the Duchess theatre.
Suchet, who features on 24 February, may be best known for playing Agatha Christie’s Belgian detective, but he is also a stalwart of the London stage. His Olivier nominated performances include roles in All My Sons, Separation and Amadeus.
Future subjects are yet to be announced.
When not hosting interviews with leading stars of stage and screen, the Lyric continues to be the home of Michael Jackson musical extravaganza Thriller Live. The concert spectacular, which features pop hits including I Want You Back, ABC, Beat It and Billie Jean, opened in 2009 and, as popular as ever, is booking well into 2014.