David Warrilow

David Warrilow (28 December 1934 – 17 August 1995) was an English actor best known as one of the "finest interpreters of Samuel Beckett’s work".

Life and career A shoemaker's son born in Stone, Staffordshire, Warrilow studied at the University of Reading under James Knowlson, Beckett’s biographer. In 1967 in Paris, he joined Réalités, editing the magazine for eleven years. He co-founded the Mabou Mines theater group in 1970. Three years later, he starred in a theatrical adaptation of Beckett’s The Lost Ones, directed by Lee Breuer and Thom Cathcart. In 1984, he directed a cinematic adaptation of the novella. The play, directed by the actor, premiered in New York in December 1979.

In 1981 Warrilow played the "Reader" in Beckett's Ohio Impromptu under Alan Schneider’s direction. First performed in Columbus, Ohio, the play toured New York City, Paris, London and Edinburgh. In 1983 in Paris, he starred in Beckett’s That Time and Catastrophe, both plays directed by Alan Schneider. In 1989 in London, Warrilow was Krapp in Beckett’s Krapp's Last Tape, directed by Antoni Libera.

Filmography 1975: The Lost Ones (directed by Lee Breuer) 1980: Simon (directed by Marshall Brickman) - Blades 1981: Strong Medicine (directed by Richard Foreman) - Doctor 1984: Le Dépeupleur (directed by David Warrilow) (adaptation of novella by Samuel Beckett) 1987: Radio Days (directed by Woody Allen) - Roger 1988: Bright Lights, Big City (directed by James Bridges) - Rittenhouse 1988: Milan noir (directed by Ronald Chammah) - Moran 1989: (directed by Jacques Rouffio) - Piepe 1991: Buster's Bedroom (directed by Rebecca Horn) - Mr. Warlock 1991: Barton Fink (directed by Joel Coen) - Garland Stanford 1992: Mirror On The Moon (directed by Leandro Katz) - as Corrigan. 1994: Les Derniers Jours d'Emmanuel Kant (directed by Philippe Collin) - Immanuel Kant (final film role)

Theatre 1978: The Lost Ones by Samuel Beckett, directed by Lee Breuer and Thom Cathcart, Théâtre Gérard Philipe (Saint Denis) 1983: Solo, cette fois by Samuel Beckett, directed by K. D. Codish, Théâtre National de Strasbourg, Théâtre Gérard Philipe (Saint-Denis) 1983: ‘’The Beckett Plays’’ by Samuel Beckett, directed by Alan Schneider, Harold Clurman Theatre 1984: Akhnaten by Philip Glass, directed by Achim Freyer, Stuttgart State Theatre 1985: Marat/Sade by Peter Weiss, directed by Walter Le Moli, MC93 Bobigny 1986: Catastrophe and Impromptu d'Ohio by Samuel Beckett, directed by Pierre Chabert, Théâtre Renaud-Barrault 1987: L'Hypothèse by Robert Pinget, directed by Joël Jouanneau, Festival d'Avignon 1988: Minetti by Thomas Bernhard, directed by Joël Jouanneau, Théâtre des Treize Vents 1990: Les Enfants Tanner by Robert Walser, directed by Joël Jouanneau, Théâtre de la Bastille 1990: En attendant Godot by Samuel Beckett, directed by Joël Jouanneau, Théâtre Nanterre-Amandiers 1992: Le Marin perdu en mer by Joël Jouanneau, Théâtre de l'Athénée-Louis-Jouvet 1992: Au cœur des ténèbres by Joël Jouanneau, adaptation of Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, Théâtre de l'Athénée-Louis-Jouvet 1993: L'Inquisitoire by Robert Pinget 1994: La Dernière Bande by Samuel Beckett, directed by Joël Jouanneau, Théâtre de l'Athénée-Louis-Jouvet 1994: Compagnie by Samuel Beckett, directed by Joël Jouanneau, Petit Odéon

Distinctions 1975: Obie Award for "The Lost Ones" 1990: Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et Lettres 1994: Prix du Syndicat de la critique : Prix du meilleur comédien du Syndicat de la critique for Compagnie by Samuel Beckett

Notes and references