Richard McCabe

Richard McCabe (born William McCabe; 18 August 1960) is a Scottish actor who has specialised in classical theatre. He is an Associate Artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC).

Career McCabe is an Associate Artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), best known for his roles, ranging from comedy (Puck, Autolycus, Thersites, Apemantus) to drama (King John, Iago, Flamineo). He first gained major attention as Puck in the 1989 production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, with a production that featured punk fairies and a scrapyard set. As Autolycus, McCabe entered Act III in The Winter's Tale, hanging from a bunch of huge balloons (1992–93; RST, Barbican, UK and international tour). His first leading part was creating the role of Christopher Marlowe in Peter Whelan's School of Night, a new play commissioned by the RSC to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Marlowe's death in 1993 (1993–94). Other major roles with the RSC have been the title role in King John (2006; Josie O’Rourke, Swan); Iago opposite Ray Fearon in Othello (1999–2000; Michael Attenborough, RST & Barbican); Flamineo in John Webster’s White Devil (1996–97; Gale Edwards, Swan & The Pit).

McCabe has also been associated with Chichester's Festival Theatre, playing a range of contrasting roles including the title role in Scapino or The Trickster by Molière (Festival Theatre 2005), directed by Silviu Purcarete. In 2010, McCabe played the critic Moon in The Real Inspector Hound by Tom Stoppard, and Mr. Puff in The Critic by Richard Brinsley Sheridan in a double bill at the Minerva theatre, as well as Jonson in Bingo by Edward Bond that subsequently transferred to the Young Vic.

In 2011 McCabe played Jim Hacker in a nationwide tour of Yes, Prime Minister which then transferred to both the Apollo and Gielgud theatres. He played Tropachov in Fortune's Fool by Turgenev at the Old Vic theatre.

In September and October 2012, he played an older Romeo opposite Kathryn Hunter's Juliet in Ben Power's adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, called A Tender Thing (2009), directed by Helena Kaut-Hausen. He also played Hamlet over a period of three years (1999–2001) for Birmingham Rep's production directed by Bill Alexander. This included appearing at the Hamlet Festival at Elsinore Castle in Denmark in 2001.

At the 2013 Olivier Awards, McCabe won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his role as PM Harold Wilson in the original production of Peter Morgan's The Audience at the Gielgud Theatre. He also won awards for Outstanding Featured Actor (Outer Critics Circle Awards) and Distinguished Performance (Drama League Award). In 2017, McCabe acted in the role of Major General David Harding in the Bollywood film, Rangoon.

McCabe also played Cicero in the Imperium cycle of plays at the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2017/8.

The 2022 English National Opera production of The Yeomen of the Guard at the Coliseum Theatre, London, featured McCabe as Jack Point.

Other Described by Michael Billington of The Guardian as "One of our finest actors" and Charles Spencer of The Daily Telegraph as "One of the best actors of his generation", McCabe has received Olivier and Tony Awards. He has also appeared in Poldark, Peaky Blinders, all four series of Wallander, Indian Summers, and The Best of Men. On film McCabe has appeared in Eye in the Sky, Mindhorn, The Constant Gardener, Master and Commander, Notting Hill, and Persuasion. Other films include Cinderella, The Invisible Woman, The Duchess, Vanity Fair, and Nightwatching.

Filmography

Films + Year Title Role Notes Ref. 1995 Persuasion Captain Benwick 1999 Notting Hill Tony 2003 Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World Mr. Higgins, Surgeon's Mate 2004 The Tulse Luper Suitcases, Part 2: Vaux to the Sea Horace 2004 Vanity Fair The King 2005 The Constant Gardener Arthur Hammond 2007 Nightwatching Bloemfeldt 2008 The Duchess Sir James Hare 2012 Epithet Alan Short 2013 National Theatre Live: The Audience Harold Wilson Recorded theatre performance 2013 The Invisible Woman Mr. Mark Lemon 2015 Cinderella Baron 2015 Eye in the Sky George Matherson 2016 Mindhorn Jeffrey Moncrieff 2017 Rangoon Major General Harding 2017 Goodbye Christopher Robin Rupert 2018 The Little Stranger Dr. Steely 2019 From Preacher to Prophet A Sam Kinison Story Limo driver Short 2019 1917 Colonel Collins 2020 The Duke Rab Butler 2021 SAS: Red Notice Callum 2021 Cyrano Priest 2026 Savage House Mr. Bennett

Television

Awards and honours Year Ceremony Award Nominated work ResultRef. 1994 Laurence Olivier Awards Best Supporting Actor The Winter's Tale 2013 The Audience 2015 Tony Awards Best Featured Actor in a Play Outer Critics Circle Awards Outstanding Featured Actor Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Award