Stephen Tompkinson Remembers... The Deep Blue Sea

Overview

Stephen Tompkinson looks back on his role in the BBC's 1994 adaptation of the acclaimed Terence Rattigan play The Deep Blue Sea, directed by pioneer of British film Karel Reisz - best known for Friday Night, Saturday Morning - and also starring Colin Firth, Ian Holm and Penelope Wilton. At the time, Stephen was making a name for himself in the popular comedy Drop the Dead Donkey, but here he explains why he seized the opportunity to join the cast, recalls the challenges involved and describes in particular what it was like to witness in person Penelope Wilton's central performance as Hester, described by critics as one of the decade's greatest acting masterclasses.