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William Hutt

William Hutt

Soldier Actor

By Keith Garebian

William Hutt showed that it was possible to be a great classical actor without sacrificing his Canadian accent or cultural identity. His imperishable portraits of Tartuffe, King Lear, Lear's Fool, Feste, Khlestakov, Duke Vincentio, Titus Andronicus, Timon, Argan, Lady Bracknell, James Tyrone, Sr., and Prospero ensured that he will be remembered as long as there is cultural memory. Offstage, he could be charming and witty or moody and oppressively grand. He remained the Duke of "Dark Corners" to many who wished to know him more intimately. In this detailed, probing, and thought-provoking biography, Keith Garebian weaves together Hutt's private and public lives, his most intense conflicts, deepest yearnings and anxieties in order to show how Hutt brought his life to his work and work to his life in a manner that left him vulnerable to wounds of the heart yet open to radical re-invention as an actor.

Details

Guernica Editions (Essential Prose Series)

9781771832991

542 pages |

$32.95 USD
$32.95 USD
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Reviews

"The greatest actor in our country, and one of the truly great actors of our time." - Timothy Findley "A radiant national genius." - Robin Phillips "Probably Canada?s all-time most versatile classical actor." - Christopher Plummer "You cannot contemplate the establishment and the flourishing of Canadian theatre without the name of William Hutt." - Martha Henry "He was our Northern Star."- Antoni Cimolino

Probably Canada’s all-time most versatile classical actor.

Robin Phillips

Probably Canada’s all-time most versatile classical actor.

Christopher Plummer

Few would dispute that Christopher Plummer is Canada’s most famous classical actor. But when it comes to our most versatile classical actor, few, including Plummer himself, would argue that the honour goes to William Hutt. Of course, younger critics simply have to take the word of us older ones, who were fortunate to see Hutt onstage. He died in 2007, leaving behind a legacy of unparalleled performances, predominantly at the Stratford Festival. Unfortunately, unlike Plummer, Hutt seldom had the opportunity to commit his work to film–although when he did, as in the 1996 version of A Long Day’s Journey into Night, it proved what a magnificent actor he was. Now, with the recent publication of Keith Garebian’s William Hutt: Soldier Actor, he has the major biography that he deserves. Keith, who published two previous books on Hutt when the actor was still alive, has been labouring on this one for years and the result is a rich, highly readable tome, lavishly illustrated with photos (as all books about the theatre should be), that covers the full scope of the man and his achievements.

Martin Morrow, President of the Canadian Theatre Critics Association

You cannot contemplate the establishment and the flourishing of Canadian theatre without the name of William Hutt.

Martha Henry

This is a compelling, genuinely delightful biography that not only focuses on the trajectory of Hutt’s long and active career and personal life, but also situates this personal history in the development of Canadian theatre.

Canadian Literary A Quarterly Criticism and Review

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About the author

Keith Garebian is a widely published, award-winning freelance literary, theatre, and dance critic, biographer, and poet. Among his many awards are the Scarborough Arts Council Poetry Award (2010), the Canadian Authors Association (Niagara Branch) Poetry Award (2009), the Mississauga Arts Award (2000, 2008 and 2013), a Dan Sullivan Memorial Poetry Award (2006), the Lakeshore Arts/Scarborough Arts Council Award for Poetry (2003), and an Ontario Poetry Society Award for Haiku (2003). He is the author of 7 collections of poetry.