I am in Sofia, Bulgaria, at the moment, working as hard as I have ever worked.
I am doing a project for the BBC and Discovery Channel about the Nuremberg trials after the World War II. It is absolutely fascinating to do. I have rarely been given the chance to be a real historical person. I was in another wartime drama from Australia, called Heroes, but this is a much more famous character. I am not going to be anyone's idea of a look-a-like Speer. His name is pronounced Shpear by the way. I know our wonderful webmistress knows quite a lot about him and will probably have a lot to say when the piece finally comes out. I think we are looking at around early October, as that is when the start of the trials is having its' sixtieth birthday.
We have tried not to take a view on his innocence or not, mainly because I think it is a bit irrelevant. For those of you who don't know, Speer was an architect in Germany just before the war and rose to prominence by doing the private houses of Goebbels and Goering and then going on to design the amazing rallies that Hitler had. He designed the Nuremberg rallies which is a fantastic irony. Hitler befriended him very intensely. This was partly due to the fact that Hitler saw in Speer another life, a life that could have been. At the trials after the war he admitted a share of the responsibility and guilt for what had happened. There was a documentary last year that explained how he had never really felt guilt. Well, I don't know. And I am not sure I care. Only in so far as, whatever his ulterior motive, he did what he did and made sure that Goering and most of the others were hanged.
So, that is the background. Now to the present. We are shooting 3 episodes over 15 days. Each ep is 1 hour and I have found on some days I am doing more learning than I have ever done. That is obviously a good thing and yet the schedule is so cramped that it will probably end up with the editor and the performances. That means a major concentration. So many lines and so few one can change.
The cast includes Ben Cross and Robert (Bob) Pugh. And then whole reams of actors who have been in Lynley, including Julian Wadham, and Paul Hickey is our forensic pathologist. Indeed many who I have worked with before on other things. Tim Woodward a couple of times. It is truly hard work and a very good discipline.
I do have the day off tomorrow and I will get to on answering some of your questions.
I am told, by the way that Lynley is out early July. All the best to all of you.
Nat