Thread by @thesundaytimes

It’s 11 years since Eddie Redmayne last appeared on stage. But this won’t be the first time the Oscar-winning actor has played the role of the androgynous ringmaster in Cabaret. thetimes.co.uk/article/eddie-…

Aged 17 he was cast as the Emcee in a school production at Eton that was later taken to the Edinburgh Fringe. He remembers “running up the Royal Mile in latex and tights handing out leaflets for the show”.

How does Redmayne see his character, the mercurial Emcee?

“I see him as a survivor who can shape-shift himself out of every situation.”

The script of Cabaret doesn’t put a label on the Emcee, but the character is often played by LGBT actors, so Redmayne’s casting has come in for criticism.

“Of all the characters I’ve ever read, this one defies pigeonholing. I would ask people to come and see it before casting judgment,” he says firmly.

This is a sensitive conversation for Redmayne. He came in for considerable flak for his Oscar-nominated role in The Danish Girl, based on the true story of the first person to undergo gender reassignment surgery.

His critics believed the role should be played by a trans actor. Would he take it if he was offered it today?

“No, I wouldn’t take it on now. I made that film with the best intentions, but I think it was a mistake.”

“The bigger discussion about the frustrations around casting is because many people don’t have a chair at the table. There must be a levelling, otherwise we are going to carry on having these debates.”

Jessie Buckley, who will be playing Sally Bowles, adds: “This is the most diverse company I have ever worked in.”

“On the first day everyone introduced themselves and said their pronouns, he, she, they . . . and it was lovely to be part of that conversation. Our Kit Kat Club welcomes everyone, whoever you are.”

Read the full interview: thetimes.co.uk/article/eddie-…