Thursday, 10 July 2025

Meeting Mr. Hansler

 I first met Johnny almost thirty years ago. He was in my play Night of the Fox. Since then he has been a constant player on the London Fringe scene. Not surprisingly, as he is a phenomenal talent. I don’t think I’ve ever known an actor who immersed himself in every role. Indeed, while it was writing the play I realised Johnny had to get first dibs at playing the guy, I didn’t write it for him exactly, but I knew he’d be ideal for it. He recently posted on Facebook a list of some of the famous/notorious people he has played.

“So in no particular order

Kenneth Baker

Stalin

Hitler

Gene Roddenberry 

Oscar Wilde

Peter Cook

Paul Foot

Josef Mengele

Peter Mandelson

George Harrison

Brian Mathew

Jack Good

Bill Pertwee

Hugh Paddick

John Cleese

George Sanders

Montaigne

Groucho Marx

Shakespeare

And next and perhaps most interestingly 

Peter Lawford”

He might be right.