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Interviews
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Cambridge Jones - Off Stage: An exhibition, a book and a DVD Philip Fisher talks to the photographer at his recent exhibition at the National Theatre. The official opening of Off Stage, an exhibition of photographs by Cambridge Jones at the National Theatre took place on the same night as the opening of Mike Leigh's new play, Two Thousand Miles.
As the luminaries including Lord and Lady Attenborough and Richard Wilson were arriving to laud the photographer, his success became apparent, as autograph hunters found the playwright by the stage door and demanded that he sign his photo in the book that accompanies the exhibition.
When the Welsh-born Jones was given the chance by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) to photograph 100 of its most famous living graduates to commemorate the drama school's centenary, it is unlikely that he expected to be the delight of those Peter Pans who perennially chase star signatures.
He was kind enough to grant an interview on the night of the opening during which he was happy to enthuse about his life and the pleasure of spending a year taking photographs of a collection of the greatest theatrical names still living.
He was surprised at the breadth of the RADA reach and, privately, even those who made the selection of the final 100 may have made one or two discoveries before they finished the painful task of eliminating the last few unfortunate losers.
Jones arrived dressed in black and looking like one of the film stars that he so often works with. He has the heavy suntan that one expects from man who spends half of his life living in the Peloponnese and while he claims to be nearing 40, could easily pass for somebody not long out of university.
Cambridge Jones has had ambitions to be a photographer for a long time. "My mum gave me a camera when I was 15 and I have always taken photographs since then".
It took him some time for him to break into the professional circuit. After doing a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford, he worked in a variety of jobs, including marketing, and in a number of bars. While still a part-timer, he did manage to present exhibitions of photos from such far flung countries as Ethiopia, India and China. His break came through mixing in the right circles. "I knew some actors and when you get a name for celebrity stuff it really takes off".
He was invited to take on this project after Nicholas Barter, the principal of RADA, saw his previous exhibition Face the Music and thought that it would be a lovely idea to have 100 portraits to celebrate 100 years.
Apparently Jones was told that "Everyone said yes. They had a 100% success rate, possibly because this has never been done before".
There is also a more charitable motive in that two fully signed books and signed copies of each of the photographs are to be auctioned. The proceeds will be added to funds provided by travel company Trailfinders to create a centenary bursary that will allow one lucky student to be trained at RADA.
While the Welshman was not involved in the selection process, he did glean some behind-the-scenes gossip and understands that there was a conscious decision made, for example, to include young actors such as Ben Whishaw and Matthew McFadyen who might not otherwise have made the list. While it is arguable that both have done enough anyway, the selection committee clearly had an eye towards posterity in these selections.
What is unclear and may never be known is who would have been hundred and first on the list and missed out by a whisker. That is unless somebody emulates so many Booker Prize judges and spills the beans.
This was a different kind of exercise from the rock stars, politicians and models for the man behind the lens. "Everybody was lovely. This wasn't for a magazine cover - we were meeting in their own homes. It was a very unusual, relaxed job. For example Joan Collins wasn't promoting Dynasty". She was though a RADA student as far back as 1949. That seems a long way back but 92 year-old Frith Banbury, the veteran of the group, started out at the stage school 74 years ago.
Part of this relaxed relationship with the actors was the result of Jones' unusual working practices whereby he takes no staff with him and does all of the little jobs himself. Typically, each set took about an hour, although, for a man used to photographing politicians where they only have 15 or 20 minutes to spare, this was something of a luxury.
The speed certainly doesn’t mean that the photos, all in black and white, miss out on the characters of the actors. Two random selections the almost monocled Timothy Spall and a gauzy Juliet Stevenson are classic examples that leave you feeling as if you know the subjects.
Jones's philosophy is interesting: "I don't ever think that photography is art. The main thing is for the person to be relaxed and exuding themselves. I found actors hard to photograph. The reason is that they are reluctant to be themselves in that moment".
The contrast with other artists is immense. "If I say to actors that you don't need to pose, they are unsure and are worried about getting into character". This is the complete opposite of the musicians who apparently like making good album covers and therefore are only too happy to pose.
The photographer admits that "I don't know much about theatre but I love cinema. I came to it with preconceptions about the world of luviness but then found out that these are just sorted, grounded individuals".
He can be rather like that himself, for example when he talks about the project and says that "My favourite comment was from someone who didn't feel as if they'd been photographed". Not many artists are as happy to be regarded as invisible.
The subject that he enjoyed working with most was the last of all, fellow Welshman Sir Anthony Hopkins. That may have been in part because he was obliged to fly out to Malibu beach to complete the assignment!
Once Jones finishes the promotional tour for Off Stage, he will be back into "the usual commercial stuff" and next year will embark on Face the Music Tw,o in which his photographs will be accompanied by the stars' favourite pieces of music, with a launch at Broadcasting House.
For Cambridge Jones, of the pleasures of creating a full-scale exhibition or book is that "I'm excited by working on a body of work over period of time". He also has a previously unstated ambition along these lines which is that "I'd love to do something on the Olympics". Perhaps Lord Coe will get to hear and then another Olympic dream might be fulfilled?
The exhibition at the National Theatre has now run its course but the book, Off Stage, with an attractive cover featuring Sir Anthony Hopkins is still available at £19.99 from RADA (or signed and cheaper if ordered directly from the photographer' website).
Not only does it contain the 100 photos but also interviews with the actors. It will soon be followed up by a DVD of the portraits set to music by Adrian Munsey. Once again, a proportion of the proceeds are going towards the RADA bursary.
Cambridge Jones also has his own website www.cambridgejones.com
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