Theatre
Hugh was trained at RADA. He worked extensively in that great (and now largely defunct) training-ground, repertory, all over the country from Liverpool to Exeter. His first appearances in London were at the Open Air Theatre in Regents’s Park, where he played Romeo.
Hugh has subsequently worked with both The Royal Shakespeare Company and The National Theatre. With Cheek by Jowl, he won a Time Out award when he played Malvolio in Twelfth Night, He has appeared frequently in the West End, most notably in Death and the Maiden, The Woman in Black, The Invention of Love, Stephen Sondheim’s Passion (Olivier Award Nomination), Bentand Plague Over England. Other recent successes include 5/11 at Chichester,Pyrenees for Paine’s Plough at the Menier Chocolate Factory, Pinter’s The New World Order at the Brighton Festival, and Waste at the Almeida.
His performances have received some excellent notices in the press. Reviewing his performance in Pyrenees, Lloyd Evans wrote in The Spectator:
“Recently, I’ve seen Ross shine in two leading roles. A seasoned Scottish professional, he looks at the first sight like nothing special. His technique is subtle almost to the point of invisibility and his performances radiate power and sympathy. I doubt if even the knighted movie-greats like Hopkins and McKellen could surpass his grace and authority.”
His performance as Polonius in Hamlet (with John Simm) at Sheffield Crucible in 2010, won him more praise. Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Charles Spencer described his performance as “wonderfully funny, ” while the Daily Express said “Ross gives us a wonderfully pernickety old windbag, bringing a sly comedy to all his scenes.”
And again, in Macbeth (with James McAvoy) in 2013, Spencer wrote “Ross brings a beautiful sense of moral decency into this dark play.”
Credits
Twelfth Night
Sheffield Crucible/English Touring Theatre: September-November 2014
Malvolio
Macbeth
Trafalgar Studios, London: February-April 2013
Duncan/Doctor
A Life
Finborough Theatre, London: 2nd – 27th October 2012
Drumm
Hamlet
Crucible Theatre, Sheffield: 16th September – 23rd October 2010
Polonius / Gravedigger
Plague over England
Duchess Theatre: 2009
Lord Rayner Goddard
Waste
Almeida Theatre: 2008
Cyril Horsham
The New World Order
Brighton Festival/Hydrocracker: 2007
Nicolas/The Minister
Bent
Trafalgar Studios: 2006
Uncle Freddie
5/11
Chichester Festival Theatre: 2005
Robert Cecil
Pyrenees
Paine’s Plough/Tron Theatre/Chocolate Factory: 2005
Cyril Horsham
Love Me Tonight
Hampstead Theatre: 2004
Roy
The Woman in Black
Fortune Theatre : 2004
Arthur Kipps
The David Hare Trilogy
Birmingham Repertory Theatre: 2003
A Prayer for Owen Meany
Lyttelton Theatre, National Theatre: June 2002
Reverend Merrill
Battle Royal
Lyttelton Theatre, National Theatre: December 1999
Lord Malmesbury
Lady in the Dark
Lyttelton Theatre, National Theatre: March 1997
Dr. Alexander Brooks
Passion
Queen’s Theatre, London: 1995 – 1996
King Lear
Royal Court, London: 1993
Gloucester
Hedda Gabler
Playhouse Theatre, London: 1991 – 1992
Hamlet
Bristol Old Vic: 1991
Claudius
As You Like It, Royal Shakespeare Company
Barbican Theatre, London: 11th April 1990 (press night)
Jaques / Le Beau
All’s Well That Ends Well, Royal Shakespeare Company
Barbican Theatre, London: 30th March 1990 (press night)
King of France
As You Like It, Royal Shakespeare Company
Theatre Royal, Newcastle upon Tyne: 20th February (press night) – 17th March 1990
Jaques / Le Beau
As You Like It, Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon: 1989-1990
Jaques / Le Beau
All’s Well That Ends Well, Royal Shakespeare Company
Barbican Theatre, London: 1989 – 1990
King of France
As You Like It, Royal Shakespeare Company
Barbican Theatre, London: 1989 – 1990
Jaques / Le Beau
All’s Well That Ends Well, Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon: 10th October 1989 (press night)
King of France
As You Like It, Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon: 13th September 1989 (press night)
Jaques / Le Beau
Bussy D’Ambois
Old Vic, London: 23rd August – 17th September 1988
Monsieur
Twelfth Night
Donmar Warehouse, London: 1986 – 1987
A Patriot for Me
Leeds Playhouse: 22nd November – 15th December 1984
Colonel Redl
Scenes from a Voyage to the Indies by John Harrison
Leeds Playhouse: March – April 1984
Captain Josiah Bennett
Hansel and Gretel, Royal Shakespeare Company
Warehouse, London: 23rd November 1981 (press night)
Father
The Maid’s Tragedy, Royal Shakespeare Company
Warehouse, London:15th October 1981 (press night)
Lysippus
Hamlet, Royal Shakespeare Company
Aldwych Theatre, London: 17th September 1981 (press night)
Osric / Rosencrantz
The Love Girl and the Innocent, Royal Shakespeare Company
Aldwych Theatre, London: 8th September 1981 (press night)
Arnold Gurvich
The Forest, Royal Shakespeare Company
Warehouse, London: 17th July 1981 (press night)
Yevgeny Apollonich
The Forest, Royal Shakespeare Company
The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon: 29th April 1981 (press night)
Milanov
Hansel and Gretel, Royal Shakespeare Company
The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon: 13th April 1981 (press night)
Father
Hamlet, Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon: 6th April 1981 (press night)
Osric / Rosencrantz
Hansel and Gretel, Royal Shakespeare Company
Gulbenkian Studio, Newcastle-upon-Tyne: 18th March 1981 (press night)
Father
Richard II, Royal Shakespeare Company
Theatre Royal, Newcastle upon Tyne: 3rd March 1981 (press night)
Lord Willoughby
The Maid’s Tragedy, Royal Shakespeare Company
Gulbenkian Studio, Newcastle-upon-Tyne: 24th February 1981 (press night)
Lysippus
Hamlet, Royal Shakespeare Company
Theatre Royal, Newcastle upon Tyne: 10th March 1981 (press night)
Osric / Rosencrantz
Hansel and Gretel, Royal Shakespeare Company
The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon: 1980 – 1981
Father
The Forest, Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-Upon-Avon: 1980 – 1981
Yevgeny Apollonich
Richard II, Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon: 3rd November 1980 (press night)
Lord Willoughby
Hansel and Gretel, Royal Shakespeare Company
The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon: 29th October 1980 (press night)
Father
Hamlet, Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon: 2nd July 1980 (press night)
Osric / Rosencrantz
The Maid’s Tragedy, Royal Shakespeare Company
The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon: 14th May 1980 (press night)
Lysippus
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The New Shakespeare Company
Open Air Theatre, Regent’s Park: 14th July – 21st August 1971
Lysander