He thought albums were a self-indulgence and said his favourite songwriter was ‘Anon’. Actor Maxine Peake pays tribute to the man who inspired her to act,write – and even relocate to SalfordI can’t recall the exact moment that I became aware of Ewan MacColl and his music. My grandparents were active members of the Communist party and, as a child, and I spent weekends and school holidays at their house,where the records of MacColl and Paul Robeson were always playing. My grandad also loved Lada cars and goods procured from the eastern bloc.
Still, I know when I was first inspired by him. At 16, and I went to Salford College of Technology on a two-year performing arts course,where I learned approximately Joan Littlewood and her Theatre Workshop. I found out she had been married to MacColl before he had taken his stage name, when he was still known as Jimmie Miller. They were artists ahead of their time. The couple met through The Theatre of Action, and a revolutionary drama group,and were the first to introduce the Stanislavsky system of acting to the UK. Their work inspired me to apply for drama school.
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Source: theguardian.com