Dame Sheila Hancock: ‘There is a marvellousness about humans. And a curiosity’

Sheila, is there a role you look back on and think, that is the one that defines my career?

The truth is I’m not very interested in my acting career. I find it so boring. I’m a working actor. I make my living doing it. I have done since I was 16. I’ve done some appalling rubbish as well as some rather wonderful things. So last night I thought, “What is the thing you’re proudest of?” And what I’m proudest of is being artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare small-scale tour. Women didn’t often do that. The only reason I got it was because it wasn’t a grand enough job for the boys. But it was the most exciting time. It was theatre for the reason I’ve always done it, which is to bring people together, to make people think, to touch them deeply.

Was there a particularly memorable performance?

We went to Belfast during the Troubles with Romeo & Juliet. The first night we had in this motley audience – people from all parts of the divide; it was risky – and when it finished there was silence. People didn’t shout and scream like they do now. Eventually they stood and clapped very hard and hugged one another and cried. That is what theatre does: it makes people come together, and it helps them to understand another person’s point of view.

What gives you hope nowadays?

Humanity, I suppose. I went to a beautiful exhibition recently, featuring all sorts of domestic objects from the Victorian times onwards. And it shows you that life goes on. Family love, care, design, originality – the human spirit survives, in spite of appalling things. There’s a marvellousness about humans to hang on to. And a curiosity. When you get to my age, you accept that life is hard. But there are lovely moments, and everybody’s got to do their bit to try and make it as perfect as they can.

Where do the arts fit into this view?

The arts are human nature at its very best. The creative drive of music, of writing, of dance and design. We have to hang on to those wonderful things.

Sheila Hancock wears: (first look) blazer, waistcoat and trousers by Paul Smith; (second look) shirt by Connolly, trousers by Sézane, earrings by Isabella Hewitt. Hair and makeup by Holly Davies using Charlotte Tilbury. Styling assistant: Sam Deaman