The pair have known each other socially for decades (Picture: Getty)
Dame Judi Dench and David Bradley have known each other socially for over 60 years, but their new film Allelujah marks the first time they have ever worked together – or does it?
The two esteemed thespians have movies including Philomena, Notes on a Scandal, Skyfall and the Harry Potter franchise on their CVs, but Allelujah is the first time they’ll be seen together on screen.
An adaptation of Alan Bennett’s play of the same name, Dame Judi, 88, and David, 80, play two patients of a geriatric ward in a small Yorkshire hospital, the closure of which sparks uproar in the local community.
They lead a stellar cast including Jennifer Saunders, Sir Derek Jacobi, Julia McKenzie, Russell Tovey and Bally Gill.
Discussing the release of the new film exclusively with Metro.co.uk, the pair reminisced on having first met over 60 years ago through Dame Judi’s parents’ amateur dramatics group in York.
Pinocchio star David recalled of their first meeting: ‘Judi was already established when I was in a group with Judi’s parents – her dad was one of the actors and her mum, Olive, was the wardrobe mistress.
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‘And we were surprised in the dressing room one night – well, it was the opening night of a play we were doing and Judi just popped her head round the door and wished us good luck, and it was like, “Wow!”’
However, when discussing the memory, Dame Judi also pointed out that, contrary to reports and David’s own recollections, she believed that they have, in fact, worked together before.
‘I do remember it and what I also remember, but David doesn’t remember – the York cycle of Mystery Plays were done, for three years. I was in them for three years, and David was in it, and he said we’d never worked [together].
‘In actual fact, we have worked [together], we were in the first one together. And David, it was in St. Mary’s Abbey in York and you were down on the ground but I was up in heaven – maybe you just never looked up?’
Dame Judi pictured in 1957, ahead of playing the Virgin Mary in one of her three appearances in the York Mystery Plays (Picture: Dobson/Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty)
The actress’ parents were involved with York Theatre Royal (Picture: Mike Marsland/WireImage)
She jokingly added: ‘I was waving to you all the time. You never noticed! But we did, we worked together in the very first one.’
With David quipping: ‘I must have been looking at hell!’, Dame Judi then replied: ‘That’s it, well weren’t we all?’
Argus Filch actor David then explained how he had done his performances in 1960 ‘with Reg’, Dame Judi’s father, who she remembered as playing the part of Annas the high priest.
However, David wasn’t so sure that they synced up, suggesting: ‘Well, that must have been the one you did before. I’m fighting my corner here, Judi!’
What the pair can agree on though is the combination of things that drew them to say yes to Allelujah, including the cast, Talking Heads and Lady in the Van scribe Alan Bennett and director Sir Richard Eyre, who is theatrical royalty and has also helmed films including The Children Act, Notes on a Scandal and Iris, with the latter two earning Dame Judi Oscar nominations.
David is also from Yorkshire and was involved with Dame Judi’s parents’ theatrical group (Picture: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic)
Bally Gill, director Sir Richard Eyre, writer Alan Bennett and Dame Judi on the set of Allelujah (Picture: Rob Youngson/Pathé Productions/BBC)
‘For me, it was it was a combination of all those things. I’ve never done anything for Alan, though I’ve known him, and I have admired him enormously. But I’ve never actually worked on a play or a screenplay of his,’ shared Dame Judi, who plays the quiet Mary, who is nursing a bit of a crush on her doctor (Gill).
‘And Richard, of course, I’ve known for a long, long time, being involved with the National [Theatre], and we’ve done several films together. So, it’s lovely to have that shorthand too with people that [means] you sometimes don’t have to do a great explanation because you understand them so well – that’s lovely.’
She also described it as ‘a luxury’ being able to work ‘with friends of mine, like David, and Julia Mackenzie and Derek Jacobi and Jennifer, lots of friends who you have the opportunity of sharing a day with or maybe several weeks with.’
The film revolves around the threatened closure of a geriatric ward (Picture: Pathé Productions/BBC)
Dame Judi plays the quiet Mary in Allelujah (Picture: Rob Youngson/Pathé Productions/BBC)
David concurred, citing that he was keen to work with those he hadn’t yet had the pleasure of doing so – ‘a combination of friends and people you have great admiration for’, he put it.
‘I have worked with Richard before, and as Judi said, when you work with someone [like] that you get on with them, and you respect their way of working, and their attitude towards the work and the cast, and Richard is everything you would wish for in a director – and it is a shorthand that you fall into.
‘It’s just so much more fun – and easier – when you’re working with someone like that.’
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Although his character of grumpy Joe Colman may struggle with voicing his appreciation for anyone, David has no such trouble.
‘I was in a ward and just a room full of friends. It was just a great atmosphere, and a great experience from start to finish.’
Allelujah is in cinemas from Friday, March 17.
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The pair have known each other socially for over 60 years, thanks to a link through her parents in York.
