1998 Convention Panel

[dub]

This an old panel recently uploaded, but thoroughly enjoyable. Featuring Rene Auberjonois, Alexander Siddig, Andrew Robinson, and Armin Shimerman at Fantasticon, California, 1998.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQZPmKNmcb8

 

[Bad Thoughts]

That's a good one ... I've watched it before. There's another set of clips from 2000-2001, when Siddig and Robinson were in West Virginia. Siddig gives some insights into what Avery Brooks' personality. He says something to the effect that if Brooks went to a convention, he would "talk at you" for a good hour.

 

[DS9forever]

Lawrence Pressman said something about Brooks I like:
"Avery's a man who keeps to himself, not somebody who chats easily, but as a director he was right there and extraordinarily helpful. Somebody said to me 'Avery talks like jazz'. It's true, he does. What's more, its brilliant jazz, wonderful stuff".

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Yes, Brooks has a musical, improvisational way of communicating, which comes through in his The Captains interviews. However, he has this tendency to frame without explaining, to provide few anecdotes or examples to ground what he is saying. That approach probably works well when coaching theater students or directing: everyone know the material. The convention audience and his fellow panelists, on the other hand, are left to fill in the things he left blank.

Ironically, Andrew Robinson, who is also a university-level instructor in theater, is very thorough with his explanations.