Actor Julian Sands celebrates life, work of Harold Pinter

British actor Julian Sands has spent more than a decade honing "A Celebration of Harold Pinter."

It's early evening on a Saturday in Europe and actor Julian Sands is graciously on the phone talking to a reporter. He's happy to do it, he says, because of the subject matter.

"I can talk about Harold all day," he says.

Harold, in this case, is Harold Pinter, a Nobel Prize-winning playwright, author, actor and poet, though he might be lesser known for the latter, which is why Sands is on the phone on a weekend. In 2005, Sands was asked by Pinter to collaborate on what was thought to be a one-off presentation of his poems in London. Throat cancer prevented Pinter from presenting them himself, so he handpicked Sands. The two worked closely together to get every word, nuance and emphasis just right.

The show was a resounding success. Over time, Pinter's name would almost always come up whenever Sands talked to his friend and colleague John Malkovich.

"John is my friend," Sands says. "We met in 1983 on the set of 'The Killing Fields,' and one of the reasons we bonded was our mutual enthusiasm for Harold. Not only is he my friend, but he is a talented actor and director and one day he said, 'Why don't we put together a theater piece based on your presentation?'"

"A Celebration of Harold Pinter" is the result, and Sands will present it Tuesday night, Jan. 24, at the UTC Fine Arts Center as part of the inSight Patten Performances series. Sands emphasizes that the show is a "Homeric theater piece and not a Victorian salon. It is theater, and it is about being entertained.

"People will learn about Harold and his feelings, his intellect, his humor and about his romantic side. That is a revelation to people. I tell the story of the life and work of Harold Pinter through his words and the words of others. It is very passionate and exciting and entertaining."

Sands is a star of film, stage and television with credits including "The Killing Fields," "A Room With a View," "Impromptu," "Leaving Las Vegas," "Arachnophobia," "Oceans 13," and "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo." TV credits include a spot on "24" as well as on "Dexter," "Smallville," "Ghost Whisperer" and "Banshee."

"A Celebration of Harold Pinter" was first presented in 2011 at the Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland and later at the Irish Repertory Theatre in New York. Those were followed by engagements in Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Budapest, London and Paris. It was nominated for a 2013 Drama Desk Award.

Sands says the piece has evolved substantially over time, finding "its most crystalline form" about 200 shows in. Working so closely with Pinter, who died in 2008, was both a privilege and intimidating.

"Harold was very protective of his work, and I was the only person he worked with on these poems," Sands says. "The things I gained from the experience, apart from being tutored because it was like boot camp on acting, has colored every job I've done since.

"He was an actor too, but also a gifted director with a capacity to cut through to the very pith of the subject. He was very precise about structure, emphasis and content."

Sands says that for all his oversight, Pinter did not want to repress Sands' own artistic vision.

"He was happy to allow for individualization of his work and to have it refracted through my personality, but he wanted it to reflect his words," Sands says.

Even with the direct input from Pinter, Sands says he continues to learn about Pinter and his works.

"Ten years down the road, I feel like I know him. I also feel his presence in a fundamental way, and it is still intimidating."

Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.