Over the past week, I've been revisiting select episodes of The Avengers for the first time in about a year and a half. I used to watch the show (along with Star Trek: TNG) compulsively when I was younger, so I tend to notice the gaps in a sharper manner than with other programs or movies.
In this viewing series, the connections of the show to the theatre world are particularly clear to me. I had the good fortune of seeing several of the leading actors (Diana Rigg, Honor Blackman and Joanna Lumley) live onstage during stints in England, and having a brief fanboy conversation with Rigg at a London theatre in 2004. Those three actresses offer the most direct connection to the theatre world, in their work following the show and leading up to the present era. However, there were multiple other actors who made guest appearances on the show and then also worked in British and American theatre and film. I saw Charlotte Rampling and Peter Bowles onstage in 2004 and 05, respectively, and other actors that come to mind include Christopher Lee and Brian Blessed.
It could be argued that many of the actors on the show, particularly Rigg, brought a certain theatrically trained style to their parts that might have been unusual for the time. I am sure that it took American audiences by surprise, as the show was one of the first (possibly THE first) to be successfully imported onto US television. The style of the era likely played a part in its appeal as well, with "London Mod" fashions and culture being transmitted across the world.
In re-visiting the show again now, nearly 20 years after I first caught some re-runs on the A&E network that my dad was extremely happy to share, I feel appreciative that a show liked that served as an introduction to theatrical styles. This included discovering that Rigg had continued on to a successful career with the RSC, many years before I knew the background of that company and actually visited Stratford upon Avon in person. Being aware of the show, and a dedicated follower as it resurged in popularity in the 1990's, had a lot of benefits. For a time it was especially exciting to be part of a burgeoning online community, helping with some aspects of this website in particular.
And when I eventually turned to theatre for an artistic and career focus, I looked at the alumni of The Avengers as a prime example of where to start and how to approach my work. Not necessarily through the acting styles that were present on the show, but in the output and work that the actors involved had created. It showed (and continues to make clear) that dedication and involvement in multiple industries - television, theatre, film, etc - could lead to a satisfying and rewarding creative career.
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