Judi Dench: A masterclass in subtle acting and commanding screen presence

A day after her 87th birthday, Judi Dench’s performance career is testament to the actress’ sheer love for the craft

Judi Dench, a theatre veteran, and actor par excellence has always pushed the bill in terms of performance and skill. The fact that Dench’s career has spanned over six decades and she still remains as enthusiastic about her roles in plays and films, is testament to her love for the craft. Dench, a true-blue workaholic had two new releases this very year. One was a small role in Jules Williamson's comedy-drama Off the Rails which had Kelly Preston and Jenny Seagrove in the leads, and more importantly Kenneth Branagh's Belfast, a black-and-white dramedy that charts the contentious times of the 1960s in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The other feature that Dench recently appeared in, was Noël Coward’s 1940s reimagination titled Blithe Spirit. Garnering mostly lukewarm reviews, the film saw Dench as Madame Arcati, a ludicrous medium who claims to be previously embodied by the likes of Margaret Rutherford and Angela Lansbury.

Through Arcati, Dench channelised her not-so-subtle acting alter ego and thrust herself into the depiction of the oddball, eccentric character, shouldering most of the film’s weight on her still-sprightly shoulders.

Through the years, Dench’s on-screen presence found a solid footing. However, the actress has had a long stint as a theatre star, beginning her run in her hometown of York.

Often touted as “the mighty atom”, Dench’s enthusiasm as a performer was a well-known fact within the industry. At 5ft 1in, Dench once said in an interview that she hates being termed a ‘national treasure’ as its reductive of her body of work, not to mention how exhibitionist the whole concept was.

Her recent physical ailment (macular degeneration, that affects her eyesight) hardly seems to deter her from taking up roles of her liking. In fact, the veteran is infamous for agreeing to whatever comes her way, automatically putting the pressure on her agent and team to weed out the bad scripts only for the worthy ones for her to read.

Dench’s cinematic career reflects of a somewhat carefully curated set of features, especially for her. The actress’ unparalleled sense of stage space and screen presence aids her in slipping into a coveted range of roles. Hence, she is as comfortable being the snazzy M in the James Bond films, as she is in donning summery clothes, walking across the congested Indian streets in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. One of Dench’s most memorable roles on screen was her Hollywood debut in Shakespeare in Love. With a precise screen time of eight minutes, Dench’s depiction of the offhandhish Queen Elizabeth I was so convincing, that it won the actress her first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Personally, Dench is known to have a penchant for darker material. When once asked what kind of roles she would like to take up in the near future, the actress had said she would love to go back to characters like Barbara Covett, the heinous school teacher from Notes on a Scandal (2006).

The actress has more than proved her worth not only as an artiste but also as an individual with ample agency even at 87, commanding roles that not only steer attention but also make memorable dents in the annals of cinematic history.

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