The theatre world in Britain has been in a state of mild shock this week after one of its favourite sons, the actor Michael Gambon, announced that he will give up live theatre work due to failing memory. From now, he will be restricting himself to films and television, areas of the business in which an inability to remember lines is not so cruelly exposed.
Long before he achieved international fame as Professor Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films, “the great Gambon” (as he’s universally known within the business) was already a prodigious talent.
I worked alongside him several times in London’s Theatreland in the 1980s, when he was approaching the height of his powers. I still remember his mesmerising blend of power and dexterity. Yet now, at 74, he’s played his last theatre role. “It’s a horrible thing to admit but I can’t do it,” he commented. “It breaks my heart … when the script’s in front of me and I can’t learn it. It’s frightening.”
His plight cuts to the very essence of acting. “How do you learn your lines?” is one of the most commonly asked questions of those in show business. With good reason, for it’s a subject rarely discussed in the trade. In truth, we don’t really know how we do it, and are hesitant to discuss it for fear that over-analysis will destroy the fragile mental alchemy on which we depend.
However long it takes, we have to believe that once learnt, the lines will come out each night on demand and in the right order. But when they don’t, either through fear, failing faculties, or over-familiarity, the job of live performance is transformed in an instant, from the best gig in the world to the stuff of nightmares.
When you “dry” (as forgetting your lines is commonly known), there are only two available options – a helpful ad-lib from a fellow actor, or a prompt from the stage manager in the wings.
But stage managers are an overworked lot. Quite apart from following the script, they have lighting and sound cues to tee up, props to prepare and errands to run. So they may not always be available when you most need them. One actor of my acquaintance asked three times for a prompt, only to receive the unhelpful response: “Hang on, I’m doing something …”
Nearly as dangerous as lack of preparation is over-preparation. Endless repetition of the same scenes night after night during a long run, sometimes invites mental atrophy, a state of being in which you know the lines so well you can almost perform them on autopilot. That’s when even the most seasoned pro can find themselves suddenly upended. One moment you’re on stage without a care in the world, the next, you’re gaping like a fish. On such occasions, time seems to stand still. You know the word you’re searching for, it’s just that you can’t remember what it is. It begins with an L. Is it an L? Or is it a P? Too late; the line is upon you, your mouth is already framing the word, and you have no option but to allow instinct to kick in. Thankfully, instinct usually does the trick. But meanwhile you’ve aged 10 years in a couple of seconds.
Forgetting your lines is one thing, but no longer being able to assimilate them is quite another. Nowadays, tiny earpieces are available, which means an actor can be fed his lines discreetly by a colleague with a microphone in the wings, but this can only ever be a temporary solution. As Gambon says when he tried it: “After about an hour I thought ‘this can’t work’. You can’t be running about onstage with someone reading your lines into your ear.”
Ultimately, a failing memory requires an actor to take a long hard look in the mirror. Or they can pretend it’s not happening and blunder on year after year, relying more and more on the kindness of others to get them through. Gambon is too good an actor and too proud a man, to contemplate this.
He will have no shortage of offers in TV and films in the years ahead. And theatre’s loss is certain to be Hollywood’s gain. And with his mighty presence no longer in the frame for the best stage parts, the rest of us will probably stand a chance.
Michael Simkins is an actor and writer based in London
On Twitter: @michael_simkins
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Lt Gen Erik Petersen, deputy chief of programs, US Army, has argued it took a “three decade holiday” on modernising tanks.
“There clearly remains a significant armoured heavy ground manoeuvre threat in this world and maintaining a world class armoured force is absolutely vital,” the general said in London last week.
“We are developing next generation capabilities to compete with and deter adversaries to prevent opportunism or miscalculation, and, if necessary, defeat any foe decisively.”
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Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
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Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
