Playing Under the Piano

From Downton to Darkest Peru

A moving, laugh-out-loud memoir from one of today’s best-loved British actors, whose credits include Downton Abbey, Notting Hill, and Paddington.

From getting his big break as Third Shepherd in the school nativity play, to mistaking a Hollywood star for an estate agent, Hugh Bonneville creates a brilliantly vivid picture of a career on stage and screen. What is it like working with Judi Dench and Julia Roberts, or playing Robert De Niro’s right leg, or not being Gary Oldman, twice? A wickedly funny storyteller, Bonneville also writes with poignancy about his father’s dementia and of his mother, whose life in the secret service emerged only after her death. Whether telling stories of working with divas, Dames, or a bear with a penchant for marmalade, this is a richly entertaining account of his life as an actor.

Surprisingly funny!

What a charming memoir! At times very funny and at times very very touching. I really enjoyed this listen!

Excellent

Well Done kept me awake so must be good. The telling of different stages of his life was very interesting

Fun but a few too many details sometimes.

Very entertaining. Sometimes too much detail about specific actors, which might be interesting to someone who is familiar with them, but not to me.
Hugh is always fun to listen to. Love his cheerful voice.

As I’d hoped the author to be

Hilarious, pathos and entertaining as hell. A wonderful listen and glimpse into the life of a talented actor.

Great fun

What a beautiful memoir about the life of Mr. Bonneville. A testament to his upbringing and the parents who raised him. Enjoyably amusing and very well read.