A spectacle of dust by Pete Postlethwaite

Pete Postlethwaite, with his craggy face ravaged by smoking, booze and drugs, is well known to Australian audiences from dozens of films and television series, including voice-overs in childrens animation. He was also a classical stage actor, a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. He was an intense method actor, who really lived the characters he played, much to the alarm of those around him!
This autobiography details his humble beginnings in Warrington, near Liverpool, with his loving parents, two sisters and brother. He caught the acting bug early at primary school but never thought he could make a career of it. An excellent student, Peter decided to train at a seminary to be a priest. When he found the life too restricting he relocated to a grammar school and graduated with excellent results. After school he went to Teacher Training College to study P.E. and drama but found he was spending more time on the latter. He taught for a couple of years then decided to train as an actor and the rest, as they say, is history.
Pete had a pronounced conscience and he and his wife were social and environmental activists.
The book drips with famous names but Peter was always humble and aware of his roots and the plight of the working class. This is an honest account of a passionate man, who was a workaholic and never compromised on his ideals.
Pete died of cancer earlier this year.
Reviewed by Janet

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