Playing Under the Piano: From Downton to Darkest Peru

Actor Bonneville, best known for his roles in Downton Abbey and Paddington, takes listeners on a retrospective of his life and career in what he describes as “a series of snapshots I’ve taken along the way.” Born in London in 1963, Bonneville was one of three children of a urologist and a nurse (after his mother’s death, Bonneville learned that she had worked for the Secret Intelligence Service MI6). He was attracted to the stage at a young age, taking part in school acting clubs and productions. He joined the National Youth Theatre at 17, and later he would begin his acting career with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Bonneville displays a humble approach to his career; the stories of his successes and blunders and his anecdotes about fellow actors—Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Laurence Olivier, and others—are engrossing and often laugh-out-loud funny. His narration is superb with just the right touches of humor and occasional sentiment.