Mauna Kea

There is a scene in 'Dead Poets Society' where the teacher (Robin Williams) leaps up onto a desk and urges his schoolboy acolytes to see the world from a different perspective.

Desk nothing. Get thee to Mauna Kea. It must be one of the most breathtaking experiences of my life. Literally so, because the summit is so far up, at more than 4200 metres above sea level, that the altitude effect can be severe. I certainly had an unsteady moment or two this August, when moving and getting breath seemed to be the stuff of dreams.

But boy, was it worth it. The sense of sheer size and space; the whole world spread out below and the whole sky spread out above. The clarity of colour, the sunset's hues touching all, the shooting stars and constellations brighter than in any other sky. The compact white domes housing some of the most advanced telescopes on the planet. The totality defies words. As far as shifts in perspective are concerned, the effect has to be life-changing.

So as we approach The Winter's Tale, the biggest theatrical event in which I have performed for a good many years, I will try to remember. I will try to keep a sense of perspective. You may find me standing on a desk.