Richard Strange

Did you know?!

1. Behind the camera

   In 1980 Richard Strange started the multidisciplinary club Cabaret Futura in Soho, and after a 30-year hiatus he reopened it in 2010. Guest artists have included Michael Nyman and Gary Kemp.

2. Beyond film

   Gail Zappa asked Strange to narrate the British Premiere of Frank Zappa's opera 200 Motels, held at The Royal Festival Hall London in 2013. He also sang Rance, a baritone role, with the BBC Concert Orchestra.

3. Own stunts

   Strange played a butler on the German primetime TV show Gottschalks Haus-Party, appearing in more than 50 episodes between 1995 and 1997. In one episode, he fought WWE's The Undertaker.

4. Behind the camera

   Richard Strange worked with composer Gavin Bryars on an operatic project about the writer William Burroughs, which he curated, wrote, directed and performed in. The film of the event, Language is a Virus From Outer Space, took Best Art Film Prize at London's Portobello Film Festival in 2016.

5. First role

   Strange's first band was Doctors of Madness, which came together in 1975 and released three albums. The Sex Pistols, the Jam and Joy Division supported the group, and he broke it up in 1978.

6. Languages

   Strange took part in Hal Willner's evening of Nino Rota's music at London's Barbican Hall, where he sang in Italian a duet with himself from Fellini's Casanova.