32 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JANUARY 29-FEBRUARY 4, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com FACE TO FACE Actor and historian Howard Burnham knows he is a lucky man. Born in the UK in 1946, he grew up in times of relative peace. He did not move to the U.S. until the late 1990s, so he missed the generational scars of Vietnam. This realization makes him an all the more humble interlocutor and community member—that is, if you have a chance to catch him between the characters he embodies. For decades now, he has been mastering playing important historical figures (he happens to be a trained historian), especially Englishmen (he happens to be English). Through his monologues as historical figures, he teaches about the past in an entertaining way. In addition to his own projects—check the Monterey County Theater Alliance website for the upcoming dates—Burnham acts at Pacific Repertory Theatre in Carmel. Last year, he was applauded in Saint Joan by George Bernard Shaw as the archbishop of Reims, as Gonzalo in Shakespeare’s The Tempest and Nikita Ivanitch in Swan Song by Anton Chekhov. All three plays were directed by Ken Kelleher, whom Burnham praises as a demanding but great director. The Burnhams came to the United States in 1998 and first settled in South Carolina. They have been living in the area since 2013, being able to purchase a home thanks to the death of a wealthy English uncle, as Burnham states matter-of-factly. Weekly: Congratulations on your most recent work and the three roles. More than three, actually, since you played multiple roles in Saint Joan. Burnham: Thank you. Yes, this year was incredibly good. Usually I do only two plays a year. And in Saint Joan, I got to be four characters: the priest, the archbishop of Reims—not a very nice man—the English soldier and the quasi-sympathetic inquisitor. There were 18 speaking parts and just seven actors in Saint Joan. How much time do you need to prepare for a larger role? We usually have four-and-a-half weeks. We typically rehearse until late at night, from 5pm to 9pm, five days a week. It’s hard because some actors have day jobs. I’m retired so I have all the time in the world. I work on my roles by recording myself. How did it start with PacRep? I saw a couple of PacRep productions. I saw Monty Python and I saw how they’ve done Shakespeare and I was very impressed. I went to an audition. My first role was Camillo in The Winter’s Tale. Another early role I remember was the old farmer in Babe, The Sheep-Pig (laughs). PacRep usually does one Shakespeare show a year, in 2016 it was two. That was a good year, the centennial of Shakespeare’s death. I played Malvolio in Twelfth Night and Gloucester in King Lear, which is the best role in the play, after King Lear. Anything set for 2026? Possibly a role in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I play mainly supporting roles—old men roles. I’m not an equity actor. PacRep works with equity actors when they can afford it, and they pay for Shakespeare productions with musicals. It’s a great company, they do what they can. I have to say that in PacRep I never encountered anyone I disliked. This is not an ego profession. Shakespeare is important for you. I was always into Shakespeare. For an actor, these are the best roles an actor can get. There are many good Shakespeare productions and Shakespeare actors in America. We are proud of him, but he isn’t just a British institution. Shakespeare belongs to the world. One of the best Shakespeare productions I saw was Korean. PacRep renovated the Golden Bough Playhouse. There are two updated stages, the Founders Theatre and Circle Theatre. Do you enjoy them? I didn’t get a chance to perform at the Founders Theatre yet. But I love the Circle Theatre. It’s small, intimate and the audience is close. And I love the concept of Community Voices, the new series under the aegis of PacRep. I hope to show my own production here, maybe this year, for the 250th anniversary of the country, about the American and French revolutions. And you continue with your regular online performances. Yes, once a month, on a Saturday afternoon. The next one is a special program for Valentine’s Day, a humorous and informative survey of some quirks and curiosities of the eternal story of love and the mating game. Howard Burnham’s Valentine’s Day Special takes place at 5:30pm Saturday, Feb. 14. Register at theatremonterey.org. Play Right Howard Burnham brings characters—and the past— to life on Monterey County stages. By Agata Popęda Howard Burnham acts in a variety of stage roles, including his own historical one-man plays based on extensive research. He can offer a dramatic monologue (accompanied by an informative PowerPoint) as King James VI or golf icon Bobby Jones. DANIEL DREIFUSS Blizzard Want to meet Blizzard? Please fill out our online adoption questionnaire. 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