PLAYING UNDER THE PIANO From Downton to Darkest Peru

Hugh Bonneville's memoir is funny, personal, informative, insightful, and fun to listen to. The world-class British actor has a stunning list of credits and famous friends, as well as an abundance of anecdotes, which he delivers with self-deprecating humor. Probably best known to American audiences as the Earl of Grantham in "Downton Abbey," Bonneville has also worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company, sharing the stage with such luminaries as Dames Judi Dench and Maggie Smith and Sir Kenneth Branagh. In his memoir he opens himself up with stories from his private life and takes us behind the scenes at "Downton," including the moment that Dame Maggie met "Hurricane Shirley" (MacLaine). This well-written memoir is delivered with the timing, pace, and skill of a seasoned raconteur. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2023]