Nickolas Grace

Grace was educated at the King's School, Chester{{cite web|title=Inspirational Alumni Members|url=http://www.kingschester.co.uk/extras/KingsAlumni/inspirationalAlumni.html|publisher=The King's School Chester|access-date=2 December 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111215071558/http://www.kingschester.co.uk/extras/KingsAlumni/inspirationalAlumni.html|archive-date=15 December 2011|df=dmy-all}} and Forest School, Walthamstow. He trained as an actor at the Central School of Speech and Drama,

He made his theatrical debut in weekly rep in Frinton-on-Sea, Essex in 1969, and appeared in Trevor Peacock's Erb later that year, which transferred to the Strand Theatre in spring 1970, his first appearance in the West End. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1972,{{cite web |title=Our Team |url=https://www.vic-wells.co.uk/our-team |website=vic-wells.co.uk |publisher=Vic-Wells Association |access-date=3 February 2023}} and in 1973 played Aumerle there in the Ian Richardson/Richard Pasco production of Richard II.

Grace then played Hamlet for the opening of the Playhouse, Derby in 1975. Back at the RSC, from 1976 to 1978 he appeared as Dromio of Ephesus in Trevor Nunn's first ever musical, The Comedy of Errors (with Judi Dench, Michael Williams and Roger Rees), Hitler in Schweik and Witwoud in The Way of the World, directed by John Barton.{{cite web |title=The Way of the World |url=http://www.michaelpennington.me.uk/page147.html |website=michaelpennington.me.uk |publisher=Michael Pennington |access-date=3 February 2023}}

Grace secured the part of the flamboyant aesthete Anthony Blanche in Brideshead Revisited (1979-1981).{{cite web |title=Nickolas Grace |url= https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp68885/nickolas-grace |website=npg.org.uk |publisher=National Portrait Gallery |access-date=3 February 2023}} He played Richard II at the Young Vic in 1981, and Mozart in Amadeus, with Frank Finlay at Her Majesty's Theatre in 1982. He then began working in operetta, playing Koko in The Mikado.

Grace played Harry Hamilton-Paul in the film Heat and Dust (1983). It was around this time that he took the role of Robert de Rainault, the Sheriff of Nottingham, in ITV's Robin of Sherwood (1984–86).{{cite web |author1=Stuart Jeffries |title=Lewis Collins obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/nov/28/lewis-collins |website=The Guardian |access-date=3 February 2023 |date=28 November 2013 |quote=Robert de Rainault, the longstanding sheriff played by Nickolas Grace.}}{{cite web |author1=Patrick Mulkern |title=Doctor Who: Robot of Sherwood |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-guide/robot-of-sherwood/ |website=radiotimes.com |publisher=Radio Times |access-date=3 February 2023 |date=6 September 2014 |quote=For me, the definitive Sheriff will always be Robin of Sherwood's lascivious, blackly camp Nickolas Grace}}

Grace's theatre work in the late 1980s and early 1990s included Jenkins' Ear by Dusty Hughes at the Royal Court in 1986, Bernstein's Candide (Old Vic/Scottish Opera/BBC) in 1988–89{{cite web |title=Nickolas Grace |url=https://theatricalia.com/person/41d/nickolas-grace |website=theatricalia.com |publisher=Theatricalia |access-date=3 February 2023}} and The Mystery of Irma Vep at the Haymarket Theatre, Leicester (1990), which transferred to the Ambassadors Theatre. He played Cole Porter in A Swell Party at the Vaudeville in 1991–92 and appeared as King Gama in Ken Russell's production of Princess Ida for ENO at the Coliseum Theatre in 1992.Jacobs, Arthur. Princess Ida - English National Opera at the London Coliseum, November 14. Opera, January 1993, Vol.44 No.1, p107-110.

Following a recurring role in 1993 as the unnamed 'Consultant' on Victor Lewis-Smith's loosely hospital-based sketch show Inside Victor Lewis-Smith, Grace played Marcus Green, the long-suffering husband of Dorien in Birds of a Feather,{{cite web |title=Birds of a Feather |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/birdsofafeather/ |website=bbc.co.uk |publisher=BBC |access-date=3 February 2023 |date=28 October 2014}} in a couple of episodes between 1989 and 1997. He has also appeared three times as Mr Casey in the BBC Sitcom My Family.{{cite web |title=My Family, Series 8, Neighbour Wars |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00b6wnn |website=bbc.co.uk |publisher=BBC One |access-date=3 February 2023}}{{cite web |title=My Family Episode Guides Series Two Episode Six |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/myfamily/episodes/series_2/s2ep6_episode.shtml |website=bbc.co.uk |publisher=BBC |access-date=3 February 2023}}{{cite web |title=My Family, Series 8, Can't Get No Satisfaction |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00bbwg2 |website=bbc.co.uk |publisher=BBC One |access-date=5 February 2023}}

Grace played Underling the Butler in The Drowsy Chaperone with Elaine Paige at the Novello Theatre, which ended its run on 4 August 2007.

He had a recurring role in some Doctor Who audio stories, produced by Big Finish as a Time Lord ally; Straxus, of the Eighth Doctor and Lucie Miller (Paul McGann and Sheridan Smith) in the stories Human Resources, Sisters of the Flame and Vengeance of Morbius.{{cite web |title=Nickolas Grace Contributions |url=https://www.bigfinish.com/contributors/v/Nickolas-Grace-9800 |website=bigfinish.com |publisher=Big Finish |access-date=3 February 2023}}

In 2012, Grace starred in Chariots of Fire, the stage adaptation of the film of the same title. In it he played the Master of Trinity College{{cite web |author1=Steve Stubbs |title=Edward Hall's Hampstead Theatre production of CHARIOTS OF FIRE will transfer to the Gielgud Theatre from 22 June 2012 |url=https://www.backstagepass.biz/2012/04/edward-halls-hampstead-theatre.html |website=backstagepass.biz |access-date=3 February 2023 |date=2012}}

Grace is President of the Vic-Wells Association.{{cite web |url=http://vic-wells.co.uk/ |title = Vic-Wells Association}}

{{reflist}}

• {{IMDb name|id=0333380|name=Nickolas Grace}}
• [https://theatricalia.com/person/41d/nickolas-grace Nickolas Grace] at Theatricalia

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Category:1947 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century English male actors

Category:21st-century English male actors

Category:Actors from Wirral

Category:Alumni of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama

Category:English male film actors

Category:English male stage actors

Category:English male television actors

Category:Male actors from Cheshire

Category:People educated at Forest School, Walthamstow

Category:People educated at The King's School, Chester

Category:People from West Kirby

Category:Royal Shakespeare Company members