Mirren started her career at the age of 18 as a performer with the National Youth Theatre , where she played Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra He later became a diplomat in the service of Nicholas II and was negotiating an arms deal in Britain when he and his family were stranded by the Russian Revolution in He later worked as a driving-test examiner, then became a civil servant with the Ministry of Transport.
Mirren attended Hamlet Court primary school in Westcliff-on-Sea , where she had the lead role in a school production of Hansel and Gretel , [ 27 ] [ 28 ] and St Bernard's High School for Girls in Southend-on-Sea , where she also acted in school productions. She also appeared in four productions, directed by Braham Murray for Century Theatre at the University Theatre in Manchester, between and Sally Beauman reported, in her history of the RSC, that Mirren—while appearing in Nunn's Macbeth , and in a letter to The Guardian newspaper—had sharply criticised both the National Theatre and the RSC for their lavish production expenditure, declaring it "unnecessary and destructive to the art of the Theatre", and adding, "The realms of truth, emotion and imagination reached for in acting a great play have become more and more remote, often totally unreachable across an abyss of costume and technicalities There were no discernible repercussions for this rebuke of the RSC.
At the West End 's Royal Court Theatre in September , she played the role of a rock star named Maggie in Teeth 'n' Smiles , a musical play by David Hare ; she reprised the role the following year in a revival of the play at Wyndham's Theatre in May Mirren has appeared in a large number of films throughout her career. Some of her earlier film appearances include roles in Herostratus , Dir. Reviewing her portrayal for The Sunday Telegraph , Francis King wrote: "Miss Mirren never leaves it in doubt that even in her absences, this ardent, beautiful woman is the most important character of the story.
At the beginning of , Mirren co-starred with Bob Peck at the Young Vic in the London premiere of the Arthur Miller double-bill, Two Way Mirror , performances which prompted Miller to remark: "What is so good about English actors is that they are not afraid of the open expression of large emotions.
British actors like to speak. In London, there's a much more open-hearted kind of exchange between stage and audience" interview by Sheridan Morley : The Times 11 January Mirren is known for her role as detective Jane Tennison in the widely viewed Prime Suspect , a multiple award-winning television drama series that was noted for its high quality and popularity.
