Even after more than 19 shows as an actor on the the Ensemble Theatre stage, Daniel Mitchell feels a presence that was not his own, which he is now exploring in his one man show The Shadow of Fame.
That presence belonged to his father, Warren Mitchell, the doyen of mid to late sixties British television and best know for his role of the bigot Alf Garnett in the comedy Till Death Do Us Part.
During Covid lockdown Daniel started writing a show about his life for the theatre, but there was a missing ingredient and the project stagnated.
It began to gel when Ensemble’s artistic director Mark Kilmurry suggested that he embrace his father’s legacy, and make it part of the larger story of growing up in London at the height of Warren’s fame, his family and his early years of drama school.
“Putting Warren in there gave it its focus and made the project unique,” said Mitchell. “I don’t know how many sons have stepped into their father’s shows as an understudy to take over a role, but it’s a strange thing to do, and that is part of the Warren story.”
But Daniel’s story is not all about his famous father and the theatre that they shared. “The second half of The Shadow of Fame deals with me and Warren at the Ensemble, and it is also about my mum and my sister and life generally,” he added.
Born in 1926, Warren had his sights on performing early, when at age seven he attended drama classes. After the second world war he spent two years at RADA before becoming a professional actor, with stints in radio, television and films such as The Beatles’ Help.
After Till Death Do Us Part propelled him into mega stardom, it led to major stage plays, including his two Laurence Olivier Awards for playing Willy Loman in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, and later as a supporting actor in Miller’s The Price. Warren would reprise the role of Loman in the 1982 Nimrod production, with Mel Gibson playing Biff.
Daniel first moved to Australia in the early eighties and Warren came out see him perform in the Mick Barnes play Eleven Eleven.
“Warren (and the Ensemble) goes back to the Hayes Gordon days and they got on very well together,” said Mitchell. “Eventually Sandra Bates had seen us both in a Lyle Kessler play called Orphans with Colin Friels, and she brought me in for an audition for Someone to Watch Over Me.
Their first show together at the Ensemble was Visiting Mr Green, which was commissioned by Sandra Bates and became a major success. “It was lovely, as it was me bringing Warren into my world, rather than him being nepotistic,” said Mitchell.
Daniel and Warren would continue to perform at the Ensemble both together and separately, until 2009, when Daniel would’ve to step into take over the lead role in Tuesdays With Morrie from his father, who was now 82.
Daniel is now bringing this deeply personal journey with his father to the Ensemble, the place in Sydney that allowed them to bond and share the stage. Directed by Paulina Kelly, The Shadow of Fame will run for five performances at the Ensemble from Monday 17 August, with times varying.
The Shadow of Fame will also be presented in a bare-bones performance at the Wayside Chapel on 3 August 2026 (6.00pm).
The Shadow of Fame
Ensemble Theatre, 78 McDougall Street, Kirribilli (North Sydney)
Season: 17 – 30 August 2026
Information and Bookings: www.ensemble.com.au
Image: Daniel Mitchell (supplied)
Words: John Moyle