When most actors begin to talk about politics, most people roll their eyes. But Vanessa Redgrave is a different matter entirely: “On stage and on screen, she has worked on the edge, never shying away from a tough or controversial role… Through the years, her often-groundbreaking performances in Shakespeare, Chekhov, Noel Coward and Tennessee Williams have left an indelible mark on theatre history… She has always been a passionate, tireless activist who has never spared herself to advance causes such as the Palestinians, the people of Kosovo, the atrocities in Chechnya and threats to democracy at home and abroad. One of her current preoccupations is the situation at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, where the Americans are holding more than 600 ‘enemy combatants’ without charge or trial.”