Michael Pennington Michael Pennington is a British director and actor who has played many leading parts for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre, and his own English Shakespeare Company. He has appeared as Richard Strauss and Wilhelm Furtwangler n Ronald Harwood's Collaboration and Taking Sides in the West End and performed two solo shows on Anton Chekhov and William Shakespeare. Although primarily a stage actor, Pennington has also appeared in film, most notably as Moff Jerjerrod in Return of the Jedi and as Michael Foot in The Iron Lady. He is also the author of Hamlet: A User's Guide, A Midsummer Night's Dream: A User's Guide, and Are You There, Crocodile? Inventing Anton Chekhov. Read More Read Less