We chatted to the actor about GHBoy at the Charing Cross Theatre.
Thanks so much for talking to me. Could you explain a bit more about what GHBoy is about? GHBoy is about the journey of a young gay man in London discovering, coming to terms with and dealing with the traumas of his past and the self destruction those traumas cause him as he attempts and struggles to overcome those obstacles.
What did you first think of Paul Harvard’s script when you first read it? The real-life events that the script is based on really shocked me so it was exciting to read a new writing piece that gave voice to those events. I was quite horrified and dumbfounded when I read up more about them. Paul also has a lovely natural style of writing that was exiting to read.
Could you tell me more about the character that you play? I play Simon an art therapist for the protagonist Robert who helps him work through his demons.
What was it that made you want to be part of this production? To be honest after six months in lockdown the prospect of being involved in theatre again was irresistible. The writing is also so fresh and current and exciting. I really enjoyed my audition for the role where I got a glimpse into how our director Jon works. Working with great directors is always a joy. So I had a good feeling about it from the start.
How have rehearsals been going? They have been brilliant. The production company have been great in keeping us all Covid safe and allowing us to rehearse as ‘normally’ as we can. And we feel proud to be putting on a show in these times.
How does it feel knowing you are going to be able to perform on a stage again? Very exciting, who knows when we’ll get the chance again so I like to enjoy and make the most of every day working on this show.
What are you most looking forward to about performing at the Charing Cross Theatre? Getting an audience into the theatre and telling them our story! It will be very satisfying to see real people back in a theatre again and being able to perform for them.
By Emma Clarendon
To find out more about GHBoy which will now run at the Charing Cross Theatre from the 3rd to the 20th December visit: https://www.charingcrosstheatre.co.uk/