We chatted with Dan about starring in the revival of The Government Inspector at the Marylebone Theatre.
Hi Dan how does it feel to be part of this production of The Government Inspector? It’s loads of fun! it truly is a great cast- everyone’s up for a laugh and helping each other through the rehearsal period which can be a tiring process. So yes, there’s a real sense of camaraderie and teamwork and obviously it’s been hard work as rehearsals always are but it’s all been steered expertly by our director Patrick.
For those who haven’t seen it before, what can they expect? Firstly it’s a great, easily accessible, story. Things are spelled out for the audience immediately so everyone knows what’s happening and how high the stakes are. So hopefully there won’t be much scratching of heads. The characters are drawn with real precision so in terms of interpreting them as actors, a lot of our work is done for us by the excellent writing. Hopefully the audience will enjoy the theatricality, the storytelling, some good laughs and the chance to enjoy a wonderful play.
How does it feel to be performing at the Marylebone theatre? I’d never been to see anything at the Marylebone theatre so as a first time visitor i can say it’s an absolute gem of a place. it’s modern, spacious- the stage is massive which means as actors we can dart around all over the place- and the auditorium provides a great atmosphere. it seats about 200 AND those seats are actually comfortable! What’s not to like? It’s also in a fantastic location, virtually opposite Regent’s Park and a stones throw from Baker Street. It feels like what a modern, off West End theatre aught to feel like.
What have you enjoyed the most about working on the production so far? I’ve really enjoyed working with Patrick, the director who’s also an actor (although not in this production). He seems to understand how to get the best out of those around him and he’s a fan of trying to make things as funny as possible, which suits me! Martha Howe Douglas joined us relatively late in the rehearsal process and it’s been great watching her get to grips with things so quickly. Really impressive. I’d worked with Kiell a few years ago on a tv pilot but never anything live so i’ve really enjoyed watching him create the character of Percy. All the cast are great though, not just professionally but in terms of who they are as people- we’ve been very lucky to assemble a bunch of actors that are so chilled out and funny. I suppose Patrick must take the credit for this as well!
What were your first impressions of The Government Inspector when you first read it? My first impressions were that this could have been written yesterday! It was in fact written in 1836- but it seems we’re still grappling with same things today as we were when it was written. The play deals with government corruption, bribery, and chancers that try to exploit things for their own personal gain. Every character without exception is an idiot looking to exploit things for personal profit one way or another. They are all in a perpetual state of fear or sycophancy depending on what will get them what they need. The parallels with what we’re going through as a society right now are unbelievably stark.
How has it been working with Martha again? Martha and I first worked together in about 2008 when we did The Armstrong and Miller show and then Yonderland and here we are again. i can confirm that the ENORMOUS success she’s had with Ghosts has gone to her head and she’s gone mad, but other than that, she’s an absolute joy to work with. When we’re not practising lines etc we spend an inordinate amount of time discussing what each other is having for lunch. Martha’s lunch is always far more elaborate than mine.
What are you most looking forward to about performing The Government Inspector for audiences? I’ll just be very interested to see what the audience makes of it. you rehearse these things for a period of time in a bit of a bubble and then you find out what you have made when you put it in front of people. I’m hoping they’ll really enjoy it obviously and buy in to the story and have fun!
By Emma Clarendon
The Government Inspector is playing at the Marylebone Theatre until the 15th June.
