INTERVIEW: Rebecca Phillipson chats with SIMON NAYLOR; actor, director, producer, and owner of 53Two, Manchester.prior to his playing the role of MacBeth in a brand new production coming to Manchester in September.

Rebecca Phillipson chats with SIMON NAYLOR; actor, director, producer, and owner of 53Two, Manchester.prior to his playing the role of MacBeth in a brand new production coming to Manchester in September.

Hello Simon, thanks for speaking with me today.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST PERFORM?

Technically I was a scarecrow in The Magic Moonbeam when I was 5, but, my first professional stage performance was at Hull Truck in a play called ‘Unleashed’ when I was 22, directed by Alice, strangely, who is directing this Macbeth!

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT BRINGS YOU TO MANCHESTER?

I’m from Manchester! I am from Bury and moved to London to train in 2002. I managed to last in London for 13 years and then moved back to the greatest city on Earth some 3 and a half years ago.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR ROLE IN MACBETH?

So, I was approached by Alice some time ago, who has opened a new theatre in Rotherham – Rotherham Underground. Obviously, myself and Alice go back some years so when she asked if I’d a) be Macbeth in the production and b) if MAP Productions would co-produce the show, it was an obvious answer. We’ve used actors from both Yorkshire and Lancashire from ages 5 to 45 so it’s an ace collaboration.

WHAT SORT OF PERSON IS GOING TO LIKE THIS SHOW?

Well, it’s billed as for ages 8+ although it is a bit violent (of course Macbeth always is!). On the whole though I’d say it’s a pretty accessible and interesting version so, if you’re breathing, give it  a go!

WHAT'S CHALLENGING ABOUT BRINGING THE SCRIPT TO LIFE?

Shakespeare is always a challenge, but that itself is the gift; the text is just marvellous! We’ve set it in a post-Brexit world where society has collapsed and there’s no real ruler. We’ve had a good time talking about how this would impact things and it’s pretty amazing how similar it all feels.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT THE CHARACTER YOU ARE PLAYING?

It’s Macbeth!

WHAT'S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR YOU AS AN ACTOR TAKING ON THIS SPECIFIC ROLE?

It’s terrifying. Every single one of his lines is a classic. Everyone knows it, everyone has seen it and everyone has this their own version in their head. This particular version, I think, is pretty different and Alice has worked hard to switch it up which is brilliant – but, that’s not for me to decide!

WHAT'S A TYPICAL REHEARSAL DAY LIKE FOR YOU?

Long,…and we get bruised! We warm up at 10:30am as a group and finish at 7/7:30pm. The days are pretty long but the company is ace and so we have a giggle. We started working on just the script and dissecting everything before we got it on its’ feet and started to play.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE STAGE SHOW AND WHY?

Wow! Massive question. Probably one of the classics; ‘The Crucible’, ‘A View From The Bridge’, ‘All My Sons’…maybe anything by Miller! Also on the bucket list are characters like Richard III and Angelo from Measure for Measure. Anything by Anna Jordan and, more recently, I read a play called ‘All We Ever Wanted Was Everything’ by Luke Barnes which knocked my socks off!!

WHO DO YOU LOOK UP TO AS AN ACTOR?

So many different people for different reasons; Paddy Considine, Ray Winston, Judi Dench, Matthew McNulty, Karen Henthorn. All of them such different and brilliant actors.

WHAT DO YOU DO ON A TYPICAL DAY OFF?

I genuinely don’t really have days off but that’s not a bad thing. I love what I do!

IF SOMEONE MADE YOUR LIFE INTO A MOVIE, WHO WOULD PLAY YOU?

Someone fat and bald!

ANY ADVICE FOR UPCOMING ACTORS?

Don’t do it! No, seriously, just keep going and be aware that being a ‘good actor’ doesn’t just mean doing TV work. It means working on your voice, physicality and, perhaps most importantly, your business. Work hard – the hardest working people tend to be the luckiest and I think there’s probably a correlation there!

You can catch Simon and the rest of the cast in Macbeth in Manchester....

7 Sept - Angel Meadows - an outdoor production - 6:30pm start.

8 Sept - 53Two - 7:30pm

9 Sept - 53Two - 7:30pm

...................................................................................................................................................

Thanks so much for being with me, good luck with the rest of your rehearsals and I look forward to seeing the show.

Rebecca