‘I try not to be like him’
JEFFREY DAVIES meets Eastenders mainstay Adam Woodyatt and chats to him about his first theatre appearance in 40 years, as Looking Good Dead heads to the Theatre Royal Bath
ATHRILLING story based on the compelling roy Grace series of best-selling books by Peter James returns to Bath next week, with the world premiere stage production of Looking Good Dead.
It stars award-winning Eastenders actor Adam Woodyatt (Ian Beale) and Coronation Street and Emmerdale favourite, Gaynor Faye (Corrie’s Judy Mallet and Emmerdale’s Megan Macey). Adapted by award-winning writer Shaun Mckenna, Looking Good Dead follows the huge stage success of The Perfect Murder and Dead Simple, and will ‘keep you on the edge of your seat until the chilling final moments!’
The plot: no good deed goes unpunished - hours after picking up a USB memory stick left behind on a train seat, Tom Bryce inadvertently becomes a witness to a vicious murder. reporting the crime to the police has disastrous consequences, placing him and his family in grave danger. When Detective Superintendant roy Grace becomes involved, he has his own demons to contend with, while he tries to crack the case in time to save the Bryce family’s lives.
Looking Good Dead marks Adam Woodyatt’s return to the stage in a play for the first time since 1982, at the National Theatre in Tom Stoppard’s On The razzle.
Was it somewhat daunting taking to the stage again after almost four decades away from it, I asked London-born Adam.
“No not really, because to me it’s still the same job. We’re still acting. On the stage we’re in front of a live audience; in the television studio we’re acting in front of the cameras. So although the process is different, the actual work of the actor is still the same. You still have to learn the lines and perform. The only difference is in live theatre you get an immediate response. An immediate reaction from the audience. In TV, because you’re filming, you don’t get that until several months later,” Adam, 53, told me.
So what attracted the Eastenders icon to Looking Good Dead?
“It was actually Josh, the producer. I’d met him previously when he was doing A House on Cold Hill - which I tried to do, but it didn’t work out. So when he approached me about doing Looking Good Dead, I jumped at it because he’s a good producer.
“The fact that it was based on one of Peter James’s books also appealed to me. I don’t read many books because I’m always reading scripts - to be quite honest with you, reading is the last thing I want to do when I get time off. But I did read this one and really enjoyed it. I was kept guessing the entire time. Peter James is so prolific; even I know he is a best-selling international author. So really that’s the attraction for me,” the chatty and engaging actor replied.
Adam plays Tom Bryce. How would he describe him?.
“He’s a husband, father, businessman and normal bloke. He likes the nice things in life like cooking on the barbecue. Basically, he just tries to do a good thing. And that’s when it all goes horribly wrong!”
Did Adam look for aspects (or similarities) of himself in this latest role?
“No not really. The thing is I’m of a certain age where the character parts are pretty much always going to be a husband, a father or a businessman. I’m in that bracket. Unless somebody comes along and sticks me in a different role, those are the roles I’ll get. They’re always going to be fairly similar. But it would be nice to play something different, maybe roy Grace at some point in the future,” he confessed.
Crime thriller or crime chiller? What makes the genre so appealing?
“If I could answer that, I’d be writing them!,” said Adam, adding that he does actually enjoy a good thriller himself.
“I’m not one for horrors though. But a thriller that makes you jump a bit, keeps you guessing and gets the adrenaline going, is great entertainment”.
They get you thinking, I suggested; the reader or audience almost become part of the story being played out. And they are wondering what is going to happen next.
“If you’re a comic you’re looking for laughs when you’re performing. You’re waiting to see laughs coming. With a play like this, you try to get it so that you don’t see what’s coming. Then when we reveal it, a fair chunk of the audience shrieks,” laughed Adam.
Is Adam a fan of the genre himself?
“I don’t watch regular television to be honest. If it’s a cookery programme, yes and like the rest of the planet I watched Line of Duty,” he answered, adding that he was a contestant on Celebrity Masterchef two years ago and messed it up.
“In a nutshell, I am a far better cook than I managed to show on Masterchef. Trust me,” he said.
Adam Woodyatt is the longest-serving cast member in Eastenders having appeared continuously as Ian Beale since the show began in 1985. For his portrayal of the role, he was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013 and Best Actor at the British Soap Awards two years later. He must have enjoyed the programme
I’m not one for horrors, though. But a thriller that makes you jump a bit, keeps you guessing and gets the adrenaline going, is great entertainment.
Adam Woodyatt
and his role in it to stay for almost 40 years, I remarked.
“Well, Eastenders is an iconic programme and it wouldn’t have lasted that length of time if it didn’t have the viewers. It has an enduring popularity. As for me being the longest-serving actor in it, I don’t think I am anymore as I’ve been away from the show for nearly a year now. I think Jane Slaughter, who plays Tracey the barmaid, nicked that accolade off me,” he said laughing out loud.
Eastenders an iconic soap, yes - and Ian Beale an iconic role as well.
“Well thank you, but I don’t see it like that. I’ve never seen myself as a legendary character; I’ve always seen it as a job. That’s what it’s always been to me. A job. “
Did Adam ever feel that he and Ian Beale were becoming one of the same?
“I hope not,” he responded, shocked at the very thought of it.
“I try not to be like him. I used to leave Ian Beale at the studio gate. I think if I hadn’t I would have gone mad!”
What about the fame that inevitably came with the job?
“Don’t get me wrong, it has its advantages. But there’s also a lot of disadvantages. You could be having a bad day and nobody knows that. But because you’re on the telly, if you suddenly turn around and go ‘look leave me alone’ or say something that
isn’t what they want to hear, they say ‘oh you’re just like your character, you are’.”
Is there any chance that Ian Beale will return to Albert Square?
“That’s not a question for me, I don’t write it. It could happen; it might not. There’s people in charge that make decisions about what the characters say and do,” he answered matter-offactly.
In addition to Eastenders, Adam has appeared as a guest on many television programmes including Robot Wars, Dream House, A Question of Sport, and has presented The National Lottery draw live. He has also previously appeared in pantomimes (which he loves) including Peter Pan, Snow White, Aladdin, Mother Goose and Cinderella.
Looking Good Dead is the fifth novel by Peter James to be brought to the stage. It follows four other hugely successful stage adaptations of his books, including Dead Simple in 2015 and The Perfect Murder in 2014, both of which toured to the Theatre Royal Bath.
Peter James is a number one best-selling author of crime and thriller novels. He has topped the Sunday Times bestseller list 18 times, selling more than 21 million books (translated into 37 languages) worldwide.
Looking Good Dead is playing the Theatre Royal Bath from October 18 to 23. Tickets can be booked on 01225 448844 or online at www. theatreroyal.org.uk