YOUR THEATRE ACTOR
Name: Joe Clegg. Home town: Rochdale. Job: Marketing assistant at creative music charity Brighter Sound in Manchester.
Which theatre company are you involved with?: The Rossendale Players.
Are you taking part in any productions at the moment?: I’m currently playing both Christopher Morcom and Nikos in our production of Breaking The Code at the New Millennium Theatre, Waterfoot.
Who is your character in Breaking The Code?: Christopher Morcom was Alan Turing’s childhood friend. Nikos is a Greek boy Turing meets while on holiday later in life.
How long have you been with the Rossendale Players?: Since the middle of March. I’m a newbie!
What do you like/dislike about the character you are currently playing?: Playing a Greek boy who only speaks in Greek has been a fun challenge. I do not speak Greek. Let’s make that clear! But hopefully you won’t be able to tell.
What do you most enjoy?: Theatre. Hands down. I see enough of it and get involved in enough for it to be my most cherished thing. Theatre is a never-ending, ever-evolving beast of an art form that I’m happy to follow forever.
Have you been in any other productions?: Over the past year and a half I’ve been working with the young companies of Contact and the Royal Exchange in Manchester, during which I’ve been involved in a number of productions, including a children’s show and promenade pieces that celebrated the movements of the LGBT community and women’s rights. I also took part in Much Ado About Nothing.
Who is your favourite actor and why?: Heath Ledger will always have a special place in my heart
for what was the most exciting performance of my lifetime so far when he played The Joker in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. However my all time favourite has to be David Tennant. He has such a unique charisma about him that can translate into every role he plays, even if the roles are completely different. Emma Stone is also a force to be reckoned with. If you don’t believe me see La La Land for confirmation.
If you could play any part what would it be and why?: Hunter S Thompson AKA Raoul Duke. Why no one has brought Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas to the stage yet is beyond me. That’s my blue sky thinking ambition - to be the one to do that. It’s such a unique tale from such a unique point in history.
Are you involved in any other projects at the moment?: I’m currently working as a writer with the Royal Exchange Young Company. The life of a beginner writer is much less project-heavy, I’ve discovered, but Table For Six will be taking place at the Exchange in the summer, where a series of monologues will be delivered to audiences in a restaurant-style format. Come down!
What do you most enjoy about doing this?: Ever since seeing The Rossendale Players’ ‘Kiss Me Like You Mean It’ last year I’ve wanted to work with them. Brilliant show! And Breaking The Code is a really special play about one of the most important historical figures. I want to do Alan Turing justice and from what I’ve seen of our show so far we’re doing just that!
Any funny moments from this?: Spoiler alert - Nikos kisses Turing! However what he doesn’t do is awkwardly attempt to kiss him and end up planting one slap bang on his ear! That was all me...
See Joe in Breaking the Code, a play about famous WW2 codebreaker Alan Turing, at the Players’ New Millennium Theatre in Waterfoot, from Saturday, April 7 – Saturday, April 14, 2018. All performances start at 7.30pm (doors open 7pm). Tickets £9 from Ticket Source (www.ticketsource.co.uk/therossendaleplayers), in person from Watts News (next door to the theatre) or reserved by calling 07922 021506.