CityLife

Interview: John Henshaw

John Henshaw

The last time John Henshaw starred at the Lowry Theatre he was playing God, in the Jimmy McGovern musical King Cotton.

This time, at their Christmas show, he’s playing Smee in Peter Pan, the ‘musical adventure’ (that’s definitely not a panto. Oh no it isn’t!). But such is the life of a jobbing actor!

“I loved that show King Cotton. Being on stage with a brass band every night was great,” he remembers.

“But so’s this. I like to work over Christmas and I was looking for something, panto or whatever.

“I’m a real lover of music hall, vaudeville, call it what you like, and I love the old comics, that engagement that you get, especially with a Christmas show.

“This is a musical show, really, but, no, I’m not going to be singing,” he insists. “although I might be joining in from time to time!

“Compared to pantos, which can be very confusing with women as men and all that, this is quite straight. Peter Pan is a lad, which is unusual.

“I had a look on YouTube to see who’d done Smee. As it happens, Danny Kaye has done it and so has Bob Hoskins. It’s a good character part and a bit of fun, but I don’t want to overdo it, you know, I’m getting on a bit.

“I’ve never done a large-scale panto, in fact. I’ve done it community-wise, when I was in the am-drams in St Vincent’s in Moston and was the Dame for quite a few years.

“I used to make a lot of stuff up which was great for me but confusing for everyone else.

“I don’t mind lines, as long as I can make them up, even now.”

John, who’s very familiar these days as the face of the Post Office ads and also appeared along with Justin Moorhouse in the Ken Loach film Looking For Eric, is a big supporter of new writing. In fact, he’s a patron of the 24:7 Festival.

“It’s fantastic the way that’s gone from strength and strength and just goes to show how much amazing talent is out there, especially in writing.

“I just wished we had a venue where we could do that regularly. You could put a brand new play on once a month with no trouble at all, and I think people would go to see them.

“The support events like JB Shorts and 24:7 get is just fantastic, so the hunger for it is there and so is the talent.”

JM Barrie’s classic story Peter Pan has held a special place in people’s hearts for more than a hundred years – and in this re-staging of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, John is playing alongside an all-star TV cast.

Thomas Law, better known as EastEnders’ Peter Beale, will make his stage début as Peter Pan, while Brian Capron, who played the sinister Richard Hillman in Coronation Street, will be racking up his baddie credentials as Captain Hook.

MEN Theatre Award-nominated Capron was in Pantos On Strike at the Opera House recently and has also performed in The Rocky Horror Show in the West End and toured with Guys and Dolls.

Last year he starred in the 25th Anniversary production of Stepping Out.

Set to star as Mrs Darling is Leigh-born Sarah Jayne Dunn, best known as Mandy Richardson from Hollyoaks, the longest-standing female character in the soap’s history after her first appearance at the tender age of 14 as the wannabe supermodel Mandy.

Her stage debut came in the comedy Boeing-Boeing, where she played the sexy American, Gloria. She followed this with a tour with The Vagina Monologues, and then played Sally in a brand new production of When Harry Met Sally, opposite Rupert Hill.

Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure is at The Lowry from Wednesday (December 8, 2010) until January 1, 2011.