The Stage

Exclusive: Theatres better outside London, says actor Tompkinson

Published Tuesday 24 March 2009 at 15:50 by Tony Purnell

Actor Stephen Tompkinson, best known for his TV appearances in shows such as Drop the Dead Donkey, has said that he prefers working in theatres outside London, branding the West End a rip-off for audiences.

The performer, who appears in ITV series Wild at Heart, is about to return to the stage in Sign of the Times, a new play by Calendar Girls creator Tim Firth. The play opens at the Theatre Royal Windsor at the end of the month and then embarks on a nine-date UK tour.

Tompkinson told The Stage: “I am always happier working outside London. The audiences are a lot more appreciative and the atmosphere is more relaxed. They appreciate the fact that you are coming to them rather than them having to make their way into the West End. It can become phenomenally expensive when people have to pay congestion charges and parking fees.

“There is also a lot more pride in individual theatres outside London. People see them as part of the community. They can be very comfortable and the atmosphere is much more relaxed. Some of the theatres in the West End are very cramped and you can pay £60 for a seat. You can feel on the verge of being ripped off.”

Tompkinson, whose television credits include Ballykissangel and Drop the Dead Donkey, said he was happy to take a pay cut to return to the theatre. He added: “I don’t do plays for the money. If I’ve been lucky enough to have a TV series to subsidise me for a while, I am more than happy to go back and tread the boards.”