‘Who is Boris Johnson’s acting coach?’
West End Producer
Boris Johnson started his illustrious acting career when he was only a child. His first appearance on stage was playing the dog in Peter Pan – being the first child not to require a wig because his patented floppy hair was perfect for the role. He then progressed the following season to play Boris Bumbles in the local amdram production of Cinderella, before landing his first professional role in the animated TV series Where’s Boris?.
It was from that point that Boris’s career went from strength to strength. Winning numerous awards including ‘best actor in a play about hiding in a fridge’ to his most recent win of ‘best supporting actor’, which he shares with his comedy partner Dominic Raab, his career has gone from strength to strength. He is also an award-winning comedy writer, penning classics such as Brexit: the Farce, to the more recent political drama Always Blame the Science, Because the Scientists Won’t Say No.
But who is the person behind Boris Johnson’s acting success? We all know that actors constantly hone their craft during each job they do. Boris gets frequent practical experience during his comedy Question Time shows, where he and his troupe of Eton performer pals show off their impressive improvisation skills. Their riffs around themes and hilariously bad speeches have garnered them a worldwide audience, recently upgraded by their new daily stand-up show – where Boris and his funny pals beautifully prod and satirise the world of politics every afternoon. It is this kind of ingenuity and inventiveness that make UK performers the best in the world.
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Boris has been collaborating with his acting coach for many years, and is in the fortunate position of having him travel with him wherever he goes. Some would call this vanity, but others would argue it is the height of professionalism. Performers such as Daniel Day-Lewis famously stay in character throughout filming – but Boris has taken this to an entirely new level by being in character 24/7 since he was born backstage at a Conservative party rally in Blackpool in 1964. His character never falters, his hair is always messy and his brilliant comedy timing has earned him worldwide respect.
Boris claims a lot of his success is down to his father, the comedian Standup Stanley, who became famous doing Tory Tours around Teignbridge and Tottenham in the early 1970s. But of course, it is his acting coach who keeps Boris’ acting muscles flexed at all times. This man has had such an impact on him that their partnership even culminated in the development of an entirely new acting style – the Bertolt Boris method (conceived during a research trip to Durham).
Yes, Boris’ acting coach is one of the best actors we have: Dominic Cummings. And we all know how brilliant he is – he garnered an audience of millions in his stirring Rose Garden monologue. I’m already excited about their next co-production: The Party That Goes Wrong. What fun, dear.
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