Q&As // Iain Fletcher - Oliver
You certainly couldn’t accuse Iain Fletcher of being anything like his character in Oliver! and that is a compliment.
He is one of the archetypal villains of the stage and classic literature. But how do you get into the head of a character like Bill Sikes and bring that brooding evil to the stage? John Bultitude caught up with Iain Fletcher to find out how he is bringing the character to the stage in the lavish production of Oliver! heading to Norwich Theatre Royal.
You certainly couldn’t accuse Iain Fletcher of being anything like his character in Oliver! and that is a compliment.
As we chat in the dressing-room at Southampton’s elegant Mayflower Theatre after a matinee performance, he could be christened Mr Laid Back as he sits languidly in a chair with Jack White songs playing softly in the background and recounting stories about his career.
But this chilled and relaxed demeanour is in contrast to his work ethic and pure passion for the role of arch-villain Bill Sikes in Oliver, which takes to the Norwich Theatre Royal stage on July 3-August 4.
Iain put hours of thought into the character before he had even had a meeting with the legendary impresario Cameron Mackintosh for a part in the lavish tour thinking about how to act and which song to perform.
He recalled: “If you’d seen the film, you’d think Oliver Reed doesn’t have a song. When I was preparing I was thinking about all sorts of people. Maybe something by Ian Dury or Nick Cave.
“I borrowed a friend’s coat which isn’t dissimilar to what I wear in the show. Bill Sikes does come over as a monster and a kind of ignoble rough kind of person. Equally, he would probably have a sense of style and pull out a wonderful watch he’d got from his pickings and wear a wonderful cravat because he is very much King of the roost.”
Getting the character absolutely right is also important to make sure the evil of Sikes does not come across so evil that the part borders on farce. He said: “I thought hard about how I approach it It could come over as a bit comic or even a bit cod to play evil. Equally, just the mention of his name makes people almost wet themselves with fear.”
He must have done something right though as Iain won the part and has been the character the audience love to hate in the show which has been winning rave reviews the length and breadth of the country and comes to Norwich Theatre Royal on July 3-August 4.
And Iain admits starring opposite Brian Conley is a joy. He said: “He really gives you room on stage. I feel confident I can try new things and he will go with it. He is very generous.” This mix of dedication and support also spreads throughout the entire cast, according to Iain. He said: “It is a really lovely company and they make you feel very safe. We all live in each other’s pockets. It is a big cast but everyone knows each other’s characters outside the job.” And nowhere is this more obvious than right at the top with Cameron Mackintosh. Iain said: “There is never a sense that he is somebody who sits back and has nothing to do with it. His knowledge and love for this genre of this theatre and show transcends everything.
“It is lovely to be doing this and working for Cameron. This show stops with him now that he owns the rights. I lived in London for 25 years and just look at the influence it has had on popular culture.”
Iain was a late starter in the acting world initially doing a business studies course on the South Coast when he left school before he – and his tutors – decided it was not the right career path.
He recalled: “I just told them I’d like to be an actor. I went to see a friend sitting on the beach strumming a guitar and he suggested going to college with him and doing drama.
“I suppose it was always a bit feted. My very first offer of a part in a musical was at my school when I was asked to be the soldier at the end who kills Bill Sikes. That was my first opportunity.”
But it was ITV’s police hit The Bill where he made his name playing the sharp-dressed and risk-taking DC Rod Skase. Iain recalled: “It was great to work on. You learn so much. It was my first job really and it was wonderful. It is great for young actors to come out and get a couple of TV jobs. All the actors around me really taught me a lot and it was a joy to do.”
Now he is enjoying every minute of playing Bill Sikes, who he describes as “one of Dickens’ most infamous, debased and dark characters. You have to go to places with the part and be prepared to be ugly.”
And he said the writer was making some strong political points with his book. Iain said: “Dickens was writing about social reform and the treatment of children and those sorts of things. He was putting it out to the masses.”
Away from the stage, Iain is also enjoying the chance to see lots of Britain through the tour and, thanks to the scale of the tour staying for several weeks in each venue, gets to see a little bit of the country.
He said: “I do like to see these different places although you do need to get the balance right. I got really good advice from Neil Morrissey, who played Fagin before Brian took over the role. I thought, because I was up in Manchester, I could go to the Peaks and the Lakes and go to Wales. He said don’t do that. You’ll wear yourself out. I was getting up at 6 and going to the Lakes. “Having said that, I am really looking forward to Norwich. I’ve never been to the Norfolk Broads and I am also keen to see a little bit of John Constable country. If I can get to have a look around Carrow Road, that would be good too.”
So there is no doubt the energy and enthusiasm levels are still high as Iain brings that mix of style and evil to Bill Sikes but if you spot him out of character, get ready for a fascinating and in-depth chat with a man who is genuinely in love with the craft of acting.
Oliver! runs from Tuesday 3rd July - Saturday 4rd August at 7.30pm, with Thursday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm. For more info and tickets, go to www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk. To read the uncut version of this interview, go to Outlineonline.co.uk
